2013 August epsucob@NEWS 12
Work stoppages and strike against job cuts
The ADEDY civil service confederation is calling for work stoppages on 1 August and a 24-hour strike on 2 August in protest at plans to cut public sector jobs and close schools and hospitals. There will also be a demonstration outside the Ministry of Finance on 1 August and outside the Ministry of Administrative Reform on the 2nd. Read more at > ADEDY (GR)
Report raises issue of consultation in public administration
The European Commission has carried out a "fitness check" on the collective redundancies Directive, the transfers of undertakings Directive and the Directive establishing a general framework relating to information and consultation of workers. This concludes that they are generally relevant, effective, coherent and mutually reinforcing and that the benefits they generate are likely to outweigh the costs. It notes also that public administration is not specifically covered by the information and consultation directive and suggests that there is need for further research on this question and
Action over low pay by outsourced NHS workers
The PCS public and civil service union has organised industrial action over pay at the Equiniti company which provides pensions payments systems to the NHS. The strikes are calling on the company to pay a living wage and to honour an agreement to benchmark pay against public and private sector comparators. And more at > PCS
Strike threat delivers improved pay offer
Refuse workers in south London, members of the Unite trade union, called off three days of planned strike action when the multinational Veolia agreed an improved pay deal. The settlement is 2.25% this year, backdated to November in Bromley and January in Croydon. A total of 2.25% will be paid for 2014. In addition, there will be an increase in paid sick leave and an additional day’s annual leave. Read more at > Unite
Union campaigns against increased hours
On 29 July the STAL local government union joined with other public sector unions in the Common Front to demonstrate against government policy to increase working time and weaken unfair dismissal rules. The unions sees the 35-hour week, seven-hour day and 25 days' annual leave as fundamental rights for workers that were fought for in the past and now need to be strongly defended. Read more at > STAL (PT) And more at > STAL (PT)
Main unions sidelined in health agreement
The FSP-UGT and FSS-CCOO public service and health federations have criticised the Ministry of Health for negotiating an agreement on a sustainable health service without involving the main representative trade unions. The unions have previously lodged complaints about the Ministry's attacks on collective bargaining and the latest incident has been attacked by the FSP-UGT for undermining good faith in the bargaining process. The FSS-CCOO recalls all the various agreements on skills, training and many other issues that the main unions have been involved in and is concerned that the new
Unions protect pay levels in Red Cross
Trade unions organising in the Red Cross (FP CGIL, FP CISL, UIL and CISAL) have managed to secure an agreement on supplementary payments that protects employees' purchasing power over the last two years. Although bargaining over basic pay is still frozen, unions ensured that the Red Cross used additional funds to cover pay rather than allocated on other areas of spending. The unions have also ensured that they will be involved in negotiations over the process of transforming the organisation into a private association with particular concerns for application of the national agreement and
Taking action to save home care jobs
Members of FNV Abvakabo have been getting widespread support in their campaign to defend jobs in the home care sector. Although the government has revised down its initial plans to cut 100000 jobs, 50000 jobs are still under threat. In the latest action FNV Abvakabo organised a demonstration at the head offices of the Sensire home care company which is planning 1100 redundancies already even though funding has not yet been cut and the government's plans have not received parliamentary approval. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/545242-asscher-pakt-rol
Time for a pay increase
Quoting a report from the Dutch Central Bank, FNV Abvakabo president Corrie van Brenk is arguing that it is time for a pay increase particularly for public sector workers who have seen their pay frozen. According to the Central Bank the average work has seen no change in their purchasing power for 15 years while overall economic output and company profits have increased. Van Brenk stresses the role that a general wage increase would play in boosting the economy. Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)
Federations discuss skills and training with health minister
The general secretaries of the three main public service federations FP-CGIL, CISL-FP and UIL FP/FPL met with the health minister to discuss contracts, skills, training, professional status and job security as essential elements of a health service for all citizens. The minister indicated her willingness to make progress on these issues. Apart from the need to renew agreements that have not been renegotiated since before 2009, the unions underline the need for continuity of care and for citizens to be at the centre of the system and that these require the strengthening of the professional
Map reveals wage trends across Europe
The ETUI has produced an interactive map that presents a range of economic and wage data for countries across Europe. It shows that most countries (15 out of 27) have seen falling real wages. The most dramatic decline of real wages since the onset of the crisis took place in those countries that were subject to financial bailout programmes. There has also been a decline in real hourly minimum wages affecting the most vulnerable part of the workforce, with the highest decline in the programme countries. The map also shows how the wage share has fallen in the majority of EU countries indicating