Federation demonstrates against attack on union rights

(June 2017) The ETF European federation for transport workers has reacted angrily to recommendatoins from the European Commission in its "Open and connected Europe" document on the so-called service continuity, including measures affecting the right to strike of air traffic control staff. The federation believes the measures infringe the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and says it reserves the right to challenge them in the European Court of Justice. The ETF is also highly critical of the mobility package launched by the European Commission last month, arguing against dangerous proposals on

While the national government has announced another year of pay freezes across the public sector, regional governments are planning their own range of cuts to pay and conditions and services. Public sector unions are planning a series of demonstrations and strikes in response to these attacks. In Valencia trade unions are planning legal action as well as demonstrations against the regional government’s planned savings of more than €1 billion. A series of meetings and mobilisations began on 13 January and will continue with three demonstrations planned for 26 January and a region-wide protest

The Federal negotiating committee, of which the VPOD public services union is a member, has strongly criticised the proposed Federal budget which will impact on the pay of Federal government workers. The committee has rejected the budget and called for negotiations. One of the main changes is the increased role for performance-related pay in salaries, with union concern that the changes will increased the pay gap in the public sector between the high and low paid and the old and young. The unions are also concerned that pensions changes will hit the lower paid, making it more difficult for