Oct. 02, 2005
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Oct. 02, 2005
Talks start with regions as public sector agreement takes effect
Services union ver.di and the dbb civil service union have agreed to start talks with the regional government employers over a new collective agreement. The new 27-month agreement with the federal and local authorities comes into effect as of 1 October but the regional employers have so far refused to sign a new agreement. The main sticking point has been their demand for longer working hours.Read more at > verdi
Oct. 02, 2005
Doctors' union resumes negotiations
The Marburger Bund doctors' union will resume negotiations with the regional government employers over a new collective agreement covering 22,000 doctors in university clinics. The most recent demonstration on 6 September in Stuttgart involved 5,000 doctors. Read more at > Marburger Bund
Oct. 02, 2005
Prison guards' dispute
Prison guards in Antwerp resumed strike action last week in protest over staffing levels and overcrowding. They had been providing a minimum service but decided to move to strike action at the weekend with a return to minimum service on Monday. Other prisons in Belgium were hit by strike action earlier this year over staffing levels and overcrowding.Read more at > the VRT news serviceAnd at > Le Soir newspaper
Oct. 02, 2005
No progress with public services minister
The CGT federation met with public services minister, Christian Jacob, on 21 September. However, he only wanted to discuss talks about the technical aspects of negotiations on social and statutory rights and salaries with a view to proper multilateral meetings from the middle of November. The CGT found this unacceptable and all the more urgent that the 4 October demonstrations were widely supported.Read more at > CGT
Oct. 02, 2005
Strike vote gets management to negotiate
A two-to-one vote for strike action by members of the PCS civil service union in Job Centres in London has brought managers back to the negotiating table. The union has complained about job cuts and deteriorating services and is calling for guarantees from management about staffing levels.Read more at > PCS
Oct. 02, 2005
Unions reject latest pension proposals
Unions in local government have rejected the government's latest proposals to change the pension scheme as worse than earlier proposals that led to massive support for strike action. In order to avoid the strike, the government withdrew plans to end the 85 rule which allows local government workers to retire on a full pension at 60 if they have 25 years' service. But now the government has come back with similar proposals and a plan to increase workers' pension contributions.Read more at > UNISON
Oct. 01, 2005
Public service workers face more violence
A survey of members of the FTF salaried employees and civil service union found a near doubling of the percentage of workers facing violence at work. The situation was particularly bad for those working in social services with 46% reporting violent incidents and health (25%). Although the worst affected sector was not surprisingly the police force (53%).[Read more at > EWCO-> http://www.eurofound.eu.int/ewco/2005/09/DK0509NU03.htm]
Oct. 01, 2005
Unions fight poverty with national action 1 October
Latvian trade unions have organised nationwide protests culminating in a national demonstration in Riga on 1 October. The unions are protesting that poverty levels remain high. They are urging the government to increase salaries, pension entitlements and health care coverage to reflect cost of living increases.
Sep. 16, 2005
Unions call for strike and day of action on 4 October
All seven of the union federations that organise workers in the public services are calling on their members to join a day of action of strikes and demonstrations on 4 October. They will be protesting in defence of public services, the rights of public service workers and calling for increases in pay and pensions to compensate for the loss of purchasing power in recent years.Read more at > CGTAnd at > FO
Sep. 16, 2005
Unions threaten joint action over public sector pensions
The government has repeated its intention to increase retirement ages in public sector pension schemes. Thirteen public sector unions within the TUC confederation have said they will ballot their members for strike action if the government pushes through its proposals. The non-TUC nursing union the RCN has also made clear its opposition to the proposals.Read more at > UNISONAnd at > PCSAnd at > RCN
Sep. 16, 2005
Regional government employees strike and demonstrate in Hannover
This month sees the implementation of the new collective agreement covering public service workers employed by federal and local government. However, the regional employers continue to refuse to agree a similar deal. Thousands of members of public services union ver.di in Hannover supported warning strikes and demonstrations to keep the pressure on the regional government.Read more at > ver.di
Sep. 16, 2005
Doctors' union meets with regional government employers
After months of protests and strike action the Marburger Bund doctors' union is resuming talks with the regional government employers over pay and working hours. The key demands of the union include withdrawal of the employers' decision to cut holiday and Christmas payments which have cost doctors up 15-20% of their pay and to set out a strategy for doctors' income to rise by 30%. Read more at > Marburger Bund
Sep. 16, 2005
Unions gear up for annual pay negotiations
Public service union GÖD will be involved in the annual pay negotiations shortly. It has already written to the government to try to ensure that the negotiations are dealt with promptly so that the pay increase can take effect from 1 January 2006. As usual the union will be aiming for an increase which compensates for inflation, taking account of overall economic growth.Read more at > GÖD
Sep. 16, 2005
