Electricity, Trade, Restructuring
Union mobilises against energy network companies
The FNME-CGT energy union is stepping up its mobilisation of workers in the Enedis and GRDF electricity and gas network companies. The union accuses both companies of focusing on increasing profits at the expense of employees and customers. The companies are pushing through restructuring, outsourcing and job cuts with employees facing work intensification and pressure to deliver services without the proper resources. The union has a range of key demands including an increase in pay and an end to job cuts and outsourcing.
Water workers plan action if key demands not met
Workers at the Aguas de Portugal (AdP) water company are considering strike action if a number of key demands are not met. Apart from improvements in pay and career development, the workers want to see a progressive reduction in working hours and measures to address the fact that restructuring of the company has lead to many workers being on different rates of pay despite having the same length of service and responsibilities. Unions mobilised on the 27 March to put pressure on management which has so far failed to address these issues.
The EU Parliament has included important measures to fight #EnergyPoverty but ruled out concrete measures to protect the most vulnerable
This week the European Parliament voted its position on the electricity market directive, missing the last opportunity to include a comprehensive definition of energy poverty in the new 2030 EU Energy Package.
Energy unions secure 3% pay rise and other improvements
The GPA-djp and PRO-GE energy unions have negotiated a new collective agreement covering around 20000 workers in the private energy sector. The 3% pay rise also covers apprentices and shift allowances while other allowances increase by 2.5%. The agreement includes several other provisions such as protection of special payments and holiday entitlement during paternity leave. The trade unions will also work with the employers to look at women's employment and representation in the sector. There will be working groups on other issues, including working time, and agreement to carry out audits of
European commission’s will to phase out regulated prices tempered by Council of the EU
In the last few months the European Commission, with its fourth energy package « clean energy for all Europeans » has called for the end of regulated tariffs for all domestic users within five years.
Public and private sector strike over drug company crisis
Workers across the public and private sectors took four hours of strike action on 17 December to call for government action to resolve a crisis that could lead to 1750 job losses at the TEVA pharmaceuticals multinational in Israel, part of a plan to cut 14000 jobs worldwide. The action was called by the Histadrut confederation which says that the company had benefited from favourable tax arrangements and that the government should intervene to protect the workers whose jobs are under threat.
5000 workers affected by health firm's insolvency
Around 5000 employees of the Paracelsus health company found out just before Christmas that the firm was insolvent. Their trade union, ver.di, said it was a bad day for both workers and patients and blamed mismanagement for the failure. The union said that workers had foregone their Christmas bonuses in 2013 and 2014 but the company had failed to deliver on the new investment promised at the time. This year the collective bargaining committee had refused to give up the bonus but the failure of the company to pay it in November was an early indication of the problems ahead. Ver.di has called on