Social Services, Moldova, Latvia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Armenia

Public service unions joined the national protest on 27 November calling for action to defend and improve sickness absence rules. Under the slogan "sick workers are not criminals" the Podkrepa confederation called for workers to be covered by sick pay from the first day of absence and for a range of other measures on sick leave and working time. Meanwhile on the same day social workers from the administrative services union in Podkrepa took an hour's strike action calling for a 40% pay increase.

EPSU has sent a solidarity message to Hungarian affiliates who are fighting against their government's new proposal to reform the taxation of certain fringe benefits. The KKDSZ, BDDSZ and HVDSZ2000 trade unions held a press conference in front of the Parliament earlier this month in protest. The reform of the taxation of fringe benefits such as luncheon vouchers would make it more costly for employers to provide these to their workers. This could result in an effective cut in income for many, with a particular impact on the low paid for whom the vouchers are very important.

The CITUB confederation organised a national demonstration on 27 October calling for a 100 BGN (50 EUR) pay rise for all workers. The protest will also focus on the public services with the proposed budget for 2018 allowing for only a 5% pay increase while unions representing health and social service and other public services are calling for a 10% increase. Another slogan of the demonstration is protection of workers' rights as the government is planning to cut entitlement related to job security and sick pay.EPSU sent a solidarity message.

(April 2017) The BDDSz childcare workers' trade union is supporting the ETUC's pay rise campaign. The union sees that many of the headline demands of the campaign - tackling low pay and the gender pay gap - fit with the union's priorities and it is encouraging members to show their support.

(May 2016) The BDDSz childcare workers' union (one of EPSU's newest affiliates) secured an important legal victory at the end of May. Following strike action earlier this year, the legality of the strike had been challenged by the government which had argued that the union should have provided a minimum level of service. The legal challenge went throught the whole legal process and the highest court ruled in favour of the union saying that the nature of the service did not require the minimum service. Read more at BDDSz (HU).

(May 2016) On 20 April the BDDSz childcare workers' union, one of EPSU's newest affiliates, took strike action along with other unions in the social services sector. After two and a half years of negotiations, the unions decided to resort to industrial action to try to make progress with their claims for an increase in pay and to improve working time arrangements. Average salaries in the social services sector are 35% below the average for the economy as a whole, clearly justifying the 20% pay claim. EPSU sent a message of solidarity. Read more at EPSU and at BDDSz (HU)