2011 May epsucob@NEWS 07
Unions organise protest against social reforms
Trade unions walked out of talks with the government over social reforms in protest at what they regard as the failure of the government to enter into meaningful discussions. The unions are planning a national demonstration on 21 May and are running a campaign, "Open your eyes", to explain to people the implications of the government's proposals. Read more at > Czech news site (EN)
Next general strike planned for 11 May
The ADEDY civil service confederation is supporting the general strike called for 11 May. Trade unions continue to oppose the austerity measures being imposed by the Greek government in response to demands from the International Monetary Fund and European Union. ADEDY argues that far from resolving the crisis the cuts in public sector pay and cuts in jobs are increasing unemployment and deepening the recession. Read more at > ADEDY (GR)
Unions react to bail-out negotiations
The CGTP trade union confederation has called a national demonstration for 19 May to protest at the bail-out proposals being negotiated by the government with the International Monetary Fund and European Union. The unions argue that further austerity measures will only impose more cuts on public sector workers who have already seen their pay cut and that alternative measures including tackling tax avoidance and fraud and productive investment schemes need to be part of the deal. Read more at > STAL (PT)
General strike by CGIL confederation
The CGIL confederation has called a general strike for 6 May in protest at government policies and in particular at its attacks on migrant worker rights. The confederation argues that migrant workers need protection and proper employment rights and any failure to ensure equal treatment will only serve to undermine the pay and conditions of workers in general. Read more in the special website > CGIL (EN, FR, IT, ES)
Survey reveals pressures facing health workers
A major survey by the health and social services section of the CFDT confederation uncovers a continuing deterioration in working conditions for staff in the public health sector. Nearly 40,000 employees responded to the survey and over 90% said they found their work stressful with 57% saying that the levels of stress create problems for them. A majority of respondents say that work has intensified, workloads have increased and the management of human resources has deteriorated. [Read more at > CFDT (FR)->http://www.fed-cfdt-sante-sociaux.org/content/resultats-de-lenquete-conditions-de-travail
Union uses Royal Wedding to campaign for cleaners' pay
The PCS civil service union took to the streets on Friday 29 April to call for a living wage for cleaners at the Royal residences in London including Buckingham Palace. The union says that the cleaners, employed by private contractors, get just £6.45 (€7.23) an hour. This is above the national minimum wage of £5.93 (€6.65) but below the rate demanded by the union of £7.85 (€8.80). This is the living wage for London calculated by the Greater London Authority and endorsed even by the current Conservative major of London. [Read more at > PCS->http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/news_centre
Three-year deal in hospital sector
Health sector unions have negotiated a new collective agreement covering 200,000 hospital employees. The agreement runs for three years from 1 March 2011 and includes the following pay increases: 1% from 1.7.11, 0.55% from 1.10.11, 1.5% from 1.7.12 and 2% from 1.7.13. The year-end bonus will also increase over the period from 6.73% to 8.33% turning it effectively into a 13th month payment. Youth pay rates will be abolished. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/akkoord-ziekenhuizen] [And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)->http://www.mijnvakbond.nl
Two-year deal at hospital group
Ver.di has negotiated a new collective agreement at the Helios hospital company which employs around 17,000 workers across Germany. The agreement runs from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 and includes a 2% increase for 2011 (backdated to 1 April) and a 3% increase from 1 May 2012. Increase for doctors are different as they get on average a 3% increase from 1 January 2011 and a 2.4% increase from 1 March 2012. They are also a 15% increase on the supplement for night work which will now also be paid for on-call time at night. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://presse.verdi.de
Health and safety body endorses union's protocol on tackling violence
The UGT confederation has developed procedures for workplace action to deal with bullying and violence. The union has brought together research on the subject with practical examples and information from collective agreements and the procedure aims at both preventing and responding to violence and harassment. The protocol has been endorsed by the national health and safety body, the INSHT, which has issued guidance on dealing with violence and harassment at work. [Read more at > FSP-UGT (ES)->http://www.fspugt.es/UGT_ha_elaborado_un_protocolo_contra_la_violencia_machista_y_el_acoso_laboral.htm
Union challenges minister over wage increases
Blue-collar local government union Kommunal has attacked the government for calling for wage moderation in the public sector. The union is particularly angry about the fact that this will mean a sector dominated by women will be getting lower increases than sectors dominated by men and so will increase the gender pay gap. Official government projections for wage increases in industry and construction for the years 2012-2015 are 3.5%, 3.7%, 3.8% and 3.8%. In contrast, the projections for the municipal sector are all below these figures, at 2.8% in 2012 and then 3.2% in each of the following
Nothing on offer at meeting on pay
The seven public sector federations and unions were disappointed with their meeting with the government on 19 April that ended up as just a formality with the government restating its intention to freeze pay for three years. They continue to call for pay increases for public sector workers that would compensate for the 10% loss in purchasing power since 2000. Read more at > CGT Services Publics (FR)
Union petition calls for decent work in health sector
To coincide with the opening of the German labour market to citizens of the eight central and Eastern European countries that joined the European Union in 2004, services union ver.di has launched a petition calling for decent work in the health sector across Europe. Ver.di argues that it is more important than ever that health workers have decent pay and conditions and that they get equal pay for work of equal value at the workplace. The union has called on Germany health employers to adopt the ethical code on cross-border recruitment and retention in the health sector as agreed by EPSU and
Union argues that job cuts will affect services
The FOA public services union says that the number of employees in the municipal sector fell by 21,300 between March 2010 and January 2011. The union argues that the government overestimated the impact of the crisis on the economy and didn’t need to implement a standstill budget. FOA maintains that the level and quality of services cannot be guaranteed with such a high level of staff cuts. In a separate statement it also highlighted problems in the childcare sector with childminders being required to look after too many children. [Read more at > FOA (DK)->http://www.foa.dk/Forbund/Presse
Firefighters join police and other public sector workers in demonstration over austerity
Thousands of firefighters, police officers, soldiers and customs officers took part in a national demonstration in Budapest on 16 April in protest against the government’s continuing austerity measures. A key focus of the action was to defend pension rights but unions are also calling for wage increases after a lengthy period of pay freezes. Read more at > Reuters news website (EN)
Minimum increase of NOK 7000 for local government workers
Municipal unions have negotiated a pay increase for 2011. Workers get a 1.72% increase from 1 May but there is a minimum rise of NOK 7000 (€882). There will be a new minimum annual salary of NOK 222,200 (€28,028) for workers aged 16-18 while the lowest rate for unskilled workers rises to NOK 246,800 (€31,131). Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
Unions maintain campaign for better pay for education and social workers
Ten trade union organisations are working together to try to secure better pay and recognition of qualifications for education and social workers in the public and private sectors. Following national mobilisations on 16 March and 7 April the unions are now planning a further day of action on 16 June. They are particularly concerned to get a comprehensive response from the government rather than a range of different responses from public and private sector employers. Read more at > CGT Services Publics (FR)
Workers and union denied information on outsourcing
The Health Services Executive is going through a process of outsourcing home helps but has refused to provide workers and their union with any information about the process. Home helps took to the streets of Dublin to express their concerns and the SIPTU general union is worried about the impact on pay and conditions as well as quality of services in what is currently an unregulated area. Read more at > SIPTU (EN)
Unions aim to restore pay cuts
The ROTAL trade union will submit a claim for an 8% pay increase for police and rescue workers next year which would bring their salaries back to 2009 levels. The union will also all other public sector workers to get increases that would bring their pay at least back to levels seen in 2008. Read more at > Baltic News website (EN)
Employer uses divide and rule tactics
After a six-month break in negotiations, the GDF-Suez energy company has returned to the bargaining table with a proposal that all new starters would be on a different collective agreement. Ver.di has rejected the idea, emphasising that a company agreement covering only new starters would leave them in a very weak position and make it very difficult for the union to mobilise across the company to defend their pay and conditions. The company also wants to apply a 40-hour week on the new starters rather than the current agreement for 38 hours. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://energie-bergbau
Waste workers take action over bullying and harassment
Around 100 employees of the SITA waste services company in Kirklees in North East England took strike action on Wednesday 27 April in response to what the Unite trade union calls “staggering abuse” and a culture of harassment and intimidation. A second day of action planned for 5 May was postponed to allow for talks with the company but a potential third day of action on 9 May could still go ahead. SITA, part of the Suez Environnement transnational company (35% owned by the GDF-Suez energy giant), runs the waste contract for Kirklees local authority. [Read more at > Unite->http://www
Three-week strike by control centre workers
Employees of the Lyonnaise des Eaux water company, part of the Suez Environnement group, have been on strike since 8 April over the company’s refusal to discuss their salary levels. The employees work at the control centre in Montgeron, south of Paris, which is responsible for the 24-hour monitoring and surveillance of water services for part of the Ile de France region. The employees are claiming equal pay for work of equal value taking account of their working conditions and responsibilities in maintaining the service in such a key facility. [Read more at > CGT (FR)->http://www