2015 January epsucob@NEWS 01
Conference debates public and private sector pay trends
Over 80 trade unionists from 20 countries took part in EPSU's collective bargaining and social dialogue conference on 13-14 January. A central theme on the first day included long-term developments in public sector pay and comparisons with the private sector. The conference also included a lively debate on minimum wages, a discussion about working time developments and a session on the structural reforms that the European Commission and European Central Bank want to see implemented across Europe. Read more at > EPSU (EN)
Health unions suspend industrial action
Health unions in England have agreed to suspend industrial action while they consult their members over a new offer from the Ministry of Health. Ten unions had planned to take action from 29 January, including both strikes and working-to-rule. It would have been the third round of action since last October. Unions are still looking at the detail of the new offer but it includes a 1% increase for all workers with changes to the bottom of the pay scale that would mean increase of 5.6% and 3.1% for the lowest paid. The dispute affects staff mainly in England but the strike planned by some staff
Health union joins public sector strike
Letter to FSSHKEPSU has sent solidarity greetings to its health affiliate FSSHK. The union joins other public sector unions in a general strike protesting against the government's failure to implement the General Collective Agreement of 2014 and the wage law of 2010. EPSU has also sent letters to the country's president and prime minister urging them to respond to the unions' demands and begin negotiations over pay.
Council of Europe backs unions' claims against government
The Council of Europe's Committee of Social Rights has supported many of the claims of violations of trade union rights brought by the CCOO and UGT union confederations against the government. The Committee says that the government has infringed the European Social Charter in relation to freedom of association; the right to strike; the level of the minimum wage; overtime pay; working time; holiday entitlement and notice periods. Overall the Committee notes seven breaches Spain's obligations under the charter. However, it also has reserved its opinion on various matters on which the government
Report exposes gender pensions gap
A new report published by the Kommunal municipal workers' union and the Swedish Municipal Pensioners Association reveals that a majority of female pensioners who have retired from the sector cannot survive on the pension alone. Seven out of 10 are dependent on the guaranteed pension and on average they get almost SEK 4000 (€430) less per month than men who have retired from the municipal sector. The data comes from information on 150000 pensioners previously active in the municipal sector. The union is fully aware that urgent action is needed to improve the pay and hours of women in local
Emergency doctors negotiate agreement on working time
The AMUF trade union for emergency doctors has negotiated what is regarded as an historic agreement with the government on working time after 14 years without progress on the issue. Coming into effect in July this year, the agreement will set 39 hours a week as a threshold above which doctors cannot deal with patients. For hours between 39 and 48 they can only deal with administrative tasks or take part in meetings and those hours will be covered by additional payments. Work up to 60 hours a week will only be possible on a voluntary basis. [Read more at > CGT (FR)->http://www.cgt.fr/Un-accord
Confederations unite in massive protest over labour law
The three national trade union confederations called a national political strike on 28 January in protest at government plans to weaken important elements of the Work Environment Act. Along with the strike action, the confederations organised demonstrations in hundreds of towns and cities across the country. The unions are concerned about four key changes: telaxation of the rules on temporary contracts; an increase in the limits on contractual overtime; a change in the treatment of working on Sunday so that it becomes almost a normal working day; and removal of the right to take collective
Important court victory against social dumping
The FNV Transport and Logistics trade union has won an important legal victory to ensure that Hungarian drivers working for the Dutch haulier Van den Bosch Transporten get the pay and conditions set by the sector agreement. The company had been using its Hungarian branch as a subcontractor with Hungarian drivers flown into the Netherlands to drive Hungarian vehicles and paid Hungarian wages. The European Transport Workers' Federation sees this as an important case, saying that the Posted Workers Directive is underused in the sector but can provide some protection against social dumping. [Read
International confederations support for social dialogue
ITUC ETUC to Chairman Verkhovna Rade re Support for Social Dialogue 0115The ITUC and ETUC global and European trade union confederations have written to the President, Prime Minister and Parliament to call for respect for social dialogue. While recognising the very difficult political and economic circumstances facing the country the Confederations argue that these should not be used to justify unilateral action. They quote the EU's High Representative Federica Mogherini who has underlined the importance of social dialogue in countries' democratic development. The intervention of the ITUC and
Survey reveals impact of long hours and stress on nurses
Information obtained by the Observer newspaper shows that absence from work because of stress among nurses has increased significantly over the past two years. Figures show a 17% increase in Wales, a 27% rise in London and an increase of over a third (34%) in Scotland. The combination of job cuts, frozen resources and increased numbers of patients is leading to many nurses working longer and in more demanding circumstances. One estimate puts the cost of this absence at over £400 million a year (€535m). [Read more at > Guardian newspaper->http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/17/nurses
Global action day on right to strike - 18 February
The ITUC global union confederation has called a day of action on 18 February to reassert the right to strike. The initiative has been taken as employers' group at the International Labour Conference in June 2014 denied that that the right to strike forms part of ILO Convention 87, thus undermining decades of jurisprudence and the application of international law. The Workers’ Group unanimously rejected the demands of the Employers’ group. The conflict over the right to strike has been referred to ILO’s Governing Body, which should make a decision in May this year and could could call on the
Hospital workers campaign for jobs and union rights
Union aims for 5.5% increase for regional government
Ver.di's collective bargaining committee for regional government agreed on a 5.5% pay increase as the main claim in upcoming negotiations along with a minimum increase of €175. Ver.di wants to make sure that regional government workers' pay keeps in line with private sector pay. The agreement covers around 800000 workers but will also affect around 1.2 million civil servants and 700000 employees in public enterprises. The union also wants to see improved payments and holiday entitlement for apprentices along with an offer of employment on successful completion of their training. [Read more at
Public service unions unite in anti-austerity demo
Around 2000 public service workers from the three public service federations (CGSP, CSC and SLFP) joined a demonstration outside the ministrey of pensions on 21 January. In response to the specific attacks on public service workers, the federations decided to maintain their actions even while negotiations continue at cross-sector level. The unions managed to get a hearing with the pensions minister who, however, continued to argue the case for the government's pensions and other public spending cutbacks. [Read more at > Le Soir newspaper (FR)->http://www.lesoir.be/763875/article/actualite
Culture workers demonstrate over pay and jobs
While public sector workers in general have seen a pay freeze lasting five years, culture workers have been hit even harder with no increase since 2002 and a third of jobs in the sector cut since 2008. The KKDSZ culture workers' union organised demonstrations across the country on 20 January supported by many other trade union organisations. The EPSU collective bargaining conference expressed its solidarity with the KKDSZ representative who presented the union's case to participants. Read more at > EPSU (EN) And at > KKDSZ (HU)
Real increase in pay in electricity sector
After two bargaining rounds unions and employers in the electricity sector negotiated a new collective agreement that comes into effect on 1 February. The 16000 workers in the industry will get a pay rise of between 1.9% and 2.1% with the higher increase for lower paid workers. Inflation in 2014 averaged 1.7% but was 1.0% in the year to December 2014. The agreement also includes provisions for continued discussions related to shift work and arduous work in relation to working lives. [Read more > GPA-djp (DE)->http://www.gpa-djp.at/cms/A03/A03_0.a/1342554288736/home/e-wirtschaft-loehne-und