2013 July epsucob@NEWS 11
Annual surveys on pay and working time
The EIRO industrial relations observatory has just published its surveys on pay developments and working time for 2012. The working time survey revealed very few changes during the year and includes specific information on developments in local government where overall collectively negotiated and legal provisions on hours were unchanged with the exception of a 0.2 hour decrease in Slovakia and 0.3 hour increase in Sweden. The pay survey found that pay moderation continues to prevail with only five countries showing an increase in real terms: Sweden (+1.7%), Austria (+0.8%), Germany (+0.6%)
Unions plan day of action on 10 September
Four trade union organisations - CGT, CGT-FO, FSU, Solidaires - met on 8 July and agreed on a planned day of strikes and demonstrations on 10 September. The unions are concerned about government proposals on pensions, pay and jobs in the public services. They are particularly concerned about plans to increase contribution requirements for pensions and are calling for a break with austerity and pay increases for both public and private sector workers. Read more at > CGT Services Public (FR)
Global agreement at energy company
PSI the global public services federation and the IndustriAll manufacturing federation have signed a Global Framework Agreement with the Italian energy company ENEL. The company is active in Italy, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain and several Latin American countries. The new GFA defines a set of guidelines aimed to establish global level social dialogue, which is regarded as the pre-eminent approach in dealing with issues affecting the interests of the business and employees. Among other instruments, the agreement foresees creation of a Global Works Council and three Multilateral Committees
General strike call follows action in local government
The ADEDY civil service and GSEE private sector trade union confederations have called a 24-hour general strike on 16 July in protest at cuts in public sector jobs demanded by the Troika - the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund. The planned strike follows two days of industrial action by municipal workers also protesting about the implication for their jobs of the labour reserve and mobility scheme being implemented in the public sector. [Read more at > ADEDY (GR)->http://www.adedy.gr/adedy/site/home/ws.csp] [And at > ekatherimini news website (EN)->http
Local government employers' organisation fails to act
The FSC-CCOO and FSP-UGT public service federations are bitterly disappointed that the FEMP local government employers' organisation failed to act on the question of renewing collective agreements. New legislation means that collective agreements no renegotiated by 8 July automatically lapse. The unions had asked the FEMP to contact all its member organisations to encourage them to ensure that collective agreements were renegotiated or to go to dispute resolution in the case of a conflict or that a clause should be agreed that would maintain the agreement until a new one could be negotiated
Unions sign agreement on cutting waste
The FP-CGIL, CISL-FP, UIL-Fp and UIL-Pa public service federations have signed an agreement with the Ministry of Economy and Finance over how to deal with reorganisation of work and services with a view to cutting waste. The aim is to target unproductive expenditure and unjustifiable costs and to take a more rational approach to savings rather than an across-the-board policy on cuts. The agreement provides for full consultation with trade unions over any reorganisations and restructuring in relation to the impact on staff and quality of services. [Read more at > FP CGIL (IT)->http://www.fpcgil
Two-year deal in university medical centres
A new two-year agreement has been negotiated to cover the 67000 workers employed by University Medical Centres. There will be a 1% pay increase on 1 October 2013 and a further 1% on 1 August 2014 along with a €500 payment to protect purchasing power. Staff development was also part of the negotiations and each worker's personal budget will be increased from 1.3% to 1.5% of pay with workers also allowed to use the budget for more time off. Younger workers will benefit from higher pay as youth rates have been abolished. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws
Workers reject pay offer in waste and environment
A ballot of employees in the waste and environment sector has produced a rejection of the proposed agreement in line with the recommendation from the FNV Abvakabo trade union. The main reason for the rejection was the offer of a 1.5% pay increase over 15 months. With inflation already at 2.7% the union argued that the deal would mean a 1.5% fall in purchasing power for its members. Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)
Collective bargaining news from the ETUI
The ETUI has published its June collective bargaining newsletter and there are several articles relating to public services that have not been covered in epsucob@NEWS. These include pay developments in Estonia and Lithuania, calls for higher pay for firefighters in the Czech Republic, cuts in jobs in the energy sector in Romania, an important equal pay case in the UK and the latest on the public sector agreement in Ireland. Read more at > ETUI
Municipal workers demonstrate against pay freeze
More than 5000 local government workers in 70 municipalities in the Lower Austria region took part in meetings on 24 June in protest at the pay freeze that has been imposed for 2013. The meetings agreed resolutions calling on the regional and federal government to open negotiations with the trade unions with a view to a pay increase that would at least compensate for inflation. The GDG-KMSfB will call a major demonstration in September if it doesn't receive a positive response from the employers. [Read more at > GDG-KMSfB (DE)->http://www.gdg-kmsfb.at/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=C01B/Page
Some progress on labour code
Following general elections last year, the new government has taken some steps towards improving the labour code. The code had been changed in 2003 leaving it providing few protections for workers or trade unions. Unfortunately, the revised code still includes unreasonable restrictions on the right to strike, while working hours, maternity protection and compensation for overtime and night work are insufficiently regulated. The Georgian trade union movement was consulted over changes but some key amendments were withdrawn following lobbying by national and international employer organisations
New report underlines economic impact of minimum wage
A national, legal minimum wage introduced at €8.50 an hour would provide a €19.5 billion boost to the economy, according to a new report commissioned by the ver.di services union and NGG food and catering union. The report by the Pestel Institute estimates that nine million workers would benefit from a minimum wage at that level leading to a €13.5 billion increase in purchasing power in west Germany and €5.6 billion in east Germany. The unions also point out that an €8.50 minimum wage would also reduce the state's bill for topping up low pay which is currently around €10 billion a year. [Read