2012 September epsucob@NEWS 15
Unions maintain their protests against cuts
The FSC-CCOO and FSP-UGT public service federations, along with other public sector unions, are maintaining their protests against austerity measures that include further job cuts and pay freezes. The unions are pursuing a range of legal challenges as well as complaints to the International Labour Organisation. Protests are also taking place at regional level where regional governments are also making deep cuts and imposing pay cuts on public service workers. [Read more at> FSC-CCOO (ES)->http://www.fsc.ccoo.es/webfsc/menu.do?Inicio:396431] [And at > FSP-UGT (ES)->http://www.fspugt.es/Nuevas
48-hour general strike against austerity
ADEDY the public sector union confederation and the GSEE private sector confederation called a general strike 26 September in protest at further austerity measures and in particular a leaked 'confidential' Troika letter calling on the government to further reduce the minimum wage and the earlier demand for a six-day work week, longer working hours, a yet shorter notice period and less severance pay. The GENOP energy union is also planning a series of 48-hour strikes in protest at austerity and privatisation. Read more at > ADEDY (GR) And at > GENOP (GR)
Public sector pay in line with international average
Figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) show public sector pay in Ireland at an overall level in line with international averages - 11.2% of total output (GDP), just above the 11.1% average for EU countries in the OECD. While there are some senior jobs that are at the top end of the international scale that is not the case for pay overall and Impact points out that the OECD figures don't take account of the 7% pensions levy. Read more at > Impact (EN)
Unions will continue to mobilise against cuts
The public sector federations of CGIL and UIL were pleased at the level of support for the public sector-wide strike and the 30000 who joined the national demonstration in Rome. The unions are protesting against the government's spending review which will see thousands of jobs cut and the termination of contracts for temporary workers. The unions argue that there has been no negotiation over the cuts and promise to maintain their mobilisations against the government plans. Read more at > FP CGIL (IT)
Union pursues key legal case on outsourcing
Public services union Unison is continuing to support a key case affecting outsourced workers that is now going to the European Court of Justice. The union argues that workers transferred to the Parkwood company by Lewisham Council in South East London have the right, under the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations (Acquired Rights Directive) to continue to benefit from pay increases negotiated as part of the national local government agreement. The outcome of the case has implications for thousands of other workers across the sector. [Read more at > Unison (EN)->http://www.unison.org.uk
Strike at energy company
The EL&IT energy union and Fagforbundet municipal union are taking further strike action at the NTE energy company following the failure of mediation. The unions are in dispute over minimum wage rates, travel regulations and on rules and payments applying to working outside normal working hours. Read more at > EL&IT (NO) And at > Fagforbundet (NO)
Government ends private care home strike
The government has brought an end to the strike in private care homes with compulsory arbitration. The government argued that the strike was life-threatening to patients. The union response was that it was, in fact, the low level of staffing in private care homes that posed the real threat. The unions are hopeful that arbitration will produce a positive result in terms of ensuring that workers in private care homes get the same pay and pensions as those in the public sector. Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
Union fears new government keeping old policies
The CGT public service federation notes that a recent report on the previous government's key RGPP policy - general review of public policy - acknowledges some of the problems, such as lack of social dialogue, but argues that the policy still needs to be implemented. In the meantime, the union fears that the new government's plans for job cuts and pay freezes in the public sector will mean there is no real break with the policies of the previous government. Read more at > CGT Services Publics (FR)
New agreement in health sector
A new national collective labour agreement in the healthcare sector was signed last month by the Minister of Health, trade unions and employer organisations. The agreement is a result of lengthy negotiations in the Sectoral Council for Tripartite Cooperation in Healthcare and applies to all health facilities. The agreement protects existing social benefits and provides for an increase in monthly salaries of between 10% and 20%. Employees who work on on-call receive increases in their hourly payments and the payment for night shift work is doubled. The agreement is backdated to 1 July 2012.
Minister listens but only offers more talks
Public service trade unions met with public service minister Marylise Lebranchu on 3 September to discuss a range of issues including the pay structure, pay increases, gender equality and social dialogue. Although there was some feeling that the minister was more willing to listen than her predecessors, the unions were concerned that nothing concrete had been proposed beyond further talks in October. Read more at > CGT (FR) And at > FO Fonctionnaires (FR)
Municipal unions support framework agreement
Trade unions in the municipal sector have reaffirmed their support for central negotiations with a framework agreement setting out the basis for negotiations at sectoral level. The unions believe that this provides stability for the economy as well as a balanced development of wages in the municipal sector. Read more at > JHL (EN)
Municipalities must spend more on childcare staff
The government has committed DK 500 million (€67m) to improving staffing ratios in child care centres. The FOA public services union has been concerned that some local authorities will use the additional funds for other purposes. However, the government has reaffirmed that the money must be used to increase child care staff. Read more at > FOA (DK)
Pay rise for private care workers
Municipal sector union Kommunal has negotiated a new 14-month agreement covering 25000 workers in private health care. There will be a SEK 655 (€77) increase on monthly salaries including the minimum wage in the collective agreement. Workers will also now be paid from the first minute of on-call rather than after the first 30 minutes. Fixed-term contracts will automatically become permanent after three years rather than four and there will be a gradual reduction in the use of fixed-term contracts. [Read more at > Kommunal (SE)->http://www.kommunal.se/Kommunal/Nyheter/2012/Loneokningar-i-nytt