Staffing levels, Central government
Pay increases average 13.5% as new public sector pay system implemented
After lengthy negotiations a new public sector pay structure is in place that means significant increases to the coefficients used to calculate salaries for different occupations. Overall public sector workers are set to benefit on average by 13.5% in comparison to pay levels in 2023. Most unions are generally happy with the new system, including the HSSMS-MT nurses’ and health workers’ union which is one of 11 to sign the public sector collective agreement. However, other unions, including teaching unions, are unhappy with the outcome and argue that the new system fails to deliver appropriate
Health union looks to shorter full-time hours to tackle overwork
A new report from the Swedish Association of Health Professionals (SAHP) shows that more than four out of 10 young people up to the age of 29 do not believe that they will stay in healthcare for the rest of their working lives. One in five young people testify that the workload is so high with inadequate rest and recovery that it cannot be managed. The union argues that if young people leave the health care system, the existing staffing shortages will worsen. The report shows that more than half of young people feel that staffing is rarely or never sufficient and 85% believe that the workload
Health union calls for end to recruitment freeze
The INMO nurses’ and midwives’ union has called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to end the moratorium on recruiting frontline patient-facing staff. The HSE has revealed that emergency department attendances are up 13% compared to the same period in 2023 and 452 patients were admitted to hospital without a bed on a single day earlier this month. INMO warns that its members are bearing the brunt of public disappointment and in some cases aggression for the state of the health service while working in extremely challenging environments. The union says that staff who are leaving because of
Unions want pay increase confirmed and austerity measures repealed
The UGT-SP trade union and public sector federations in the CCOO confederation are calling on the government to ensure payment of the 2% pay increase across the public sector as set out in the three-year agreement 2022-24. The agreement has so far delivered pay increases totalling 7% in 2022 and 2023 and there could be an additional 0.5% on top of the 2% in 2024 depending on economic developments. The unions also want confirmation that various measures introduced as part of an austerity package back in 2012 are finally rescinded. The unions want the government to immediately begin negotiations
Civil service union plans new campaign on pay and jobs
The PCS trade union is set to launch a ballot for industrial action on 18 March as a first step in a renewed campaign around pay, jobs and working conditions. The union has around 150,000 members in over 200 bargaining units across the civil service and has been successful in recent years in securing support for targeted strike action despite the strict UK ballot rules covering public services. The ballot will close on 13 May and there will be a special meeting of the PCS national executive on 15 May to consider the results. The union’s key demands include: a cost-of-living rise, with an
Labour shortages: Social Partners jointly respond to the European Commission Consultation on Labour and Skills Shortages in the EU: An Action Plan
In a coordinated action, EPSU joined with Social Partners in Health and Social Services to responded to the European Commission consultation on Labour and Skills Shortages in the EU Action Plan.
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.
EPSU Social Services Working Group discuss labour shortages, legislative developments and European Work Councils
On 27 February 48 participants gathered in Brussels for the Social Services Working Group to discuss, among other things, European Works Councils in the care sector, staffing levels and digital care platforms.
Schmit reassures social partners for central governments their digitalisation agreement is in friends’ hands
In a meeting held at the Berlaymont on 19 February, Commissioner Schmit welcomed the EU sectoral agreement on digitalisation and the signatory social partners’ request to implement it through EU legislation.
Strike action delivers another agreement on staffing and workloads
The ver.di trade union continues to negotiate with employers in the private and non-profit health sector to tackle staff shortages. The latest success comes after 19 days of strike action at the Jewish Hospital in Berlin where staffing levels will be stipulated across most areas of operation and employees will get compensation in the form of additional days off if the hospital fails to abide by the agreement. If workers are in stressful situations because of staff shortages they accumulate points which can mount up to be taken as time off. The agreement will apply from December 2024. Public
State sector union continues to challenge government on pay
The OSSOO state sector trade union has provided further evidence of how workers in central administration have seen their real pay fall. It has written to the government setting out the latest trends which show that between 2021 and 2023 real incomes fell by over 8% in the private sector, 15% in the public and non-profit sector but by 25% in central government. The union also argues that while employers in the private sector have announced their willingness to increase wages by 5-6 %, no salary increase is foreseen for civil servants, on the contrary, the plans are for an overall cut in the
Union underlines stark warning from latest staffing estimates
The GPA trade union is calling for urgent action on pay and conditions in health and care to deal with major anticipated shortages of nursing staff. A recent report by Health Austria says that there will be a shortfall of 200,000 nurses by 2050. The union underlines that better working conditions have to be part of the solution rather than look to recruit from third countries. GPA says that nurses are stretched to their limits with day-to-day care characterized by overtime, constant standing in for absent staff and a bureaucracy that leaves hardly any time for caring. These conditions lead to
State sector unions negotiate 7.4% pay increase over two years
Negotiations on a new agreement covering the state sector were concluded on Sunday 11 February with employees set to get a 7.4% pay increase over two years that should deliver a real increase of 2.5%. The first increase will be for 5.9% on 1 April 2024 with a further 1.3% due on 1 April 2025 and 0.2% on 1 November 2025. Additional funds have been allocated for the development of wages and other conditions in the individual collective agreements with the overall package worth 8.8%. There will be an extraordinary salary negotiation at the end of 2025 which will focus on the comparative