Working Time, Privatisation
Negotiating and campaigning on working time
After pay, working time is core collective bargaining issue but is also an important area of employment regulated by national and European legislation. EPSU has been very active in defending and calling for proper implementation of the Working Time Directive and is involved in current debates on working time. The why and how of working time reduction is a guide produced for EPSU by the European Trade Union Institute and examines long-term trends in working time, the arguments for reducing it and examples of how this has been achieved.
Fight for 35 hours for all continues
(September 2016) Despite the national reform to revert to the 35-hour week across the public sector, trade unions are still having to fight to ensure all workers see their hours reduced from 40 a week. The STAL local government union organised a demonstration outside the Braga town hall on 19 September in protest at the mayor's decision to maintain the 40-hour week for workers employed by private contractors. The union plans further action if the local authority fails to implement the cut in hours. Meanwhile the SEP nurses' union is continuing its local actions around the country to secure the
Unions lose fight to block labour code
(September 2016) Despite the long-running trade union campaign against the labour code and the temporary block put on it by the President, the parliament passed the legislation on 14 September with the government claiming that more flexible labour market rules are needed to boost employment. The code will reduce holiday entitlement, allow more flexility in fixed-term contracts, make it easier to dismiss workers and relaxes limites on overtime and working time.
Trade, social dumping, fighting for better pay & conditions and ending welfare capitalism discussed in Sweden
(9 September 2016) The Swedish union Kommunal elected a new President at its Congress in June. Tobias Baudin followed up Annelie Nordstrom. EPSU’s General Secretary met Tobias 8 September. They
Unions secure guarantees over hospital privatisation
(September 2016) The GWU general union and MUMN nurses' union have both signed agreements with the government providing guarantees on pay and conditions and collective agreements applying to workers affected by a public-private partnership covering three hospitals. The workers affected will remain government employees.
Junior doctors plan further action
(September 2016) The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced plans for four periods of industrial action in protest at the government's decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors. Junior doctors voted by 58% to 42% to reject the revised contract which they say fails to deal with problems relating to part-time work (affecting mainly women) and also working at weekends. The union has suspended action planned for September but action planned for 5 October will go ahead unless the government agrees to negotiate. Read more at BMA.
Nurses maintain strike action over 35-hour week
(August 2016) Following their national action at the end of July (see last issue of epsucob@NEWS), nurses in the SEP trade union have been involved in a series of strikes at different hospitals around the country. Strikes at Barlavento Algarvio, Faro hospital and other institutions took place in the first half of the month and more are to follow with a five-day action planned at Tondela-Viseu in central Portugal. Read more at SEP (PT).
Leaked report links working time cuts to job creation
(August 2016) A report by the IGAS social affairs inspectorate provides evidence that the reduction in working time implemented with the introduction of the 35-hour seek in 1998 lead to the creation of 350000 jobs over the next four years. The report has not been officially published but was leaked to the Mediapart organisation. The CGT trade union confederation has criticised the decision by the IGAS not to publish the report officially and argues that the analysis supports its call for a further reduction of weekly working time to 32 hours. The CFDT confederatoin has also called for a cut in
High level of support for strike over working hours
(August 2016) Unions representing health workers from both the CGTP and UGT confederations organised strike action on 28 and 29 July calling for implementation of the 35-hour week across the health sector. The unions are angry that the decision to return to the 35-hour week across the public sector has not been fully implement in the health sector where many workers are covered by separate collective agreements that continue to apply the 40-hour week. The unions involved were Sintap, FNSTFPS and SEP. The SEP nurses' union reported 75% and more support for the strike and plans further action
Second strike by energy staff over working time
(July 2016) Over 400 energy meter readers around the country took their second period of four-day strike action in protest at demands by the E.On company that they work 30 minutes extra three nights a week. The unions - Unite, Unison and GMB - are concerned about long working days and that the company won't stop there if the extra hours are agreed. Read more at Unite.
Unions welcome President's veto of Labour Code
(July 2016) Trade unions have welcomed the decision by President Dalia Grybauskaitė to veto the draft Labour Code. She said that the Code fails to provide adequate protections for workers and she has sent it back to Parliament with 22 suggested amendments. The unions have been campaigning against the Code since last autumn, warning of the impact of measures that would relax rules on working time and make it easier for employers to sack workers. Read more at Baltic Times (EN) and EPSU (EN).
Back to 35-hour week in public sector
(July 2016) Public sector workers have won back their right to a 35-hour week. Legislation came into effect earlier this month reversing the increase to 40 hours a week pushed through as part of a range of austerity measures in 2013. Most workers benefit immediately although implementation in some cases may be delayed to ensure continuity of service. Public sector unions have been waging a high-profile campaign against the five-hour increase, negotiating hundreds of local agreements across the public sector to retain the 35-hour week. Read more at CGTP (PT) and UGT (PT).
Confederations plans series of anti-austerity actions
(May 2016) The three confederations are mobilising for a series of actions over the next few months culminating in a general strike on 7 October, the second anniversary of the centre-right government. The unions are angry about continuing cuts to public services but also to the threat to the 38-hour week. They are calling for more investment in public services and a range of other measures to boost the economy. The first major event will be a joint national demonstration on 24 May in Brussels. Read more at FGTB (FR), ABVV (NL), CSC (FR), ACV (NL), CGSLB (FR), ACLVB (NL)
Private Sector Dominates UNECE Forum on PPPs
Public Services International (PSI) has criticised the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) for a lack of democracy and an almost demagogic bias in favour of the private sector as it tries to set global standards for Public-Private Partnerships.