Company policy and EWCs, Health
Massive public service strike in Northern Ireland
Public service unions have organised one of the biggest strikes and mobilisations in Northern Ireland for many years as they try to put pressure on the UK government to stop delaying a pay offer for public service workers. The government claims that its hands are tied by the political stalemate in the province and the lack of a functioning Assembly. The unions argue that this is an excuse and that the money is available to make a pay offer immediately. EPSU affiliates UNISON, Unite, GMB and RCN are involved in the action, along with NIPSA, RCM, CSP, SoR, BDA as well as the teaching unions
Public sector pay offer falls well short of union expectations
Public services unions, including Fórsa, SIPTU and INMO, were very disappointed with the government’s initial pay offer as part of the negotiations for a new, multi-year public sector collective agreement. The unions say that the offer revealed the lack of preparedness of the government to negotiate a sustainable deal. The unions argue that the offer of 7% with 1.5% payable in March this year, fails to meet the basic test of dealing with the cumulative gap between wages and inflation – amounting to almost 19% over the last three years. The unions are concerned about the painfully slow process
Health union pushes for more action by government on pay and jobs
The Sanitas trade union, representing workers in health and social care has welcomed the government decision to allow recruitment to over 8000 positions in the public health system that it had previously blocked. The union had threatened to strike over the issue and while it sees this initiative as a step in the right direction it is calling for much more to be done to address the critical shortage of staff in health and social care. Sanitas estimates that the 8000 jobs to be filled cover only around a quarter of the needs of the health and social care sectors and that the government will have
Health professional’s union seeking shorter hours and higher pay
Vårdförbundet, the trade union for health professionals has set out its main demands for shorter working hours and higher wages for the upcoming negotiations with the SALAR and Sobona employer organisations. The collective agreement covers 90,000 midwives, biomedical analysts, radiographers and nurses employed by municipalities and regions. A recent report by the union found that three out of 10 members work part time and many of these do so because they can't cope with full-time hours. Half say that the main reason is the need for rest and recovery. The survey also showed that one in two part
Public service unions unite in demands over pay
Eight public service federations – CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, FA, FO, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA – have issued a joint statement on the need for urgent action to improve pay for civil servants and public sector employees. The unions argue that the five index-point increase for public sector workers implemented this year was already foreseen in 2023 and that no further increase is planned for 2024. The government has given no indication that any negotiations will take place to cover 2024 and in the light of this the unions were due to meet this month to consider what action to take, with the prospect of
Health union declares labour conflict
Following longstanding problems in ensuring full implementation of the law on salaries that applies to health and social care staff, the Sanitas trade union has declared a labour conflict. For over two years the government has blocked full implementation of the law and the proper calculation of salaries. Bonuses are stuck at levels dating back to 2018 and overtime is unpaid. A holiday allowance has not been granted and the food allowance is also linked to 2018 pay levels rather than current salaries. The situation is made worse by the repeated blocking of recruitment to fill vacancies, leading
Unions to meet to plan industrial action
The Fórsa trade union reports that the breakdown of public sector negotiations in December, has led to public service unions planning possible ballots on industrial action. The 19 trade unions that make up the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are set to meet on 11 January to decide whether to ballot if there is no progress on negotiations with the government. Negotiations mainly on issues other than pay began at the end of November with 11 meetings taking place up to Christmas but without conclusion and without moving on to pay bargaining. The previous public
Unions negotiate 9.2% for workers in non-profit services
The vida and GPA trade unions representing workers in non-profit care and other services have negotiated a new collective agreement with the Caritas group of religious organisations. The agreement applies to 41 organisations employing 17,700 workers, delivering a range of services such as disability care, education, support for the homeless and those in poverty. The increase took effect on 1 January with a 7.7% applied to salaries plus a 1.5% monthly allowance. All other bonuses and allowances increase by 9.2%. The unions believe this is another important step in delivering decent pay and
Strike planned in non-profit care sector for 31 January
The Fp Cgil, Cisl Fp and Uil Fpl public service federations have declared a day of strike action and protests on 31 January in their continuing campaign to secure a bridging agreement with the ARIS non-profit health employers’ association. ARIS has rejected the proposal that aims to provide a basis for negotiations to start that would lead to a collective agreement that covers both the ARIS and AIOP private health employer organisations. The unions are determined to secure improvements to pay and conditions for workers who haven’t had an update to the collective agreement for 11 years. The aim
Union sets out key demands for upcoming bargaining
The Kommunal trade union has had an initial exchange with the SALAR and Sobona employer organisations ahead of the negotiations this spring on the largest collective agreement in Sweden, covering 1.2 million workers in healthcare, schools and social services. The union wants a new wage arrangement that provides a clear link between salary and professional development. Kommunal also wants a system that achieves sustainable working hours based on annual staffing surveys and with a move away from split shifts. According to the union the current pay system is too arbitrary and seven out of 10
Doctors launch longest ever industrial action in health sector
In a long-running dispute over pay, the BMA doctors’ union has launched a six-day strike involving junior doctors – the occupational category that covers a wide range of qualified doctors and consultants. The union is seeking a deal which will compensate for the 26% decline in real pay for junior doctors since 2008. The strike began on 3 January and will be the single, longest strike action in the history of the National Health Service. Meanwhile, the RCN nurses’ union is maintaining its dispute over pay from last year and has strongly criticised the health ministry for a delay in beginning