2010 October epsucob@NEWS 20
Massive and sustained mobilisation against pension changes
Public and private sector unions have managed to mobilise millions of people in protest against the government’s planned pension changes. An estimated 3.5 million joined the latest protests with demonstrations and strikes taking place across the country, with many university and school students joining the action. [Read more at > CGT (FR)->http://www.cgt.fr/spip.php?article37842] [And at > CFDT (FR)->http://www.cfdt.fr/rewrite/article/29685/les-actualites/mobilisations/2010/16-et-19-octobre-2010/avec-3-5-millions-de-manifestants-le-soutien-populaire-ne-faiblit-pas.htm] [And at > FO (FR)->http
Unions plan national demonstration followed by general strike
Public service unions in the Frente Comum have called a national demonstration of public administration workers on 6 November in protest at the government’s decision to freeze public sector pay, increase VAT, freeze promotion and a range of other measures aimed at cutting costs. Unions will also be building for the general strike on 24 November called by both the CGTP and UGT trade union confederations in protest at the government’s austerity policies. [Read more at > STAL (PT)->http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=557&Itemid=1] [And at > SINTAP (PT)->http://www.sintap
Substantial support for latest strike action
Civil service federation ADEDY organised a strike on 7 October against the government’s austerity measures and its agreement with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. One element of the agreement is a reform of the public sector pay system and ADEDY doesn’t want to enter into talks on this unless the government reverses the cuts in public sector pay implemented earlier this year. Read more at > Greek report news website (EN)
Government plans to press ahead with pay cuts
Public sector unions may take strike action in response to the government’s intention to go ahead with a pay cut of 10%. Separate negotiations are likely with the health unions but a change in the public sector structure could involve even deeper cuts in pay. Read more at > Czech news website (EN)
Unions mobilise around the country
A demonstration in Bratislava on 12 October was the third protest organised by trade unions against the government’s austerity measures. The government is planning cuts of €986 million in 2011, €154 million of which is due to come from public sector pay cuts. Unions are calling for measures to boost employment and protect social security and are still hoping for negotiations with the government but are also considering continuing their protests. Read more at > Slovak news website (EN)
COMPARING PAY IN ENERGY, WASTE AND WATER
EPSU is working with researchers at the University of Amsterdam and the international network of Wage Indicator websites to promote a survey of occupational pay in the energy, waste and water sectors. EPSU wants its affiliates to encourage their members to complete an online survey which is available in national languages in 21 EU countries. Read more at > EPSU
Union's health section launches newsletter focusing on company's pay and conditions
Services union ver.di has launched a new newsletter, Zeus, to monitor and report on the Asklepios private health company and, in particular, developments in pay and conditions. Although some individual clinics in the company have collective agreements and there is an agreement covering doctors, around 18,000 workers in the company are not covered by collective bargaining. Ver.di is also campaigning against Asklepios’s use of outsourcing to cut costs and challenging the role of two other union organisations (DHV and Medsonet) that are signing deals with the company. The two organisations are
New agreement for youth workers
The FNV Abvakabo and CNV Publieke Zaak unions have agreed a new deal with the MOgroep employers’ organisation in youth care. The agreement covers more than 30,000 employees and includes a wage increase of 1.25% with a one-off payment of € 180. The agreement runs until 1 May 2011 and also includes provisions on training, mobility, social innovation and managing the workload. Employers and unions hope that the measures will lead to improved employability and retention of youth care workers in the industry. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws
Local government unions put in claim for £250
The three local government unions – UNISON, GMB and Unite – have submitted a claim for a £250 (€282) for next year (April 2011-March 2012). The unions argue that their members cannot put up with another year of pay freeze. This year local government pay was frozen even though the government said that workers on less than £21000 (€23700) could get £250. Two thirds of local government workers are below the £21000 threshold. Read more at > UNISON
COMPLETE THE EQUAL PAY QUESTIONNAIRE
EPSU has received 31 responses from 18 countries to its equal pay questionnaire. The survey has produced some interesting information on how affiliates are reducing the gender pay gap by taking a range of measures related to pay, promotion, training, leave and flexible working. Read more at > EPSU (16 languages)
Employers and unions agree minimum wage initiative
In response to the opening up of the labour market to countries from Eastern Europe, the ÖGB trade union confederation has secured an agreement with the employers to monitor pay rates and ensure that employers are paying at least the minimum rates set in sectoral agreements. There is no legal minimum wage but very high levels of collective bargaining coverage. Unions and employers have called on the authorities to take on more employees to ensure that pay can be effectively monitored. [Read more at > vida (DE)->http://www.vida.at/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=S03/Page/Index&n=S03_0.a&cid
Union welcomes key court ruling on temporary contracts
The JHL public service union has welcomed a court ruling that private contractors cannot require employees to work on repeated temporary contracts to fit in with the length of the service contracts that the company has won. JHL has been concerned about this issue for some time and the negative impact of outsourcing on the employment conditions of working for private contractors. Read more at > JHL (EN)
Strike possible in private nurseries if mediation fails
EPSU affiliates, Fagforbundet and Delta, are involved in negotiations in the private nursery sector. There is currently a process of mediation but if this fails then the unions will organise strike action. They want to make sure that the increase in the private sector is line with that already agreed in the municipal sector and so far the employers have not made an adequate offer. Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO) And at > Delta (NO)
Analysing the pay cuts – EPSU collective bargaining conference
With support from the European Commission, EPSU has commissioned research on the impact of pay cuts across Europe. The report will focus on Romania, Spain, Ireland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary and Greece and will be discussed on the first morning of the conference on 7 December. Read more at > EPSU
Strikers take protest to Zürich
Striking workers are maintaining their protests against the ISS cleaning multinational that terminated the collective agreement covering employees at Geneva Airport. Earlier this month the strikes, supported by local trade unionists, protested outside the ISS offices in Zürich. Their union the VPÖD/SSP criticised ISS for spending money on a legal action against a local Genevan community and trade union group that had called on international organisations based in the city, such as the International Labour Organisation, to terminate their contracts with the company. [Read more at > VPÖD/SSP (FR
Firefighters protest over government plans
Over 400 firefighters joined a demonstration in Lisbon on 20 October to protest against government proposals for the fire service. The STAL and STML unions argue that the plans are about getting a fire service on the cheap and fail to provide for a professional service with proper pay and career structure and taking full account of appropriate health and safety standards and working time. Read more at > STAL (PT)
Employers threaten to impose pay deal
Unions negotiating the agreement for nursing homes and home care have been stunned by the proposal of the employers to implement a pay increase rather than agree a deal with the unions. The unions point out that employers are demanding increased flexibility from employees who are facing rising workloads. The employers claim that they have agreed to most of the union demands apart from the percentage pay increase. Unions challenge this, saying that there are still unresolved issues around working time and training. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws
No progress after second round of bargaining at RWE
Negotiations are about to resume at the RWE energy company after the second round of bargaining ended without any progress. The company made an improved offer of 2.3% over 12 months but this was rejected by ver.di as wholly inadequate bearing in mind the positive outlook both for the company and for the economy over the coming year. Read more at > ver.di (DE)