Water, Environment/Climate Change, Work-life balance
Union agrees 23-month deal in gas, water and energy
The collective bargaining committee of the ver.di trade union in the TG GWE bargaining group has voted by nearly three to one to back a new 23-month agreement. The negotiations cover gas, water and energy workers who get a 6.5% pay increase this year (from 1 February) and 3.7% next year – from 1 January. Trainees will see their pay levels increase by 3% for each year of training. Meanwhile the union’s members at ONYX Power have made clear their priorities in the upcoming negotiations where ver.di will be demanding a 12-month agreement with a 14% pay increase for all employees, including
Pay rise in water – action in waste
The SINTAP trade union has reached an agreement with Águas de Portugal water company that applies to the union’s members and delivers a 3% increase, with a minimum of €53, an increase in the food allowance to €7.60, as well as establishing an entry salary in the company of €905. Workers with more than 10 years’ service get further improvements. Meanwhile, the STAL trade union has been active in the waste sector where it has been involved in protest and industrial action to secure better pay and conditions for workers in the FCC and Resinorte companies. At FCC the demand is for a 15% pay
Unions taking different approaches to working time
Following the article on Iceland, the latest in the series of articles on working time commissioned by EPSU from the Labour Research Department focuses on developments in the other Nordic countries. While several unions in Sweden have put shorter working time on the bargaining agenda (see also article on Sweden in this newsletter), there are only a few cases in social care where a shorter working week has been implemented. In Norway and Denmark the priority has been more to ensure that workers in health and care and other services have the right to full-time working although there are some
EPSU Standing Committee on Health and Social Services discusses labour shortages, demonstrations in Brussels, organizing and climate change
After a review of the alarming situation of trade unions in Turkey one year after the earthquake, the 60th Standing Committee discussed strategies to address staff shortages, greening healthcare sector, and its priorities for this year.
Union highlights jobs and pay challenges in tackling energy transition
The SDE energy trade union has raised concerns about the capacity of the energy sector to cope with the green transition. The union highlights slow wage growth in the sector, which is adding to the major challenges in recruiting new staff and the lengthy training required to ensure they have the specific skills needed. The SDE is also worried that existing staff are leaving the energy sector and seeking employment in better-paid positions in other industries. The union points out that a lack of skilled staff will make it difficult to successfully upgrade energy facilities. It has also raised
Communication of the Commission on Europe 2040 climate targets: EPSU calls for a fair, social, inclusive initiative
EPSU welcomes the Communication of the European Commission on Europe's 2040 climate target, in which it recommends a 90% reduction of the EU’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
Human Rights Day: new EPSU report marks ten years of Right2Water
As the world observes Human Rights Day on December 10th, EPSU launched a new report commemorating the ten-year milestone of the Right2Water European Citizens Initiative (ECI), a groundbreaking movement that placed access to water at the forefront of the European political agenda.
Water sector deal delivers pay increase and €16 hourly minimum wage
The FNV trade union has negotiated a new agreement covering workers in the water sector which is now out for approval by members. It provides a 4.25% increase as of 1 January 2024, along with €50 on the full-time salary. There will be a further pay increase of 2.5% in January 2025. This marks an improvement on the employers’ previous offer and follows some extra pressure from the presentation of a workers’ petition. The new salary structure now has a minimum wage of €16 an hour – a key union target. The collective agreement runs until 1 July 2025.