The UNIO trade union confederation whose members cover workers with higher education has been pushing for higher pay deals in three negotiations – national local government, Oslo municipality and public companies represented by the employers’ organisation, Spekter. The NSF nurses’ union is one of UNIO’s members involved in the strikes and negotiations and they are calling for higher pay for nurses to tackle major staff shortages. The government has stepped in to end strikes in local government and the Oslo municipality on the grounds, rejected by the trade unions, that the actions pose a threat to life and health. There will be arbitration over both agreements but the strike in Spekter companies continues. With inflation and pay increases averaging 3.1%, the unions argue that the employer’s offer will mean a real cut in pay. Meanwhile, members of the Fagforbundet trade union are on strike to prevent the Red Cross from changing pension provision in a way that will guarantee neither a pension for life nor gender equality.
Strikes in hospitals continue while arbitration imposed in local government
More like this
Government imposes compulsory arbitration to end hospital strike
After two weeks, the government has ended a strike by members of the YS trade union in the hospitals by imposing compulsory arbitration. The union is disappointed with the government’s action having taken measures to ensure patient safety during the action and arguing that it was up to the employer’s organisation, Spekter, to call for arbitration and not the government. The union congratulated its members on their willingness to take strike action in support of equal pay for work of equal value. [Read more at > YS (NO)->http://www.ys.no/kunder/ys/cms.nsf/($All)/F59E78EDE46067B9C125775F00546AD7
Local government unions go for binding arbitration
UNISON, GMB and Unite, the three local government unions, have decided to approach the arbitration service ACAS and seek binding arbitration following the employers’ attempt to pose another pay freeze on the 1.5 million workers in the sector. The employers are also refusing to pay the £250 (€299) increase to workers paid less than £21000 (€25140) allowed under the government’s pay policy Read more at > UNISON (EN)
Local government pay deal now in arbitration
Trade unions and employers in local government (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) have agreed to the three-person arbitration panel that will begin its hearings in February and rule on the pay dispute that has been rumbling on since last spring. The employers have offered a 2.45% increase plus an extra £100 (€111) for the lowest paid backdated to 1 April 2008. The trade union side has also agreed the three key elements of their pay demand for 2009-2010: a 12-month agreement that covers pay only and that provides an increase to match inflation with a higher increase for the lower paid. [Read