Collective Bargaining, Privatisation, France

Three trade unions (CGT, FP-CGIL and PCS) representing workers in cultural services in France, Italy and the UK have come together to highlight the urgent need for action to support the sector and tackle poor pay and employment conditions. They argue that the sector has been particularly hard hit by measures to tackle the pandemic and these have been intensified because of the extent of outsourcing and precarious employment. The unions are calling for a strengthening of public culture services, decent and secure employment conditions and action to stop privatisation and outsourcing. CGT (EN

The four unions representing workers in France's main energy company EDF - FNME-CGT, FNEM-FO, CFE-CGC and CFDT Chimie Energie - are continuing their joint actions in protest against the plans for major restructuring and privatisation of the company. After the widely supported strike action on 19 September, the unions have launched a petition and are planning a further day of strike action on 17 October.

Nine public service federations - CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA, FSU, Solidaires, FA-FP, CFE-CGC and CFTC - are continuing to work together in their campaign to defend jobs and services across the public sector and secure better pay and conditions for public sector workers. They are planning to rally outside the ministries of finance and public services at midday on 27 June, a few days before a meeting on pay planned for 2 July where the unions will be calling for salaries that recognise the work, skills, qualifications and commitment of public service workers.

Four trade union organisations - CGT, FO, FSU and Solidaires - are joining with two student organisations - UNEF and UNL - in a national demonstration and strike action on 19 March focusing on pay, social protection and a range of other key demands. The unions want negotiations across the sectors for a general pay rise along with an increase to the national minimum wage.

The nine trade union federations in the public sector have agreed that the government has failed to propose an adequate response to their key demands on pay, purchasing power and sick pay. The unions met on 26 October to discuss the next steps and agreed to boycott the plenary meeting of the public service council due to take place on 6 November. Instead, they will organise a demonstration outside the finance ministry on that day.

Strike action and demonstrations in over 140 cities across the country were part of a successful day of action on 10 October organised by the nine public sector trade union organisations. Unions estmate that over 400000 joined the national protests involving workers right across the public services. The day of action was in protest at government plans to freeze pay again and to cut jobs. The unions are due to meet the public services minister, Gérald Darmanin, and they will then meet together on 23 October to discuss whether and when to take further action. A contingent with EPSU banners

Nine public sector trade union organisations have come together to organise a national day of action on 10 October in protest at government attacks on the pay, conditions and jobs of public service workers. The unions accuse President Macron of doing the opposite of what he proposed in his presidential election campaign. Far from increasing pay, his government is maintaining the pay freeze for public sector workers. There is also a threat to 120000 jobs across the public services and the re-introduction of a waiting day before claiming sick pay. The unions will organise demonstrations and