Health and Safety, Company policy and EWCs
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 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.
National strike to hit ENEL energy company on 8 March
EPSU and PSI have sent solidarity greetings to the three union federations – Filctem-Cgil, Flaei- Cisl and Uiltec – in their dispute with the ENEL energy company. The three unions are planning national strike action on 8 March and began a month-long period of industrial action affecting overtime, travel and changes to working hours on 24 February. The unions are angry about the company’s unilateral plans to change working hours arrangements, to outsource operations on the electricity grid, and its refusal to renew the remote work agreement. The three federations argue that the measures will
International support to Italian ENEL workers
Filctem-CGIL, Flaei-CISL, and Uiltec-UIL are currently mobilising in protest of Enel Group’s decision to make unilateral changes in working hours arrangements, outsourcing operations on the electricity grid, and refusing to renew the remote work agreement.
Maternity workers to get 10% pay increase
The FNV and NU’91 trade unions have concluded a new 12-month agreement covering around 7800 employees in the sector but with an effective start date of 1 June 2023. The increase comes in three stages with 3.5% backdated to 1 January and then 3.5% on 1 April and 3% on 1 June. The FNV says that the 10% means that maternity workers are catching up with other groups in the health sector but stressed that there remained a major problem about the unpredictability of work. This is still being discussed with the employers and the unions want action to address the high level of absenteeism due to
EPSU and HOSPEEM presented their policy on stress at work at the high-level Belgian Presidency conference
EPSU and HOSPEEM in the capacity of social partners in the hospital and healthcare sector were invited by the Belgian Presidency to participate in the conference dedicated to mental health and work.
Right to disconnect: implement the EU social partners agreement in Central Government Administrations
Speaking at an event on the Right to Disconnect hosted by the S&D Group in the European Parliament, EPSU General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan reiterated the urgent need to make the right to disconnect a reality.
Union raises alarm over attacks on public service workers
The ver.di trade union has strongly condemned the violence against firefighters, rescue services and police officers on New Year's Eve and calls on employers to do much more to fulfil their duty of care towards employees. Numerous workers were injured after coming under fire from rockets and firecrackers or as a result of other attacks. The events on New Year's Eve have highlighted the kinds of violence to which many public sector workers are exposed on a day-to-day basis. The union wants employers to ensure they document all incidents and that employees report all assaults, write accident
Unions raise alarm over health and care staffing and violence
The FNV trade union is again sounding the alarm over staff shortages in health and social care following the release of official forecasts for the coming decade. The figures show that, on current trends there is a real risk of serious breakdown in the sector which faces an expected shortage of almost 190,000 employees by 2033. The FNV is calling for urgent action, noting that the 5000 shortfall in hospital staff now is set to rise to 27700 in 2033 and that the understaffing exposed by the COVID pandemic will be permanent state of affairs in future. The FNV is calling on the government to