Waste, Central government
Climate change: Voicing the concerns of workers in energy, water and waste
(17 February 2011) The trade unions discussed the implications of climate change on public services and in particular on energy, water and waste. The [recommendations of a study->http://www.epsu.org/IMG/pdf/PP-dupressoir-confsept-final.pdf] were debated
Public sector deal delivers on pay and working time
(May 2016) A new agreement covering the public sector provides a 7.5% pay increase for many workers but also higher increases of 10%-15% for some professions. An important element of the agreement is that it can be extended to private and non-profit organisations who provide services to the public sector. The agreement also includes provisions to ensure more full-time work for part-time workers who want it. Read more at Histadrut
Unions to strike in public and private waste industry
(May 2016) The four main unions that organise in the public and private sector waste industry are planning to strike on 30 May. There are many elements to the unions' protest including the need to defend a sector agreement in the industry, to stop cuts in pay and jobs, to ensure public procurement is used to deliver quality services and to improve health and safety. Around 100000 workers are employed in the industry and the unions involved are FP-CGIL, Fit-Cisl, Uiltrasporti and Fiadel. Read more at FP-CGIL (IT)
Airport workers strike in support of public sector pay claim
Services union ver.di organised a strike of airport workers on 27 April to support the current negotiations covering 2.14 million employees in federal and local government. The union dismissed the employers' offer of a 0.6% pay rise this year (1.2% in 2017 and 2018) as an insult. Ver.di's claim is for a 6% increase in a 12-month deal, along with an extra EUR 100 for trainees. Read more at ver.di (DE).
European Parliament calls for tougher rules on tax avoidance but they’ll need to be tougher still to stop corporate tax dodging
(25 May 2016) The European Parliament has long been an ally of the tax justice movement, pushing for concrete and ambitious measures against the tax dodgers. The Economic and Monetary
Real wage rises for 2m public sector workers
(May 2016) After three rounds of negotiations and a series of warning strikes, public sector unions have agreed a two-year deal covering just over two million workers in national and local government. There will be a 2.4% pay increase this year, backdated to 1 March and a 2.35% next year as of 1 February. There are also increases for apprentices and an extension to the agreement to offer apprentices jobs when they quality. Read more at ver.di (DE)
Union signs deal for rail infrastructure workers
(May 2016) The ST civil service union has negotiated a new agreement covering companies in the rail infrastructure sector. There will be a wage increase of 2.38% along with increases on unsocial hours payments and the agreement runs until 30 April 2017. There are also provisions to increase job security with monitoring of the use of fixed-term contracts, The agreement also includes clearer language on the employer's responsibility for the working environment, covering issues like workloads, overtime and victimization. Read more at ST (SV)
Science union demonstration calls for more funding
(June 2016) The union for National Academy of Sciences Workers organised a demonstration outside the parliament on 15 June call for a major increase in spending on science spending. The union points out that, according to the final provisions of the Law on Science, such funding should be 1.7% of GDP by 1 January 2020, but last year it was only 0.3% of GDP, and this year is 0.2%. The lack of funding is having a direct impact on science workers and if there is no increase then employees of the National Academy will either have to go on unpaid leave or work part-time. This is part of a long
LuxLeaks trial reminds that whistleblowers need EU legal protection, says trade union coalition
Press Statement (Brussels 29 June 2016) The Luxembourg court condemned on 29 June LuxLeaks whistleblowers Antoine Deltour and Raphaël Halet, former employees at PWC, to 12 and 9 months suspended
Waste workers step up action
(July 2016) Workers in the waste sector, will take two days of strike action on 11-12 July in their continuing campaign over pay and conditions and health and safety. The unions, FP-CGIL, Fit Cisl, UilTrasporti and Fiadel, have already organised industrial action on 30 May and 15 June calling for a new collective agreement. The previous agreement expired at the end of 2013. The unions also want action to improve health and safety for the 100000 workers employed in both public and private waste sectors. Read more at FP-CGIL (IT).
Public administration social dialogue to resume
(July 2016) The secretary of state with responsibility for public administration has acknowledged the need to resume social dialogue on working conditions. The FSC-CCOO and FeSP-UGT trade union federations have made clear some of their main aims in such negotiations. They want to see adequate funding for public sector jobs along with contracts that provide stability and continuity. They also want to start recuperating the cuts imposed in recent years inlcuding the 5% cut in salary from 2010, a return to the 35-hour week and an end to the replacement rate limiting the number of leavers who are