ETUC issues collective bargaining alert

The OSZSP health and social care union issued a strike alert on 17 August following lack of progress in negotiations on wage and salary increases and the failure of the Ministry of Health to fulfil earlier promises. The union believes action on pay is essential in order to ensure recruitment to the health service and the effective functioning of hospitals. OSZSP argues that the staffing crisis threatens the extent and quality of the care provided, particularly in some smaller hospitals. The union will coordinate the next steps with the Medical Trade Union - the Association of Czech Physicians

The ETUC has called on trade unions across Europe to be alert to attempts by employers to take advantage of a recent European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on working time. In its ruling on the case, involving a casino worker in Portugal, the ECJ said that the rest day specified in the Working Time Directive does not necessarily need to follow after six days of work. The ETUC underlines the fact that the Court also stressed the need to keep health and safety objectives uppermost when determining what constitutes an adequate rest period. This means factors such as the nature of the work have to

The Audit Tribunal (Tribunal de Cuentas), a public sector financial and economic watchdog, has sent a report to the Spanish parliament highlighting problems creating by outsourcing of government services. The tribunal is particularly concerned at the fact that large numbers of workers employment by private contractors are now proving public services alongside public employees. The tribunal argues that this raises serious questions about how people are appointed and the issue of equal treatment of workers across the public services. [Read more at > FSP-UGT (ES)->http://www.fspugt.es/index.php