Pay settlements, Recruitment & organising
Strong public service unions are vital if we are to stand up for our values and our vision in our workplaces, sectors and communities. They are crucial in dealing with national, European and global institutions and in representing public service workers in national trade union centres and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). EPSU affiliates are more effective in negotiating and campaigning where they can count on an active membership, high union density or broad support from workers.
EPSU has been taking a range of initiatives to support affiliates, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, to build union power by developing recruitment and organising strategies and campaigns. This briefing, prepared for the 2019 Congress, covers recent work and current priorities. Our Organising and Campaigns staff, Agnieszka Ghinararu and Miloš Vlaisavljević, are working with affiliates to help them with advice, support and training and keeping them informed about new ideas on recruitment and organising methods.
New agreement but also union action in non-profit sector and childcare
A new agreement between unions, employers and the Flemish government has delivered a range of benefits for workers in various health and social services in the non-profit sector. Overall, there will be the equivalent of 3,716 new posts to help tackle high workloads. There will be a general 1.7% increase in wages but with some additional increases for those on the lowest pay rates and those will long service. In elderly care, the rehabilitation sector, psychiatric care homes and sheltered living initiatives, there will be a new pay structure from 1 July 2021, bringing pay rates in alignment
Private sector health agreement reduces gap with public sector
The NSF nurses’ union has negotiated a new agreement with the NHO employers’ organisation that represents private sector providers. A key aim of the union has been to reduce the large differences between the conditions in NHO companies and conditions in other collective agreements. The NSF believes that the settlement for 2020 is a new step in the right direction. With effect from 1 October 2020 the new minimum wages for nurses is NOK 412000 (EUR 40500). There is a general increase of NOK 0.5 (EUR 0.05) an hour for everyone from 1 May 2020 and there will be local negotiations conducted in
Civil service union secures 13% pay rise over three years
PCS, the largest union in the civil service, has negotiated a three-year deal covering workers in the HMRC department (revenues and customs), the third largest section of the civil service with around 60000 workers. The deal includes an average 13% increase in pay over three years: with 3% paid in March 2021 and backdated to June 2020; a further 5% payable from June 2021; and a further 5% payable from June 2022. The pay award is significantly weighted towards providing major increases for the lowest paid. The agreement also allows for significant progression through the various pay ranges for
Red Cross workers agree on 3.4% pay rise
Members of the ver.di services union employed by the Red Cross have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a pay settlement agreed after arbitration. Workers will get a 1.5% increase as of 1 April 2021 with a minimum guarantee of EUR 50 per month. The increase in April 2022 will be 1.9% and trainees will get increases of EUR 40 in each year. Workers will also get a COVID bonus depending on their pay level – this ranges from EUR 225 to EUR 600. The agreement includes increases in allowances such as shift pay and measures for specific workers including paramedics, nurses and day-centre staff
New agreement in eldercare boosts pay by 25%
Services union ver.di and the BVAP social care employers’ organisation have signed a collective agreement for the first time covering eldercare. The agreement will set minimum standards for the sector with a 25% increase over three years taking minimum pay for trained nurses to EUR 3180 a month. There will be minimum pay rates for nursing assistants, those with one year’s training and qualified nurses beginning at EUR 12.30, EUR 13.10 and EUR 16.10 an hour respectively from 1 August 2021. This will then rise in three further stages on 1 January 2022, 1 January 2023 and 1 June 2023 to reach EUR
Public sector deals ensure real pay rises
Public sector workers will be covered by two new three-year agreements running from 1 April to the end of March 2024. The agreements covering municipal and state sector workers both have an overall value of 6.75% of the pay bill over the three years but the amounts are distributed differently. In the municipal agreement there will be a 5.02% general increase but there will be additional amounts allocated to address low pay, equal pay, recruitment and organisational issues, taking the overall increase to 5.94%. In the state sector there will be a 4.42% pay rise over the three years, with
Pay rise for general practice staff but no offer for central government workers
Staff working in medical general practices are set to get a 2% pay increase in a new agreement negotiated by the FNV and other trade unions. There will also be a structural 0.5% addition to the end-of-year bonus and a one-off increase of the same amount. There has also been an agreement on a homeworking allowance but no other significant provisions as the focus was on pay and for a short agreement (12 months to 31 December 2021), taking account of the difficult circumstances created by the pandemic. Meanwhile, central government workers are yet to get a pay offer from the employers who have
Agreement with hospitality employer organisation in line with labour market trend
The Kommunal municipal workers’ union has negotiated a collective agreement with the Visita employers’ organisation representing companies in the hospitality sector. The agreement runs from 1 January 2021 to 31 August 2023 and provides for a salary increase of SEK 1303 (EUR 130) paid in two instalments in April 2021 and September 2022. This will mean a 6% increase on the monthly minimum wage for professional workers from SEK 21587 (EUR 2150) to SEK 22880 (EUR 2280). Additional allowances will be increased by 5.4% over the course of the agreement.
Union negotiates two-year deal for personal care assistants in private sector
The Kommunal trade union has signed a new two-year agreement covering personal care assistants with the private care provider section of the Almega employers’ organisation. The agreement includes a 2.8% increase in the minimum wage from 1 February 2021 (to SEK 114.40 (EUR 11.30 an hour) and a further 2.3% on 1 July 2022 (to SEK 117.03 (EUR 11.56 an hour). However, pay rates in general will be set in local negotiations. The agreement sets the space for the negotiations but pay for individual workers will vary according to the local negotiations. The agreement includes several other provisions
Threat of action delivers pay rise for private care workers
Around 55000 will benefit from pay increases in a new 29-month collective agreement negotiated between the Kommunal public services union and the Almega employer’s organisation. Kommunal had threatened to take industrial action when the employers said that they would meet the union’s demand for higher pay for vocationally trained employees but not for other lower paid workers. Following mediation, the union’s demands have been met and the agreement keeps private care workers in line with public sector deals. The union also pushed back the employers’ attempt to increase part-time employment.
2% pay rise and lump sum payment for energy workers
Following three rounds of bargaining, services union ver.di has negotiated a new 25-month agreement with the RWE energy company. The agreement covers 20000 workers and provides for a 2% pay rise from 1 March this year and a further 1.7% from 1 April next year. There will also be a EUR 1000 lump sum for full-time workers and proportionate amount for part timers. Apprentices will get EUR 600. In addition, ver.di members only will get an extra two days’ holiday a year.