The ETUC has published the priorities for its Collective Bargaining and Wages Coordination Committee. These cover four main areas - (re)building and enhancing collective bargaining; pursuing upward wage and social convergence; combating in-work poverty, particularly through increasing wages for the lower paid; and increasing solidarity and reducing inequalities. The detailed policy document sets out how the ETUC will follow up on its Pay Rise campaign and includes provisions for a two-year project where the ETUC will aim to support initiatives at national level to boost sector-level bargaining.
ETUC sets out collective bargaining priorities
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ETUC sets out arguments on minimum wages and collective bargaining
With the European Commission expected to publish its draft directive on fair minimum wages on 28 October, the ETUC has put together a range of documents and press releases that cover a wide range of arguments in favour of legislation on minimum wages and collective bargaining. The ETUC argues that initiatives to boost pay and strengthen collective bargaining are essential as part of the response to the pandemic and that it is crucial not to repeat the mistakes following the last crisis when collective bargaining was undermined in some countries as part of austerity measures.
Union sets out bargaining priorities
(September 2016) The FNV trade union has set out is main bargaining aims for 2017. It has set a general target of a 2.5% pay increase but indicated that some sectors may be able to achieve higher increases. The FNV wants to see action to tackle excessive workloads and increasing flexibility, particularly in relation to on-call/zero hours contracts. In addition, it calls for the creation of 8000 jobs for young people linked to arrangements that reduce working time for older workers following the model of agreements negotiated in the municipal sector.
Confederation sets out 22 demands for economic and social measures
The KNSB trade union confederation has published 22 demands on a range of issues that would boost pay and welfare benefits and help address poverty and the impact of soaring energy costs. Bearing in mind the discussions at European level about a minimum wage that should be at least 50% of the average wage and 60% of the median wage, the KNSB is looking for the minimum wage to rise to €700 as soon as possible and to €764 by the beginning of 2022. The confederation is also calling for wage rises across the economy and specifically for public sector workers an increase of at least 12.5% in 2022.