Health union attacks employers’ failure to sign agreements

Belgium

The CNE/CSC trade union has strongly criticised health sector employers for failing to sign five key collective agreements to improve working conditions. The agreements have been negotiated following the major social agreement signed last year which allocated more than EUR 1 billion to the sector. A new salary structure has been in place since 1 July in the federal health sectors and many health staff have seen a significant increase in pay, some over 10%. However, the employers have since failed to sign agreements covering stabilisation of work schedules and employment contracts (including more hours for part-time workers and permanent contracts for temporary staff); a commitment to five days of continuous training per year by 2027 and obligation to agree a joint training plan; better training of staff representatives to deal with the increasing complexity of regulations; social supervision of the establishment of hospital networks; and measures relating to consultation bodies and processes. These don’t include other issues that have yet to be resolved relating to holidays, work-life balance, end-of-career arrangements and other measures that might contribute to tackling staff shortages.

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