2015 May epsucob@NEWS 06

More than nine out of 10 social and childcare workers have voted for an all-out strike. Their trade union ver.di has been trying to negotiate an improvement in pay with the VKA local government employers that would recognise the workloads, responsibility and professionalism of this undervalued group of employees. The VKA has made an inadequate offer that would only benefit a small group of workers and so the union organised the ballot for action and around 20000 workers on strike on Friday 8 May with more gradually joining the strike over the following days. Ver.di wants to see the 240000

Leeds City Council, in North East England, is the latest and one of the largest local authorities to sign up to the ethical care charter launched by the Unison trade union. The charter is part of the union's Save Care Now campaign and commits councils to ensure that carers do not have to rush from client to client and that people should keep the same carer wherever possible. It also commits employers to provide guaranteed hours contracts as the norm rather than zero hours contracts, to pay for travel time and a target of paying at least the living wage of £7.85 (€10.80) a hour. [Read more at >

Public service unions, including IMPACT and SIPTU, have welcomed the publication of draft legislation on collective bargaining. The legislation should allow trade unions to represent members at the Labour Court where employers refuse to recognise unions, and secure legally binding benefits for workers. It will also mean that unions and worker representatives will be able to secure benefits in companies where employers refuse to pay the going rate. The legislation will also give new and stronger statutory protection against the victimisation of workers in such companies and define what

Unions in the CCOO and UGT confederations have signed a three-year agreement covering more than 150,000 employees working in social services. The agreement covers pay and working conditions and will mean improvements for tens of thousands of employees. It also covers key issues such as job security, providing better protection than that afforded by the recently revised labour legislation. The sector has seen significant cuts with 15.6% fewer jobs since December 2010 and high rates of precarious employment. The agreement should help improve the situation. [Read more at > CCOO (ES)->http://www

In reacting to this year's draft country-specific recommendations the ETUC has expressed disappointment that the European Commission remains reluctant to give any real encouragement to increased wages. ETUC general secretary Bernadette Ségol said: “The Commission continues to overlook the fact that wages in a twenty three member states are lagging behind productivity. The Commission fails to identify, or react to, the redistribution from wages to profits. Europe needs a wage rise for fairness and to increase demand, mainly by strengthening collective bargaining.” [Read more at > ETUC/CES (EN

Ambulance workers across the country are taking industrial action to put pressure on the employers to negotiate a decent collective agreement. The FNV and CNV unions are concerned about workloads, the pressures of work and securing a pay increase of around 2.5%. They want action to address the negative impact of night shifts, particularly on older workers, and to tackle violence. The unions will be working to rule with a ban on overtime. [Read more at > FNV (NL)->http://www.fnv.nl/sector-en-cao/alle-sectoren/zorg-en-welzijn/ambulancezorg/nieuws/1058459-ambulancepersoneel-voert-actie/] [And at

Trade unions are in dispute with the government and employers over a range of issues including labour rights and social guarantees. Among the key demands are the call to: repay wage arrears; raise the minimum wage to the level of subsistence; index wages to inflation in 2014-2015; implement European principles of openness of government and conduct effective social dialogue. Trade unions have been using the International Labour Organisation and national legislation to try to assert their rights as well as large-scale industrial and territorial protests.