2010 December epsucob@NEWS 23
Collective bargaining conference debates attacks on public sector bargaining
This year’s collective bargaining and social dialogue conference brought together around 120 participants from 25 countries who were involved in wide-ranging discussions about the attack on public sector pay and collective bargaining across Europe. The main debate followed a presentation from ETUC advisor Ronald Janssen who gave an overview of collective bargaining trends over the previous year. This was followed by a presentation by Lionel Fulton of the Labour Research Department (LRD) who had carried out a detailed report on the process of pay cuts in eight countries. All the presentations
EPSU success in state sector social dialogue
A European sectoral social dialogue has been formally set up in the state sector after years of lobbying and negotiating by EPSU and its affiliates in national and European administration. EPSU will work alongside the CESI federation in the TUNED trade union group that was created in the lead up to formal recognition. The employers’ group EUPAE covers countries with around 60% of all state sector workers across Europe but both unions and employers hope that the level of participation will increase once the committee is up and running. [Read more at > EPSU (EN)->http://www.epsu.org/a/7117] [And
Widespread support for public sector strike
The CMKOS trade union confederation reports solid support for the strike in the public sector on 8 December. The action was taken in protest against government plans to cut the public sector pay bill by 10% next year. It also has plans for public sector pay reform that could mean further cuts in pay although implementation of the new scheme may not happen next year. CMKOS also reports a majority of public opinion in favour of the public sector strike action. Low pay in the health sector has also lead to a campaign by doctors with many resigning in protest at the government’s failure to
Seventh general strike against austerity measures
Trade union protests against the government’s austerity measures continued with a general strike on 15 December. The most recent proposals from the government includes caps on salaries in state-owned companies as well as changes to employment law to allow private sector employers to ignore collective agreements. Read more at > BBC (EN) And at > ADEDY (EL)
Budget to hit low paid workers
The government reaction to the latest banking crisis in Ireland is another budget with deep cuts across welfare and other public services. Tax rises and cuts in the minimum wage will hit low paid workers in general while new public sector workers (those taken on despite the recruitment freeze) will be on starting pay 25% lower than two years ago. Low paid non-teaching staff in schools in particular will be hit with 5% pay cuts next year. [Read more at > Impact->http://www.impact.ie/iopen24/budget-2011-education-cuts-school-secretaries-caretakers-cleaners-foot-bill-grant-cuts-impact-n-359.html]
Regional government pay claim of €50 plus 3%
A pay claim of €50 plus 3% has been put forward by ver.di’s collective bargaining committee for regional government. The agreement covers 585,000 workers in 14 of Germany’s 16 Länder (Berlin and Hesse are covered by separate agreements). The pay agreement would also normally be extended to cover the 1.07 million civil servants in the regions. Ver.di says that the level of the increases reflects the need to keep up with living costs and with salary levels in federal and local government. The union says that it is also an important contribution to boosting domestic demand in the country. [Read
Polish workers sacked by agency at short notice
Municipal union Fagforbundet has highlighted the case of 14 Polish workers who were summarily sacked by the Adecco employment agency. The workers had been sent by Adecco to work on a refuse collection contract in the town of Asker that had been won by the Ragn-Sells company in November. The 14 men were expected to do a job previously done by 19 and were told by Adecco that they had not been working hard or fast enough and so should resign or face legal proceedings. The agency wouldn’t offer any other employment and so the men not only lost their accommodation but were forced to go back to
Government announces end to two-tier agreement
Unions have expressed their concern about the coalition government's intention to abolish the two-tier employment code in the public sector. The code was agreed with the previous Labour government after long periods of campaigning and lobbying by public sector unions. The aim was to ensure that private contractors supplying services to public authorities would apply the same minimum rates of pay as public sector agreements. UNISON warns that this will impact low-paid workers in particular, many of whom are women and it has challenged the government to carry out an equality impact assessment.
Pay increases in outsourced services
The GÖD public services union reports several negotiated pay rises in agreements that are now negotiated separately from the main public sector agreement. All five agreements will see pay increases from 1 January 2011. In the universities it will be €34.50 a month, meaning a 2.5% increase for the lowest paid. There is a 0.7% increase in the Academy of Sciences but a minimum rise of €35. Workers in the Employment Service will get 1.25% while employees at Research Austria will get 2.1%. The pay rise in the Federal Computing service will be 1% with a €45 minimum and 1% on additional payments
Hospital workers deliver rise in productivity
The FOA public services union has responded to claims about high levels of employment in hospitals by pointing to the significant increase in productivity. Figures from the union show that in 2009 77 employees deliver the same level of output as 100 employees did in 2001. The FOA also argues that hospitals now employ more staff directly to cover for absences rather than relying on costlier agency workers to do this. Read more at > FOA (DK)
Confederations threaten general strike against retirement age increase
The CCOO and UGT trade union confederations have warned the government against increasing the retirement age from 65 to 67. The unions have organised protests against the pension reforms before and renewed their determination to fight the changes during their demonstrations against the government's austerity measures on 15 December. The unions say that the next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether action will go ahead in January, if there is no response from the government. [Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)->http://www.fsc.ccoo.es/webfsc/menu.do?Inicio:111603] [And at > FSP-UGT (ES)-
Unions want more action on regulating sub-contracting
The JHL public sector union and SAK confederation are calling for more action on the spread of the grey economy and in particular on for better regulation of contractors and sub-contractors. A Ministry of Labour taskforce is looking at possible amendments to the Act on the Contractor's Obligations and Liability when Work is Contracted Out. Read more at > JHL (EN)
Warning strikes in private waste sector
Private waste sector workers around Germany have been involving in warning strikes in protest at the pay offer from the BDE private waste employers’ organisation. Services union ver.di has condemned the offer which effectively means no increase covering an eight-month period and then a rise of 1% in 2011. Read more at > ver.di (DE)
Immigration workers strike against ending fixed-term contracts
The three main union federations in the public service have organised strike action by staff working for the police and immigration services. They are protesting against a decision to terminate thousands of fixed-term contracts at the end of the year. The unions argue that this will undermine the crucial services that these workers provide some of whom have been employed for up to seven years. Read more at > FP CGIL (IT) And at > FP CISL (IT)
Union welcomes minimum staffing requirement
Municipal union Kommunal has welcomed new legislation that will require dementia care homes to provide minimum levels of staffing. The union says this is a victory for both dementia care workers and dementia sufferers. Kommunal will now work to ensure that the new rules are properly applied and adequate funding is provided for extra staff. Read more at > Kommunal (SE)
President orders cuts of at least 30% in civil service
Austerity measures are not just biting across the European Union. On 9 December, President Viktor Yanukovych ordered the Cabinet of Ministers to cut the number of civil servants working in central bodies of the executive by at least 30% and the number of civil servants working for the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers by at least 50% as part of a process of central government reorganization.
Unions get meeting with Minister before Christmas
FNV Abvakabo and other public sector unions are due to meet the Minister on 23 February in order to try to make some progress on negotiations for a new collective agreement covering civil servants. So far the employers have offered neither a pay increase nor any negotiations on the job losses arising from public spending cuts. Meanwhile after tough negotiations in the last bargaining rounds in the municipalities and provinces, unions are already preparing themselves for negotiations next year. The first step involves a questionnaire to members to get their views on bargaining priorities. [Read
Unions unhappy about employers' offer for private health sector
After 13 hours, negotiations over the agreement covering 80,000 workers in the private health and social services sector ended with no progress over the annual pay increase. The GPA-DJP and VIDA unions said the 1.3% offer from the employers was below the trend of recent settlements and would mean a loss of purchasing power with inflation expected to reach 1.8%. They also said it was inadequate for a sector dominated by women where it was important to recognise the value of the work of such a vital service. Negotiations will resume on 12 January and the unions are planning protest actions on 26
Report provides overview of public sector pay cuts
The ETUI research organisation has published a report analysing the attacks on public sector pay and jobs around Europe. The report provides an overview of developments, highlighting attacks on public sector collective bargaining and highlighting where pay cuts or pay freezes have been implemented as well as providing information on how public sector unions have been trying to fight back. Read more at > ETUI (EN)
Local government unions react to 3% pension contribution increase
UNISON, Unite and the GMB, the three main unions in local government have criticised the government for imposing a three percentage point increase in pension contributions on local government workers. Local government pensions are paid out of funded schemes and so do not form part of the public sector's deficit. The unions are particularly concerned about the impact of the increase on low-paid workers and the risk that many will withdraw from the scheme. [Read more at > UNISON->http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2091] [And at > GMB->http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom
Warning strikes over pay offer
Services union ver.di along with the IGBCE union organised warning strikes across all departments of the RWE energy company on 16 and 17 December. The action involved around 6,000 workers and was in protest at the management’s offer of a 2.4% pay increase plus lump sum payment. The unions argue that this is an insult in view of the company’s massive profits and they have demanded a rise of 6.5%. Read more at > ver.di (DE)