2025 January EPSU Collective Bargaining Newsletter No.2

Industrial action is escalating in the UK as PCS members at the Metropolitan Police and HM Land Registry take a stand against restrictive policies and workplace treatment, reflecting broader tensions around working conditions and work from home. Over 300 civilian staff at the Metropolitan Police will undertake a two-week strike from 4 to 17 February 2025. Initially planning to refuse compliance with a new hybrid working policy requiring between 60% and 100% in-office attendance, they escalated their action after management threatened to withhold a full day’s pay for any day they worked

French unions are preparing for another nationwide strike on 4 February 2025, following their massive mobilisation on 5 December 2024. The action, called by the inter-union coalition (CFTC, CGT, FO, FSU, STC, SUD) , highlights growing concerns over privatisation, precarious work, and low wages in the wake of the so-called "Full Employment" law. Since its implementation, the law has accelerated the outsourcing of public services and increased workloads. Workers at France Travail face mounting pressure, with the registration of 1.5 million additional people, rising unemployment, and growing

A new agreement has been reached on special retirement pensions for public sector workers in Norway, including those in the military, fire and rescue services, ambulance services, prisons and probation services. Workers with special retirement ages of 60 or 63 can now earn nearly three times more alongside their pensions without facing reductions, improving financial stability. The mandatory retirement requirement has also been removed, giving workers the right to continue working if they choose. The agreement was negotiated between the government and unions, including LO Stat and YS . LO Stat

The Trade Union of the Health Service and Social Care of the Czech Republic , along with other unions, has welcomed changes to salary scales for civil servants, effective from 1 January 2025. State employees will see an increase of 1,400 CZK in their salary scales, following agreements reached between the government and unions in October 2024. The negotiations were part of broader efforts by trade unions, including the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS), which had previously declared a strike alert to press for salary increases. This agreement was described as a fair

Ireland’s healthcare unions, including the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and Fórsa , are planning industrial action to address severe staffing shortages in the public health service. Recruitment restrictions and suppressed posts by the Health Service Executive (HSE) have been criticised for placing services under strain and jeopardising patient safety. Union leaders have called the current situation unsustainable and are meeting to finalise strategies for industrial action. The HSE has labelled these plans as regrettable, pointing to its Pay and Numbers Strategy as evidence of

Workers at the Sophien- und Hufeland-Klinikum in Weimar are demanding that their church employer negotiate a collective agreement with Ver.di . Despite their calls, the church, Diakonie, and clinic management have resisted, instead pursuing legal action to block union-led strikes. The Erfurt Labour Court will hear the case on February 19. On January 17, 2025, around 100 workers from the clinic and other church-run institutions demonstrated in Erfurt, demanding better pay, improved conditions, and the right to strike. Protesters highlighted that workers in church institutions, such as hospitals

On January 11, a wage settlement was reached for private health and care workers in Norway, narrowing the pay gap with municipal and hospital workers. This agreement, negotiated with the Norwegian Confederation of Employers (NHO), ensures wage improvements for members of Fagforbundet , Delta , and FO . Key outcomes include a general wage supplement of NOK 7 per hour, equivalent to NOK 13,650 annually, effective May 1, 2024. Minimum wage rates will rise by NOK 31,175 to NOK 50,975 annually, aligning with the 5.2% framework established in broader wage settlements. Additional improvements include

On 13 January 2025, public workers across Turkey, organised by KESK , participated in a nationwide protest to voice their discontent with rising poverty, inflation, and inadequate wage policies. The action was supported by other unions, including ASİM-SEN, BASK, HÜR SEN, and Birleşik Kamu-İş, in a united call for economic justice and workers’ rights. The unions demanded a living wage above the poverty line, the inclusion of additional payments in retirement incomes, and rental assistance to address soaring housing costs. They also called for free childcare facilities at workplaces, secure

On 17 January 2025, unions SIDEPOL and PUBLISIND organised a national protest in Bucharest against salary cuts and austerity measures affecting police and prison service workers. Over 20,000 police officers, prison guards, border guards, and military reservists gathered to demand fair pay and better working conditions. The protest follows the implementation of the "Trenulet Ordinance" which reduces weekend pay(SDSL) by 15-20%, reversing hard-won pay increases achieved a decade ago. Union representatives also highlighted broader issues of understaffing and unpaid overtime. In response to the

On 15 January, members of the Trade Union of UPOZ , representing workers from several ministries and two state institutions, began a week of protests to demand a 30% salary increase. The protests coincided with government sessions, aiming to push officials to address long-standing wage disparities. Despite extensive negotiations and support from ministries, the Ministry of Finance refused to allocate funds for draft Collective Agreements before finalising the 2025 budget. Workers' salaries in the affected institutions start at 25,010 denars, with an average of 29,000 denars—well below the