Unions raise key issues for return to work in public administration

The FeSP-UGT public service federation has sent a number of key demands to the public service ministry for a new agreement covering public sector workers. The union wants action on improving employment conditions and reducing precarious employment but also has a number of specific proposals on telework, noting that the estimated impact of COVID-19 has been an increase from 26,000 to more than 450,000 public employees doing telework. Among the key demands are action to balance security and flexibility with increased productivity; voluntary nature of telework; equality of rights with other

The ADEDY public service confederation and health workers' union managed to secure a meeting with the Minister of Finance earlier this month and a commitment to further meetings. However, on one of the main issues of the meeting - extending the allowance for dangerous work to all sectors - the Minister didn't agree and suggested that some workers might see cuts in order to make the allowance available to others. In response to calls to increase the number of permanent staff and reduce flexible contracts the Minister acknowledged the problem of underfunding, particular in healthcare, and

The European Commission has carried out a "fitness check" on the collective redundancies Directive, the transfers of undertakings Directive and the Directive establishing a general framework relating to information and consultation of workers. This concludes that they are generally relevant, effective, coherent and mutually reinforcing and that the benefits they generate are likely to outweigh the costs. It notes also that public administration is not specifically covered by the information and consultation directive and suggests that there is need for further research on this question and