010 epsucob@NEWS June 2008
Public sector deals out to ballot
A pay settlement for workers in the municipal sector is out for ballot following strike action. Details of the deal will be circulated shortly. The result in the state sector is also out on a ballot among the membership. The recommended result is a yearly increase estimated at 6.1% with a general pay rise of between €2008 and €4016 per year or approx 7% for the lower pay grades and just under 4% for the highest. In addition to this general increase, 1% is set a side for wage regulation negotiations (July) and 1.3% for local negotiations. The local parties have to monitor the gender pay gap and
Unions continue to mobilise over private health agreement
The three Italian union federations are continuing to campaign over the long delayed collective agreement for the private health sector. Following a sit-in demonstration outside the head office of the ARIS organisation that represents religious healthcare institutions, the unions are now planning a fortnight of action around the country from 3 June to 13 June. Read more at > FP CGIL (IT) And at > FP CGIL (IT)
3% pay increase in Hessen
Ver.di and the other trade unions representing regional government workers in Hessen have agreed a 3% pay increase for 2008. Hessen broke away from the national collective agreement covering regional government in 2004 and is still resisting union demands to rejoin the agreement. The 2008 pay increase is backdated to 1April and a lump sum worth 3% of salary will cover the period from 1 January to 31 March. Employees will also get a further lump sum of either €100 or €150 depending on their pay grade. The agreement runs to the end of December and separate pay negotiations will take place for
Union survey reveals impact of health recruitment freeze
A survey of health and social services in the Mid West of the country has found around 200 posts unfilled as a result of the Health Service Executive's recruitment freeze. The survey by the IMPACT trade union shows the wide range of services being hit - including primary care, disability services, mental health and care for the elderly. In the biggest vote ever for industrial action 85% of IMPACT members voting supported industrial action over the freeze. Currently members are working to rule with a refusal to do non-emergency overtime or any out-of-hours work. [Read more at > IMPACT (EN)-
Federations set out their agenda and plan mobilisation
The public service federations have had a meeting with the public service minister following general elections in Spain earlier this year. They set out a number of their main short- and medium-term demands and called for negotiations to get under way as soon as possible. The federations, FSAP-CCOO, FSP-UGT and CSI-CSIF, are considering some form of mobilisation towards the end of the month to emphasise what they see as an urgent need to address the issue of decent and fair pay across public administration. [Read more at > FSAP-CCOO (ES)->http://www.fsap.ccoo.es/webfsap/menu.do?Actualidad
Nurses end strike
After six weeks of strike action nurses have agreed to a new three-year pay agreement that gives them a guaranteed minimum increase of 4% this year and 3% and 2% in 2009 and 2010. Further details of the settlement will be circulated shortly. Read more at > International Herald Tribune (EN)
Public service federations unanimously reject government proposals on mobility
The eight trade union federations in the public services have signed a joint letter declaring their opposition to government proposals on increasing worker mobility across the public sector. The unions argue that rather than enhancing career development, the measures are mainly aimed at increasing flexibility, undermining the pay and grading system and providing opportunities to make more budget cuts. Read more at > FO (FR)
Nurses' strike continues
While municipal and regional council workers in the FOA have voted in ballots to accept the improved three-year pay deal, the strike by nurses continues. Municipal workers accepted a 13.4% deal (up on the 12.8% employers had offered) that included a commitment to a commission to look at the issue of pay inequality. The nurses remain determined to secure a higher increase over the three years, demanding a 15% rise. Read more at > Copenhagen Post (EN)
Ballots over health service pay produce mixed results
Health workers in the public services union UNISON have voted to accept the three-year pay deal covering the National Health Service. Members of the RCN nurses' union also voted in favour. These are the two largest trade unions in the health service. However, three of the other main unions have voted to reject the deal - these are the GMB and UNITE general unions and the RCM midwives' union. [Read more at > UNISON (EN)->http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=4315] [Read more at > RCN (EN)->http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/news/article/uk/rcn_accepts_three-year_pay_deal] [Read more at
New agreement for mental health sector
ABVAKABLO, CNV Publieke Zaak and Nu'91 have signed a new agreement covering mental health workers employed by GGZ. The 13-month deal runs from 1 March 2008 to 1 April 2009 and includes a 3.25% pay rise from 1 July 2008. There will also be a lump sum payment worth 1% of salary in November 2008. The deal comes after lengthy negotiations since February and the unions and employer will undertake further discussions over measures to improve recruitment, retention and career development in the sector. [Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/cao/bericht/akkoord_cao_geestelijke
ETUC issues warning over working time directive
The ETUC has criticised the latest proposals to amend the Working Time Directive, pointing out that if adopted they will mark the first time that the European Union has legislated to reduce social protection. The ETUC argues that the Directive won't do enough to tackle the health and safety issues arising from long working hours and creates more possibilities for employers to avoid regulation of working time through collective agreements. The Directive will be discussed at the council of employment ministers on 9 June. [Read more at > ETUC (EN)->http://www.etuc.org/a/5050] [And at > EPSU (EN)-
Museum workers to strike over pay
Friday 13 June will be the first one-day strike in a possible series of stoppages by over 400 staff working for the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI). The members of the Prospect and PCS unions voted overwhelmingly for action in response to the employer's latest pay offer. There has been an almost one-year delay before the NMSI offered 1.5% plus performance-related pay increases for 2008 and only performance-related increases for 2009. The unions point out that 1.5% is even below the government's 2% guideline that public sector unions have already rejected as inadequate. [Read
Unions call for pay negotiations to re-open at EDF
In the light of the recent surge in inflation, unions at the EDF energy company have called on the company to start negotiations over pay in line with regulations that provide for a re-opening of pay talks. There is also a call for the company to provide compensation for travelling to work, with a demand for EDF to pay for 60% of each employee's monthly travel costs if they use public transport and a €200-a-year contribution towards fuel costs for those not using public transport. Read more at > CGT (FR)
Sharp differences in earnings growth across public services
The latest figures from the Czech statistics agency show a significant gap in earnings growth between sectors with the electricity, gas and water industries recording the highest increase at 18.2% compared to the first quarter of 2007. In contrast the lowest increases were in public administration (3.0%) and health and social services (5.3%). With inflation over the period at 7.4% this means that real earnings growth in the utilities was 10.8% while public administration and health saw real earnings decline by 4.4% and 2.1% respectively. [Read more at > Czech statistics agency (EN)->http://www