Electricity, Low pay/minimum wages
Action by health workers and a pay rise in electricity
The vida trade union organised a warning strike in 25 facilities across the country in support of its demands for higher pay for the 10,000 workers employed in the private hospital sector. The union is demanding a pay rise above inflation and a monthly minimum salary of €2000 and argues strongly that it is crucial to improve the pay and conditions for workers to make the sector more attractive and tackle staff shortages and overwork. Meanwhile, the GPA trade union has negotiated a new collective agreement in the electricity sector which delivers pay rises of 8.6%-9.6% along with increases in
ETUC highlights impact of food price inflation
An ETUC analysis reveals how families will be forced to cut back on Christmas dinner this year as a result of food prices rising up to seven times faster than wages. The ETUC found that food prices – the second highest contributor to inflation after energy – have increased by 18% across the European Union since last winter. In contract, the latest figures indicate that nominal wages are expected to have increased by 4.4% in the EU by the end of this year. The sharpest increases are happening in Slovenia, where food prices are rising 7.6 times quicker than wages, followed by Sweden (6.4), Spain
Confederation continues campaign on pay
On 30 November, with a demonstration outside parliament, the CITUB trade union confederation maintained its campaign on pay, minimum wages and public sector salaries. The campaign began in September and included a joint demonstration with the Podkrepa confederation on 11 November. CITUB is calling for higher pay for all workers in response to the cost-of-living crisis and it wants the government budget for 2023 to allow for a pay increase for public sector workers of at least 13%. The main demands also include an increase in the national minimum wage to BGN 850 (€435) a month along with
Union calls for higher pay for early years education workers
The SIPTU trade union has called for the pay rates of workers in early years education to keep pace with the Living Wage following the announcement that it is to increase by €0.95, taking it to €13.85 per hour. Childcare professionals secured an historic first pay deal this year, establishing a minimum rate of pay of €13 per hour. This was €0.10 cent over the Living Wage at the time. The union is now calling on the government and employers to deliver a pay increase to reflect the rise in the cost of living otherwise all the work done to address low pay, high staff turnover and the recruitment
Unions to consult members over pay coordination plan
The LO, mainly blue-collar workers’ trade union confederation, has put specific figures to its proposed pay coordination formula that it has drafted for the pay bargaining round in early 2023 with a key aim of supporting lower paid workers. The general pay claim would be for a 4.4% increase but with a minimum increase of SEK 1192 (€110) for those earning less than SEK 27100 (€2500) a month and with an increase of SEK 1371 (€126) on minimum wages in collective agreements. The majority of LO member organisations backed the plan although there are some concerns that the overall target is too low
ETUC demonstration calls for action on cost-of-living crisis
The ETUC coordinated a demonstration in Strasbourg on 5 October followed by a meeting with MEPs to highlight the catastrophic consequences of huge price increases on working people and their families. The confederation is calling for decisive action from the EU and national governments including increased wages and income support, a tax on profits and a cap on prices, all covered in a six-point plan. The ETUC wants to see support for collective bargaining, increases to minimum wages and targeted emergency payments for low-paid people struggling to afford their energy bills, along with a ban on
Confederations coordinate national protests over cost-of-living crisis
Czech Republic Slovak Republic
The trade union confederations of the Czech and Slovak Republics – CMKOS and KOZ – have called national demonstrations on 8 October to call for action to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. They argue that their respective governments need to undertake urgent measures to support households in the face of soaring inflation and particularly high energy costs. They want to see increases in wages in general and particularly minimum wages and assurance that government budgets will include provisions to cover pay rises in public services.