Gender pay gap, Central government
European Parliament supports demand for whistleblower protection – you can help by signing the petition
Following a campaign of unions such as EPSU and Eurocadres, many social action groups and MEPs of several parties, the European Parliament adopted a report on the need for an EU initiative on whistleblower protection, 24 October.
National protest calling for pay rise
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.
Confederation plans actions on public service pay
The KOZ trade union confederation is planning three events in three different cities in November to address major problems related to public sector pay. The confederation is calling on all its affiliates to support the initiative and discuss the way forward. KOZ argues that an unfair pay system, including pay rates that are below the national minimum wage is failing to ensure that public service workers are properly rewarded and means that many skilled workers are leaving to find better paid work elsewhere.
Public sector pay negotiations under way
Leaders of the GÖD and younion public service unions have taken part in the first two round of negotiations over the pay increase for 2018. The unions are calling for an above-inflation increase that reflects the increased workload and performance of public service workers. The level of the increase will be negotiated in the framework of positive growth in the economy (2.8%) and an inflation rate of just under 1.9%.
Public service unions keep up pressure over pay
Public service unions are maintaining their pressure on the government to lift the 1% pay cap that continues to be applied to most public service workers, with the exception of police and firefighters. Civil service union PCS has organised a day of action on 31 October, while UNISON is running a Pay Up Now campaign. The GMB union organised a rally at Westminster to highlight the situation of public service workers to MPs and the RCN nurses' union handed in a petition to the Prime Minister on 20 October.
Unions plan next steps as government fails to deliver
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.
Public service federations launch campaign for jobs
The FeSP-UGT and CCOO federations in the public sector have come together to launch a campaign to get the government to negotiate over employment in the public sector and to adjust the budget for 2018 to begin to tackle the staffing crisis. The unions point out that not only have 350000 public sector jobs been cut since 2010 but the problem is being compounded by an ageing workforce. In social security, for example, around 48% of staff are set to retire over the next 10 years. The unions also want to ensure implementation of the agreement signed earlier this year to reduce the number of
Public service workers call for changes to pay system
In the first of a series of three meetings over a thousand public service workers gathered in Košice to discuss pay in the public sector. The unions are calling for action on minimum salaries and a pay system that recognises workloads, levels of education and length of service of public service workers. Two further meetings are planned as part of this broad trade union consultation process - one in Banská Bystrica on 16 November and the final one in Bratislava on 23 November.
Central government workers vote for action on pay
In a consultative ballot, members of the PCS civil service union expressed support for a campaign, including industrial action, to end the government's 1% limit on increases to public sector pay. The union has planned a series of protests around the country on 21 November, calling on the government to include funds in the upcoming budget to allow for pay increases above the 1% limit. It will also be talking to other public service unions about coordinated action.
Court workers protest over pay
Members of the Solidarity trade union working in the courts and prosecutors' offices organised a protest on 13 November over pay. Rather than the image of high-paid judges and prosecutors, the union says that 80% of workers get less than 2000 ZLT (EUR 475) a month and their pay claim is for a modest 100 ZLT a month (EUR 25). The protestors handed in a petition to the prime minister also calling for an increase in jobs in the sector.
New study finds EPSU-led TUNED and employers in central governments most representative
Yesterday 20 November, in a joint letter to the European Commission, the EU social partners for central governments, namely EUPAE (employers) and EPSU-led TUNED (trade unions) welcomed the results of a new study that confirms they are the most representative and important social partners in that sector.