After three days of bargaining the ver.di services union has negotiated an agreement with the VKA municipal employers that goes some way to address the undervaluation and overwork of staff in social and educational services. The union thanked its members for mobilising to achieve the result in the face of considerable resistance from the employers. Over 40,000 ver.di members took action in the week leading up to the latest negotiations. The agreement will provide employees with two additional days off as well as the option to convert part of their salary into two further days off. Educators will get a new €130 monthly allowance while social workers will receive €180. There are numerous other improvements in the package including higher classification for some occupations, a €70 allowance to support training and changes to progression up the pay scale to allow workers to make faster progress. Around 330,000 employees in the municipal sector are covered by the negotiations but they affect many other workers in institutions that follow the results of the negotiations. The union will now ask the members to vote on the agreement which is due to run until 31 December 2026.
Social and care staff to get additional days off and monthly allowances
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