Staffing levels, Privatisation, Central government
Public sector negotiations deliver a 5% pay increase
The HSSMS-MT healthcare union reports that following the third round of public sector pay negotiations, unions have accepted a pay increase of 5%, an improvement on the 3% offer made in the second round of bargaining. The unions have also secured the €300 Christmas bonus that they were looking for and an Easter bonus of €100, less than they wanted but a €30 improvement on the previous offer. There is also a commitment that, should the new pay system not be in place by 1 March 2024, then negotiations would open for a general pay increase.
Unions aim for 10.5% pay increase in regional government
The ver.di trade union, leading negotiations covering 1.2 million workers in regional government, has set out the main claim for a 10.5% salary increase, but with a minimum increase of €500 a month. The demands also include an extra €200 for junior staff and trainees are to be taken on for an unlimited period. The unions want a 12-month agreement. Ver.di says employees have high expectations for the outcome of the negotiations and stresses that better pay and conditions are needed to help address the 300,000 staffing shortage across public services. An important aim will be to close the gap
Ministry of justice proposal not enough to end dispute
The FSC-CCOO federation reports that the ministries of justice and finance have promised a pay rise to all workers in the justice ministry on the basis that Pedro Sanchez is re-installed as the head of a new coalition government. However, the union says that the commitment is not enough to end the long-running dispute that has already involved two months of strike action. The FSC-CCOO has written to the ministry to demand immediate negotiations over a pay rise for all workers irrespective of who runs the government. Union demands also include action on career development, an end to pay
Unions give ultimatum to youth sector employers
The FNV and other trade unions have set a deadline of 1 November for employers in the youth sector to come up with an improved pay offer or they will aim for a major mobilisation on 20 November. This would be the 10th time in recent years that unions have had to take to the streets to push their demands. The unions argue that the employers’ “final offer” would only lead to more workers leaving the sector and further increases to staff shortages. The biggest stumbling block during the negotiations was inflation compensation for 2023. Following just a 1% pay increase on 3 January, the unions are
Unions call for higher pay increase for 2024
Both the SINTAP and STAL unions have expressed discontent with the pay increase on offer for public service workers in 2024. The overall wage bill will rise by over 5% with increases ranging from 3% to over 6% depending on position in the pay scale. The two unions argue that this level of increase will not compensate for the recent loss of purchasing power because of higher inflation. STAL estimates a 5.1% fall in real terms in 2022-23 alone. SINTAP has called for a re-opening of negotiations while STAL has called a national strike for 27 October. The strike, also supported by the Frente Comum
Latest on public sector and private health negotiations
The first round of bargaining for a 2024 pay increase for public sector workers took place on 20 October and as usual the basic aim was to agree the key figures on which the negotiations would be based. These were established as 9.15% for inflation (year to September 2023) and forecasts of a 0.4%-0.8% decline in economic output. The negotiations involve the public sector unions younion and GÖD. Meanwhile, the first round of bargaining in private health and social care was disappointing for the vida and GPA trade unions as the employer offer of an 8.8% increase was well below the unions’ claim
Staff shortages, mental health and social dialogue discussed by health and social care trade unions
45 participants, including external speakers, discussed developments in the health and care sector taking place since the previous meeting in February of this year, including the urgent issue of staff shortages, retention and recruitment.
Tripartite negotiations pre-empt normal public sector bargaining
A number of public service trade unions are involved in negotiations with employers and the government to address pay inequality and staff shortages. In September the government set out proposals to provide DKK 3 billion (€400 million) to cover higher pay for social workers, nurses and workers in early years education and care. The government wants part of the deal to provide additional hours for part-time workers. Prison staff are also set to benefit and there is additional funding for them. These negotiations come shortly before and are separate from the normal three-yearly bargaining on the
Unions demand commitment to end justice ministry dispute
As negotiations continue to form a new government following the general election last month, the Ministry of Justice has proposed to negotiate an agreement to end the long-running dispute with the FSC-CCOO public services federation and other trade unions. In response the three unions have demanded a public commitment from the Ministry of Justice to meet the demands that led to the mobilizations and the strike. The unions have been calling for improvements to pay and conditions for the majority of the 45000 workers in the ministry. In the meantime, the ministry has agreed salary increases for
New two-year agreement in central government
The ST civil servants’ union, part of the OFR/S,P,O group of negotiating unions, concluded a new collective agreement with the Swedish Agency for Government Employers on 30 September. The overall wage development will be 7.4% over two years in line with wage trends in the export industry sector. There will be local negotiations at individual workplaces to determine how the increase is allocated. The agreement also provides for an improved holiday supplement, extra leave so that both parents will be entitled to time off for maternity clinic appointments and increased job security, with a six
Study highlights poor job quality for essential workers
The Eurofound research agency has published a policy brief which underlines the need to tackle poor job quality among a range of essential occupations, including in the health and care, food systems, cleaning and refuse, transport and protective services sectors, along with manual workers in general. The report argues that these workers’ health and well-being were at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to be post-pandemic contributing to the labour shortages that persist in these sectors. The policy brief says that critical occupations facing staff shortages, such as jobs in health