May. 02, 2006
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May. 02, 2006
Private health workers plan strike action
Unions representing workers in the private health sector have agreed to a day's strike action and national demonstration on 11 May. The unions are trying to get the 2004-2005 collective agreement implemented and decided on the action following three regional demonstrations in Milan on 20 March, Bari on 24 March and Rome on 5 April.Read more at > FP-CGIL
May. 02, 2006
Unions want action on precarious employment
Public service unions have written jointly to the public services minister, Christian Jacob, to demand government action to reduce precarious employment in the public services. The unions want negotiations to start immediately to resolve the situation in the public sector where, according to a recent study the use of short-term contracts is more widespread than in the private sector.Read more at > CGT
May. 02, 2006
Minimum wages across Europe
A new book examines how minimum wages work across Europe. It looks at the statutory systems that apply in 18 of the 25 European Union states, explaining how they have developed and the process of increasing minimum wages rates each year. The book also investigates the systems of minimum wages in collective agreements that are the basis of regulation in the Scandinavian countries as well as Austria. The book includes an overview of minimum wage systems across Europe and a proposal from researchers in Germany, France and Switzerland for co-ordinating minimum wages, both statutory and negotiated, around targets based on average earnings.Read more at > ETUI-REHS
May. 02, 2006
2.8% increase at the Thüga energy company
The ver.di services union has secured a 2.8% pay increase for workers at the Thüga energy company. The agreement runs for 15 months from 1 February 2006 and includes a 2.5% increase on rates for trainees. Inflation in Germany was running at 2.1% in the year to February.Read more at > ver.di
May. 02, 2006
Doctors' strike enters seventh week
The Marburger Bund doctors' union is continuing its strike action over pay and hours into a seventh week with a demonstration planned for 3 May. The union is also now threatening to take action during the forthcoming World Cup in Germany.Read more at > Marburger Bund
Apr. 15, 2006
Pensions strike on hold
The nine unions involved in the local government pensions dispute have agreed to suspend strike action while talks with local government employers take place. A nationwide strike took place on 28 March and regional action was planned for the end of April. Unions and employers issued a joint statement which set out their intentions to agree protection for current members of the scheme and to ensure that any further changes are properly negotiated.Read more at > UNISON
Apr. 15, 2006
Further progress in working hours dispute
The dispute over working hours in local authorities in the Baden-Württemburg region is over with members of the ver.di services union backing an agreement to increase hours from 38.5 to 39 a week - the employers had demanded an increase to 40 hours a week. This is the third region where ver.di has secured a deal with local authority employers and resisted the introduction of a 40-hour week. However, the regional authority employers are maintaining their demand for longer working hours and as part of its campaign ver.di members in the North-Rhine Westfalia region are continuing their strike action. Action is also continuing around the country in the University hospitals which are run by the regional authorities.Read more at > ver.diAnd at > ver.di
Apr. 15, 2006
Unions celebrate victory and plan next campaign
Following unprecedented unity among 12 trade union and student organisations, public and private sector trade unions were celebrating the French government's decision to withdraw the CPE law that would have undermined the employment rights of young workers. Unions are now arguing that this unity has to built on to fight off the next threat - the merger of the Suez private utility company with the state-owned GDF gas company.Read more at > CGT
Apr. 15, 2006
Doctors continue strike action
Doctors organised in the Marburger Bund trade union are also continuing their strike action and demonstrations against the regional government employers. They are campaigning for better working conditions and salary levels on a par with other countries. The most recent demonstration saw around 6,000 doctors rally in Cologne.Read more at > Marburger Bund
Apr. 15, 2006
Pay and pensions deal at Electricity Supply Board
In advance of pay increases awarded under the national pay agreement, workers at the Electricity Supply Board have agreed a four-year pay and pensions deal with the company. Although pay will rise by 2% workers will see their pension contributions increase by a similar amount. The company will also increase its contributions to help tackle the company's pension fund deficit. A lump sum of 3,000 euros is also part of the agreement which opens the way for local negotiations.Read more at > EIRO
Apr. 15, 2006
Disabled care workers get new agreement
After a lengthy campaign of strikes and demonstrations workers in the disabled care sector have the chance to vote on a new collective agreement. This is a wide-ranging agreement that covers issues such as workloads and quality of work. It runs from 1 January 2005 to 30 April 2007 with pay increases of 1% (December 2005), 1.8% (January 2006) and 1% (January 2007) with a 400 euro lump sum for full-time workers in June 2006.Hospital workers are also being asked to vote on a new 25-month agreement beginning from 1 January 2006 which would see pay increase by 1.75% in April 2006 and by 1.4% in April 2007.Read more at > ABVAKABOAnd at > ABVAKABO
Apr. 15, 2006
Massive vote for action to defend jobs
Workers in Learning and Skills Councils (LSC) across the UK have voted by nearly nine to one to support strike action against job cuts. Their union, the PCS public services union says that 1,120 jobs could by cut by the summer - nearly a third of the LSC national workforce. The union is angry that the LSC is forcing workers to apply for jobs rather than dealing with potential redundancies through retraining and redeployment.Read more at > PCS
Apr. 15, 2006
Demonstration in May is next stage of union campaign
Public administration union STAL is following three days' of action in April with a national demonstration planned for 19 May in Lisbon. The 10, 11 and 12 of April saw the union organise vigils outside the head offices of the minister for local administration, the finance minister and then on 12 April outside the prime minister's office. The campaign continues to focus on opposition to government cuts in public spending and defence of the pay and conditions of public service workers. The union will also be launching a national publicity campaign to alert people to the threat to public services.Read more at > STAL
Apr. 15, 2006
