Working Time, Quality employment, Prisons Services, Women & Gender Equality
Municipal unions take initiative on full-time work
The public services unions Fagforbundet and Delta and the NSF nurses' union have signed a declaration with the KS municipal employers' organisation calling for further co-operation to create a culture of full-time work in the sector. The unions want to see a reduction in part-time work which leads to part time workers, the vast majority of whom are women, losing out, particularly in terms of their pension benefits. While some steps have been taken, the unions are still concerned that there is too much part-time work, especially in the health and social care sectors. A website has been set up
Union makes series of demands to tackle gender discrimination in health
The health conference of the vpod public service union has called for action to tackle the stress, long working hours, involuntary part-time work and low pay in the sector which is part of the persistent discrimination faced by women workers. The union wants to see a revaluation of pay of health and care jobs to recognise the arduousness and increased responsibilities of many occupations. Vpod is also calling for major improvements to work-life balance, reductions in working time, better shift planning, possibilities for retirement from 60 and provision of necessary training. The union says
Commission analyses reveal gaps in working time protection
European Commission reports on the Working Time Directive, published on 15 March, reveal that Member States’ legislation is generally compliant, but that some problems remain in ensuring that the legislation is having full effect, particularly across all public services.
Kick-off meeting in Veolia for a new transnational agreement on diversity and inclusion
On 29 June 2023, the special negotiating body led by EPSU met for a first kick-off meeting in the Veolia campus outside Paris to launch the discussions on a transnational agreement on diversity and inclusion.