The three trade unions in the hospital sector - FNV Abvakabo, CNV Publieke Zaak and NU'91 -are finding negotiations hard going. After the fourth round of bargaining the employers are still pushing for a number of changes to employment conditions affecting pay, shifts and working time that could mean a significant deterioration for workers. The unions are calling for more job security, better training and a pay increase of 3% but the employers are looking for more employee flexibility.
Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)
And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)
And at > NU'91 (NL)
Hard bargaining in hospital sector
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Hospital management take hard line
Strike action is possible at the Helios/Damp group of hospitals in seven cities across Germany. Ver.di is trying to negotiate a 7.5% pay increase for the 5600 workers employed by the company which is part of the Fresenius group. In contrast the management is trying to undermine existing collective agreements, wants to freeze pay for some workers and introduce a new pay structure for other workers that would many without a pay increase. Read more at > ver.di (DE)
Unions working hard to finalise agreements
Public sector unions including JHL are working hard to try to negotiate sector-level agreements to implement the framework agreement that has been agreed between confederations and employers at national level. The 25-month agreement allows for a 4.3% increase in costs and employers in the public sector have been looking to leave this for local negotiations but JHL wants to ensure all employees get the same increase. They also want some qualitative elements in the deal including giving individual workers more control over their working time as well as an end to discrimination against part-time