Unions in joint call to restart collective bargaining

Following their three joint regional assemblies at the beginning of July, the main public service federations - FP CGIL, CISL FP, UIL FPL and UIL Pa - have called a national demonstration for 29 July demanding an immediate restart to collective bargaining in the public sector. This also follows a court ruling that the block on negotiations is illegal. The unions argue that the freeze on bargaining has prevented any negotiations not just to improve workers' pay and conditions but also to tackle the reforms needed in public administration. Further mobilisations will follow in the autumn if the

Members of the FNV union in the ambulance service have restarted their work-to-rule industrial action. The action had been suspended to allow for further negotiations but the employers then broke off negotiations and withdrew an earlier pay offer. The FNV is calling for urgent action to address staffing shortages. It is aiming for a 7.5% pay increase in 2018 and 3.5% in 2019 which it says are needed to keep ambulance pay in line with other parts of the health service. The union says that employers should fund higher pay rather than spending money on recruiting agency workers to cover

Public sector trade union federations have written to the new minister for public services to initiate negotiations for a new agreement covering public sector workers. They argue that there is a range of new and long-standing issues that need to be addressed not least increasing the workforce, creating job stability and reducing the level of temporary employment. There are also the questions of recovering lost purchasing power, improving working conditions and career and professional classification. More and better training, implementing equality plans and occupational health are among the