Union confederation concludes public service training deal with government

After more than a year of negotiations, campaigns and action trade unions in the local government sector have managed to get the employers sign a new collective agreement covering the 180000 workers in the sector. The unions wanted to protest purchasing power and the deal involves a 1% pay increase backdated to 1 January 2012 and a further 1% backdated to 1 April 2012. There will also be lump sum payments in August of €200 or €400 depending on salary level. The deal includes a commitment on job security as well as more flexibility in working time. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www

A new agreement has been signed covering central government workers. It is divided into two periods, from 1 April 2014 to 31 January 2016 and from 1 February to 31 January 2017. In the first period there will be a flat-rate increase of €20 a month from 1 August 2014 and then a 0.3% increase from 1 August 2015. Bonuses and additional pay given in euros will also be increased by 0.73% from 1 August 2014. For the second period, if the cross-sector social partners cannot agree on salary increases by 15 June 2015, then the agreement may be terminated with a four-month period of notice. The

JHL the biggest public service union reports that collective agreements in the state sector and private social services sector have been concluded. State sector workers will get an 11.7% increase over two years, this is ahead of general pay rises and in line with JHL's strategy to close the gap between private and public sector pay. The two-year pay increases in private social services will be between 10.2% and 13.1% depending on the occupation. This deal is in line with the recent agreement in the municipal sector and also includes an equality allowance as a measure to reduce the gender pay