2011 July epsucob@NEWS 13

Both the CCOO and UGT trade union organisations are calling for increased action to deal with gender inequality at work and the latest data that show an increase in the gender pay gap in Spain. The statistics reveal how women make up just over 64% of all low-paid workers and predominate in low-paying sectors like health and social services where they make up 69% of the workforce. The CCOO want to see action to deal with discrimination in terms of job classification, recruitment, promotion and training. The UGT emphasizes the importance of tackling gender inequality through collective

Following the national strike by civil servants, teachers and college lecturers, the PCS civil service union is calling for unity across the various public sector pension schemes. There are different schemes for the civil service, teachers, health service, local government and other public sector workers. However, they are all facing similar changes – higher retirement ages, higher employee contributions and a change to the level of protection against inflation. The government is so far unwilling to move on these fundamental points. The TUC trade union confederation is involved in the talks

Juan Rosell, head of the CEOE employers’ organisation, has angered unions with his statements about civil servants, describing them as arrogant and unreliable. The unions have responded by referring to the fact that civil servants have played an important role in response to the crisis, pointing out that not only were they not responsible for the crisis but they didn’t benefit from the boom years that lead to the bust. While inflation averaged 4%, civil servants’ pay was increasing by an average of 2% over a period of more than 10 years. And following the slump civil servants have had a 5% pay

The waste industry is one of several in Germany that benefit from a sectoral minimum wage. The minimum rate came into effect in January 2010 and has since risen from €8.02 an hour to €8.24 an hour. The rate will be increased again as from 1 September to €8.33 an hour and this will apply until 31 March 2012 . This is a 1.1% increase while inflation in Germany is currently running at 2.3%. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://ver-und-entsorgung.verdi.de/abfallwirtschaft?searchBr=&x=40&y=16&branchenlist=0203]

This week is the deadline for responses to the survey of pay in the energy, waste and water sectors. There are still a few days left for EPSU affiliates to ask their members to complete the online survey on pay and conditions. The questionnaire takes about 15-20 minutes to fill in and is available in 21 countries in national languages. The data form the survey will be available to EPSU affiliates and will be discussed at a conference in Vienna on 26-27 September. The project is funded by the European Commission and co-ordinated by researchers at AIAS in Amsterdam. [Find the national websites

On 11 July Southampton City Council in the South of England carried out its threat to sack thousands of employees and then re-employ them on worse pay and conditions. The Unite and UNISON trade unions organized a local demonstration on 13 July and are now running a three-pronged campaign against the council. They are continuing their industrial action and political campaigning. In addition, they have started legal proceedings against the council for the way in which it dealt with the dismissals. There will be an employment tribunal hearing on 5 August. [Read more at > UNISON (EN)->http://www

The FOA public service union along with four other organisations representing 200,000 health workers has drawn up an eight-point plan for long-term improvements in the healthcare system. The unions argue that workers need to be properly trained and should focus on their appropriate tasks and competences. This means doctors and nurses concentrating on treatment while white-collar workers tackle the relevant administrative tasks. The plan also calls for a more transparent and effective financial management system and the improvement of trust and co-operation between workers and management. [Read

Last year the government and trade unions negotiated the Croke Park agreement. This was a commitment that there would be no more pay cuts or compulsory redundancies as long as the unions and public sector employers worked together to deliver major savings. A joint statement from the government and the unions acknowledges the success of the agreement although notes that further restructuring and redeployment still need to be implemented. The government has said the restriction on recruitment might be more flexible but there is as yet no scope to compensate for the pension levy and pay cuts that

This year’s ETUC survey on collective bargaining is particularly important because of the vital information it can help provide that will help the ETUC in its intervention in the debate on wages and economic governance. This year’s questionnaire includes a number of specific questions on collective bargaining structures and wage determination. EPSU urges its affiliates to contact their national confederations and encourage them to complete the survey and include information on the public sector. [Read more at > EPSU (EN)->http://www.epsu.org/a/7813]

Parliament has agreed significant changes to the Labour Code, including: either severance pay or a layoff notice period but not both; longer periods for fixed-time employment; longer overtime hours permitted; less pay for overtime work; more night shifts allowed. While there are some positive elements in terms of holiday entitlement and maternity benefits the Slovak trade union confederation says that overall impact is aimed at weakening employees’ rights creating more flexibility for employers in the labour market. [Read more at > Slovak Spectator news website (EN)->http://spectator.sme.sk

Eight of the 16 regional governments (Länder) have introduced new rules on procurement to improve the pay and conditions of workers employed by contractors. A further four Länder will join them shortly. The regions are using three mechanisms to protect pay. Firstly, there are the sectoral minimum wages that have been introduced in some sectors like waste and social care. Secondly, there are specific rules covering the transport sector and thirdly some regions have introduced their own hourly minimum wage rate. [Read more at > WSI (DE)->http://www.boeckler.de/320_115187.html]

The 9,000 workers covered by the GWE (gas, water, electricity) agreement in North-Rhine Westfalia will see their pay increase by 3.3% this year. The unions won an increased offer (up from 3%) following a series of warning strikes. The agreement will also last 14 months rather than the 15 proposed by the employers. The agreement also commits the employers to maintain the level of apprenticeships and to take on apprentices for at least 12 months after they have qualified. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://energie-bergbau.ver-und-entsorgung.verdi.de/tarifarbeit/private_energieversorger/gwe]

The VPÖD public service union was one of the union organisations involved in negotiating a new five-year collective agreement covering 50,000 cleaning workers in the German-speaking area of the country. The authorities have also declared the agreement generally binding and so it will also cover workers who are employed by firms who are not party to the agreement. The minimum wage set by the agreement will increase by 2-2.5% in 2012 and there will also be a 13th month salary. The sector is also running a campaign, “Fair-Clean” that calls for a fair price for cleaning contracts and respect for

Public service union Abvakabo has launched a campaign in protest at the planned privatization of the Amsterdam ambulance service. The union is not only angry about the plans and the threat they pose to workers’ pay and conditions, but is also furious that they were announced without any consultation. Furthermore the union is concerned that the privatization will pose a threat to coordination with other emergency services. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/petitie-tegen-privatisering-Amsterdamse-ambulancedienst]

The main public service federations have come together to argue for a different approach to the public finance crisis. They want to see action to deal with wasteful expenditure but say that this has to be done in consultation with the trade unions and should not be about freezing or cutting public sector pay. The unions want to see money in the budget to cover renegotiation of public sector collective agreements, underlining the importance of the workforce in delivering effective public services that can play a key role in the recovery. A report from CISL FP calls for “a commitment from public

The Solidarnosc trade union has delivered a petition with 300,000 signatures to Parliament calling for an increase in the minimum wage. The confederation wants the government to meet its commitment to raise the minimum wage so that it reaches 50% of the average wage. [Read more at > Solidarnosc (PL)->http://www.solidarnosc.org.pl/pl/aktualnosci/pietrowym-autobusem-po-warszawie.html]

Leaders of the GPA-DJP services union and PRO-GE manufacturing union have made it very clear that they reject any European interference in collective bargaining at national level. While they say that European coordination is needed to deal with the recession and support the idea of a financial transactions tax and regulation of ratings agencies, they underline the fact that they would not go to the European Central Bank or European Commission to get an endorsement for their pay negotiations. [Read more at > GPA-DJP (DE)->http://www.gpa-djp.at/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=GPA/Page/Index&n=GPA

The EIRO industrial relations observatory has published a survey looking at representation in the public administration sector across Europe. This includes information on the trade unions that organize in the sector and the structures of collective bargaining and social dialogue. There is a comparative overview as well as individual country reports. [Read more at > EIRO (EN)->http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0912027s/index.htm]

The JHL public services union has set up a new website that provides information and advice to workers in atypical employment – that includes part timers, those on temporary contracts, agency workers and the self-employed. This is part of the union’s long-term campaign to support these workers and secure improved employment rights. As an article in Trade Union News shows atypical workers’ employment conditions tend to be poorer than permanent employees, particularly in relation to annual leave. [Read more at > JHL (EN)->http://www.jhl.fi/portal/en/news/archive/?bid=1241] [And at > Trade Union