COVID-19, Tax justice
Fighting for tax justice
A fair, progressive, transparent and effective tax system is crucial for sound public finances, quality public services and redistribution of wealth and income. This is why EPSU has been campaigning hard to tackle tax evasion and avoidance by large companies and wealthy individuals and in support of measures to create fairer tax systems. This briefing for EPSU's last Congress sets out the work done over the previous Congress period and highlights current priorities. The impact of austerity on tax collection is the latest update on the state of tax administrations across Europe, underlining the need to invest in staff and resources to improve tax collection and fight tax fraud.
Special agreement covers overtime and pay for municipal workers
The continuing demands imposed by the COVID pandemic are being addressed by municipal trade unions and employers through a new agreement setting out rules on overtime. The agreement will be applied locally if agreed between the local union and employer and provides for higher overtime rates and limits on overtime hours. Overtime rates are increased to 200% on normal days and 300% on weekends and holidays. The rates also apply to part-time workers above 20 hours a week. The agreement sets a range of daily, weekly and monthly limits to overtime hours.
Joint review underlines value of crisis agreement
Trade unions and employer organisations in public services have reviewed the impact of the crisis agreement that was negotiated to regulate pay and conditions of employees working during critical events such as natural disasters, fires and floods, pandemics or acts of terrorism. It covers approximately 1.2 million employees in municipalities, regions and municipal companies, including healthcare, care, school, infrastructure and emergency services. Initially, negotiated following major forest fires, the agreement has also been implemented during the COVID pandemic. The review found it was
UK’s largest care home operator shifts cash to tax havens: new report
A new report published by CICTAR in conjunction with Panorama has revealed the details of how the UK’s largest care home operator has been funnelling profits offshore through the Caymen Islands while reporting artificial losses.
EPSU demands action from EU Health Ministers to improve working conditions and safe staffing for care and health workers
On the occasion of the Council of Ministers for Health on Tuesday, 7 December 2021, EPSU demands that Ministers stand up for the right to health and care, remembering that the resilience of health and care systems means investment and funding.
Union members vote on municipal agreement
Members of the FNV trade union are in the process of voting on whether to support the agreement covering the municipal sector that was negotiated last month. The agreement provides for a 1.5% pay increase from 1 December 2021 and a further increase of 2.4% from 1 April 2022. There will also be a €1200 lump sum paid, €900 of which is pensionable and €300 of which reflects a COVID bonus. Also the agreement commits municipalities to guarantee a €14 an hour minimum wage from 1 January 2022. There are several other elements to the agreement including a working-from-home allowance and measures
Health and social care unions launch campaign for more funding
The GPA and vida trade unions that organise in private health and social care have launched a new campaign, “Words are not enough” with the support of their confederation, the ÖGB. The unions are calling for increased funding for the sectors to improve pay and conditions, increase staffing by at least 20000, reduce workloads and provide a further COVID bonus and additional time off. The unions say that applause and praise for health and social care staff is not enough and action is needed to increase the funding that covers private health and social care.
Losses to OECD tax havens could vaccinate global population three times over: new global report
Countries are losing a total of $483 billion in tax a year to global tax abuse committed by multinational corporations and wealthy individuals – enough to fully vaccinate the global population against COVID-19 more than three times over.
Digitalisation negotiations, EPSU Vs EC ruling, global corporate tax deal on NEA’s agenda
At the 14 October NEA committee meeting, about 35 delegates representing central governments in 20 countries reviewed the state of play with the EC-backed negotiations of an EU social partner agreement on digitalisation.
Health unions mobilise over pay, jobs and funding
The vpod/ssp trade union is mobilising for a national demonstration of health workers in Berne on 30 October. The aim of the protest is to highlight the efforts and sacrifices that health workers have made in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. Key demands include a COVID bonus but also action to deal with the long-standing problems of pay and understaffing in the sector. The union is also calling for measures to improve training, work-life balance and retirement provision and argues that pay increases should reflect the arduousness of many health workers’ jobs.