Call for bargaining to get underway

Unions and employers have had the first exchanges in negotiations over the energy sector collective agreement. The current agreement was signed in 2007 and runs until 1 July 2009. ABVAKABO has made clear that it will negotiate a pay increase that takes account of the recent good performance of energy companies and will not restrict itself to pay guidelines set by central talks between employers, government and the union confederations. The energy sector employers have indicated that they want to talk about overtime rules and about the introduction of a “benefit budget” where individual workers

The three main public service trade unions in the health sector - Fp Cgil, Cisl Fp and Uil Fpl - took part in the first round of negotiations with the ARAN employers' organisation over renewing the collective agreement covering 550000 healthworkers. As well as ensuring that the basic pay agreement provides for the average €85 a month increase foreseen across the public sector, the unions are particularly concerned to address issues around work organisation and working time. They also emphasise that after eight years without any negotiations, there have been many changes in the sector in terms