Company policy and EWCs, Local government
Joint mobilisation by public service unions on 19 March
Eight public service trade unions – CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, FA, FO, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA – met on 24 January and issued a joint communique condemning the absence of any measures to increase public service pay, particularly in context of sustained inflation. The unions are calling for immediate negotiations to address issues around careers and salaries and have rejected President Emmanual Macron’s talk of better recognizing "merit" as a tactic to avoid the urgent need to improve pay and conditions. The unions have set 19 March as a national day of action, including strikes and other protests
Unions ballot members over public sector pay offer
Fórsa, SIPTU, INMO, AHCPS and other public service unions are consulting their members over the latest pay offer from the government which would provide for a series of pay increases over a 30-month period from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2026. The unions have until 25 March to complete the ballots. If an aggregate of the members of all the unions vote in favour then the agreement would provide the following pay increases: in 2024 – 2.25% or €1,125, whichever is greater, from 1 January; 1% on 1 June; 1% or €500, whichever is greater, on 1 October; in 2025 – 2% or €1,000, whichever is greater, on
Unions seeking changes to government proposals on public sector pay
A proposed new system of public sector pay has been criticised by unions for failing to provide salary coefficients for different occupations that would be a fair reflection their skills, workloads and responsibilities. The HSSMS-MT health workers’ union has called for proper recognition of nurses’ level of education and have made clear that it feels its members have been less fairly treated than doctors who are taken action against the proposals. The SDLSN union has also expressed concern, particularly on behalf of its members in the Ministry of Justice who took strike action last year over
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
Another municipality experiments with four-day week
The HK Kommunal trade union reports that the City Council of Vesthimmerland in the north of Denmark is giving all administrative employees the opportunity to divide their 37-hour working week over four days. This follows similar initiatives in other municipalities, including Odsherred, Gentofte, Esbjerg, Solrød. The experiment will be evaluated in November when it may be extended to other categories of employee. The option is entirely voluntary and will be based on allocating 74 hours over two weeks. Unscheduled citizen inquiries will be closed on Fridays and, as far as possible, there will be
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
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 pay deal covering municipal and private companies
JHL, Jyty and other unions have negotiated pay increases for employees of companies covered by the Avaintes employers’ organisation. This includes (joint) municipal companies and private companies providing services to municipalities. The pay increases also apply to the Seuretes staff supply company and cover the third year of the collective agreement which runs until the end of April 2025. There will be a general increase of 3.1% as of 1 May 2024 and from 1 February 2024, a previously agreed general increase of 0.3% will also be paid. As of 1 October 2024 there will be a further 0.3% increase
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
Warning strikes help deliver pay rises for regional government workers
The ver.di trade union has begun to consult members over the deal reached on 9 December with regional government employers after a third round of bargaining. The agreement is comparable to that covering federal and municipal workers and includes a tax-free lump sum of €3,000, which will be paid as a one-off amount of €1,800 in December 2023, followed by monthly payments of €120 between January and October 2024. On 1 November 2024, monthly salaries will be increased by €200 and then increased again by 5.5% on 1 February 2025 (with the guarantee of a minimum increase of €340). Ver.di believes