2014 March epsucob@NEWS 06

EPSU lettter to PMEPSU has written to the Prime Minister and Labour Minister in support of the SDLSN state and local government union and in protest at the government's attack on collective bargaining. The government is planning to withhold the payment of service bonuses to civil servants. This not only fails to comply with the collective agreement (specifically article 45) that the government signed in August 2012 and the agreed procedure for amendments to the collective agreement but it also contravenes Article 10 of Annex II to the Collective Agreement for Civil Servants and Employees with

The ETUI trade union research institute has published it annual analysis - Benchmarking Working Europe. The report covers a broad range of developments in the labour market, labour law, health and safety, worker participation, inequality and collective bargaining. The chapter on collective bargaining chapter focuses on public sector developments listing the pay freezes in 17 countries, pay cuts of up to 10% in eight countries and of between 15%-30% in five countries while in seven countries there have been cuts to bonuses and other special payments. The section also looks at pay trends between

The unions that organise in the Red Cross - Fp-Cgil, Cisl-Fp, Uil-Pa and Cisal-Fialp - are jointly mobilising for demonstrations and possible strike action over a restructuring of the institution which will see it established under private law. Regional protests are planned for planned for 31 March and a national demonstration for 4 April. The unions had been pressing for guarantees on pay and conditions as workers are transferred to new contracts. However, the employer has effectively torn up a previous agreement on the changeover and employees are being offered no protection either in terms

After the second round of negotiations over the collective agreement covering 2.1 million federal and local government workers, ver.di reports progress on some issues but on the points the unions and employers remain far apart. The next round of negotiations will begin on 31 March but in the meantime ver.di is organising warning strikes around the country to strengthen its position at the bargaining table. Different groups of workers in different regions have been taking action during the week. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://www.verdi.de/themen/geld-tarif/tarifrunde-oed-2014/++co+

Respekt@vpod is a network of migrant and other workers in the care sector which is campaigning actively over care worker rights and the practices of some private care providers. The network organised a demonstration outside the head office of the Home Instead Schweiz company to protest at the franchise system that the company operates. The system guarantees profits for the company while shifting all the risk to the franchisee and this creates a situation where the franchisee cuts costs with an impact on workers' rights. Examples include workers being pressured to sign away pension rights as

Unions across the UK in both public and private sectors are involved in a two-week period of campaigning to argue the case for fair pay for workers. The TUC confederation says that on average workers have lost but £4000 (€4800) a year since 2009 as pay has been eroded by inflation and many workers are stuck in low paid and insecure jobs. Part of the campaign involves a petition to political parties calling for a pay rise, a higher minimum wage as well as negotiated living wages and an end to the pay freeze in the public sector. [Read more at > Fair Pay website->http://fairpayfortnight.org/]

Earlier this year the Health Workers' Union organised a seminar to discuss the main challenges it faces in relation to health reforms and underfunding of the health services. A major issue is the pay system which includes rates of pay set below the national minimum wage. Although, all workers get the statutory minimum it means that the whole pay structure in the health sector is far too low. The union wants the minimum basic salary in the health sector to start at the legal minimum wage. At the moment, for example, nurses (or first grade qualification) are categorised at wage level 9. They

On 31 March the three public sector unions, FNV Abvakabo, CNV Publieke Zaak and CMHF, will be involved in day of discussions about collective bargaining strategy in the central and local government sectors. Bargaining in both sectors has been blocked with a pay freeze in central government for the past three years and recently local government employers failed to respond to a trade union ultimatum calling on them to come up with a pay offer and re-start long frozen negotiations. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/over-ons/nieuws/nieuwsoverzicht/2014/03/uitnodiging

Unions organising in the non-profit sector in French speaking community have called a demonstration in Brussels on 27 March to argue for further investment in the sector which includes many key health and social services. The unions, with the support of some employers, are concerned that the government doesn't recognise the contribution that the sector makes not just in terms of vital services but also to the economy as a whole. The fact that the non-profit sector doesn't clearly feature in government plans leaves the unions concerned about cutback that will lead to job cuts, worsening

On 26 March unions organising in the prisons sector - CCOO, UGT, CSIF, CIG and ELA - organise demonstrations at four prisons across Spain. They are protesting about plans for privatisation of surveillance and external security service, the freeze on pay and employment and deteriorating working conditions for prison staff. The unions highlight the question of safety in prisons and the important role of prison staff in rehabilitation of offenders - a role that would be seriously undermined by an increasing role for profit-making companies in the sector. [Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)->http://www

Public services union UNISON in Scotland is to ballot its members who work as civilian staff for the police over industrial action. The union says that its member have three major concerns which the employers have failed to recognise. The first involves the planned closure of contact command and control centres, with over 300 jobs at risk. The second is the reduction of redundancy terms from 1 April and the third is the employers' decision to restrict leave for over 1700 staff over the summer during the Commonwealth Games sporting event. The union has been trying to discuss these issues with

Public sector union Fagforbundet has set out the main themes for the forthcoming bargaining round, noting that a recent report has highlighted the positive outcomes from the system of coordinated bargaining. The union is looking to maintain purchasing power; taking action to close the gender pay gap and tackle low pay; reinforce the right to credit for competence, including supplementary and special education, qualifications and management responsibilities; reinforce the right to full employment and permanent employment; increase payments for work during unsocial hours; and further issues