Social Services, Staffing levels, Corporate Social Responsibility
UK: Crisis in care homes could cost the NHS £3 billion
(25 January 2016) According to a report published last month by the independent [think-tank ResPublica->http://www.respublica.org.uk/our-work/publications/the-care-collapse-the-imminent-crisis-in-residential-care-and-its-impact-on-the-nhs/]*, around 37.000 places in care homes for the elderly could be lost over the next
Regulating domestic workers will reduce trafficking and abuse, says FEMM committee
(Brussels, 24 February 2016) There are approximately 2.5 million domestic workers throughout Europe, nearly 30% of whom are excluded from any national labour legislation, according to official figures. These workers
Social service unions strike over pay and working time
(May 2016) On 20 April the BDDSz childcare workers' union, one of EPSU's newest affiliates, took strike action along with other unions in the social services sector. After two and a half years of negotiations, the unions decided to resort to industrial action to try to make progress with their claims for an increase in pay and to improve working time arrangements. Average salaries in the social services sector are 35% below the average for the economy as a whole, clearly justifying the 20% pay claim. EPSU sent a message of solidarity. Read more at EPSU and at BDDSz (HU)
Call for more childcare workers and increased investment
(May 2016) The three main public sector federations - Fp-Cgil, Cisl-FP and Uil-Fpl - organised a national mobilisation on 19 May as part of a campaign to improve and increase childcare services and the pay and conditions of childcare workers. The unions have raised concerns about inadequate staffing levels, too few nurseries, particularly for the 0-3 age group and precarious working conditions for childcare workers. They have called for an urgent meeting with the government to discuss these issues. Read more at Fp-Cgil (IT)
Rehabiliation company pulls out of collective agreement
(June 2016) Members of the services union ver.di working for the Median rehabilitation clinic in Berlin took strike action on 17 June as part of the union's campaign to defend collective bargaining. Median is the largest private provider of rehabilitation services with 13000 employees in 78 facilities across the country. The company announced it would no longer negotiate a collective agreement and would look to local arrangements with works councils or individual employees. Ver.di has strongly attacked the company, owned since 2014 by the Dutch investment fund Waterland, for aiming to maximise
Pay deal for spa and rehabilitation workers
(June 2016) The vida and GPA-djp service unions have negotiated a new collective agreement with private employers in the spa and rehabilitation sector and includes a 1.3% pay increase from 1 July with a backdated lump sum of EUR 220 to cover the period October 2015 to June 2016. The agreement runs until the end of 2017 and includes a further pay increase on 1 January 2017 that will be based on the average inflation rate between October 2015 and November 2016. The trade unions and employers emphasised the importance of an effective social dialogue in delivering results for both employees and
Conference debates cuts and increasing workloads
(June 2016) Over 1900 activists from the FOA public services union met in Odense on 9 June to discuss the impact of cuts in spending on care for the elderly and childcare. Eldercare has been particularly hard hit creating a massive increases in workloads and major problems with stress. The proportion of FOA members who feel stressed, has more than doubled, from 9 percent in 2010 to 19 percent in 2015, while last year 72 percent of FOA members said that their workload had increased in the past year.The union discussed what initiatives to take and in particular how to alert the public to the
Childcare workers' court victory
(May 2016) The BDDSz childcare workers' union (one of EPSU's newest affiliates) secured an important legal victory at the end of May. Following strike action earlier this year, the legality of the strike had been challenged by the government which had argued that the union should have provided a minimum level of service. The legal challenge went throught the whole legal process and the highest court ruled in favour of the union saying that the nature of the service did not require the minimum service. Read more at BDDSz (HU).