Demographic change, Work-life balance, Energy
Unions raise concerns about approach to telework
Unions organising in state administration in both Spain and Portugal have raised serious concerns about the approach to telework and particularly governments taking the opportunity to regularise arrangements that were only adopted on an emergency basis. While there is recognition of the potential benefits to work-life balance, unions argue that fundamental issues need to be addressed through collective bargaining in relation to working time, the right to disconnect, provision of equipment, health and safety, training, contact with the workplace and the voluntary nature of the decision to
Federations raise key issues on employment, pay and telework
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
Energy group makes social protection commitment
Global trade union federations have welcomed the initiative of the ENGIE energy multinational to commit to cover any hospitalisation and death-related costs arising from the COVID-19 virus for any of its 170000 employees around the world. The company is bringing forward implementation of a new CARE programme for employees that would provide help with such costs but, in the period up to 31 December 2020, is boosting this by providing full coverage of hospitalization costs related to COVID-19 and for employees temporarily without social protection providing all-cause death cover and
Public utility workers: The unseen frontline responders in the Corona Crisis
The coronavirus pandemic has now infected more than 2 million people worldwide and caused over 145,000 deaths. Like so many other key workers, workers in the waste collection, water and energy distribution sectors are risking their lives
Digitalisation at the heart of social partners’ commitment to keep the lights on
In these times of public health crisis, digital technologies enable the electricity sector to keep the lights on, adapting traditional models from generation to smart infrastructure in our constantly transforming industry.
EPSU Position on the European Green Deal
Challenging consensus on the use of market-based solutionsto fight climate breakdown. The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) welcomes the Green Deal proposed by the European Commission as a holistic response to the climate emergency.
EPSU Utilities Sanding Committee: role of the public sector and a just transition for workers must be at the core of the EU Green Deal
(27 February 2020) On 26th February, EPSU held its biannual Standing Committee (SC) on Utilities, bringing together EPSU affiliates from across Europe. The key elements addressed during this meeting were
Workers in disabled care see work-life balance improvements
The collective agreement covering workers providing disability care has new elements to improve work-life balance. There is an annual hours system based on a 36-hour week for a full-time worker. This alllows for flexibility to help address peaks and troughs in the service but on the basis that employers have to abide by clear rules in both the collective agreement and legislation. Workers in the sector can also now look to the collective agreement to assert their right not to be contactable during their time off. The FNV trade union sees this as an essential measure to tackle increasing stress
Outcomes of EC-funded social dialogue project on digitalisation and work/life balance 2018-2019
The Social Dialogue Committee for central/federal governments approved the checklist of dos and don’ts on digitalisation and work/life balance, the key outcome of a two-year EC funded project.
Unions focus on green issues in church agreements
Unions in Norway and Sweden have put the focus on green issues in their current and planned negotiations with church employers. In Norway there is a commitment to address sustainability issues with the Norwegian church in an agreement that also includes measures to ensure a working environment that promotes health and also initiatives to reduce sickness absence. Meanwhile, in Sweden upcoming negotiations will include green measures along with a focus on a clearer process of pay determination and increased control over working time to improve work-life balance.
Local government union focuses on pay and working time
The Kommunal municipal and health services union has set out some of the main demands that it will pursue in the upcoming collective bargaining with municipal employers. The union will aim for a 3% general pay rise with an extra 0.5% to be used at local level for specific groups of vocationally trained workers in health, child and other care. It wants vocationally trained temporary workers to be offered a permanent contract after 12 months and is calling for a number of measures on working time. Among a range of demands, Kommunal wants to ensure full-time work is the norm and argues that the