Public administration national strike on 6 July

The FNV trade union’s campaign for urgent action on workloads in childcare has been stepped up with some regional mobilisations cancelled in order to concentrate on a national strike on 8 July. The union is angry that calls for increased staffing and reduced numbers of children per worker have fallen on deaf ears and the employers have offered nothing to address the problem.

The FNFSP public service federation has called a two-day national strike on 9 and 10 November in public administration in protest at government policies. The Federation attacks the government for failing to tackle the increasing gap between rich and poor. It says that the gulf between the top 20% and bottom 20% is the highest of any EU country. The Federation also says that the government's proposed public sector pay increase for 2007 of 1.5% will mean a cut in real pay for workers who have already lost around 10% in purchasing power since 2000. The 2007 budget forecasts a reduction in