2012 November epsucob@NEWS 17
EPSU COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONFERENCE BRIEFING
In preparation for the its collective bargaining conference in Brussels on 13-14 December, EPSU has produced a briefing document summarising the main issues for debate in the various sessions and providing links to relevant documents. The briefing is available on the conference website where you can also register and find other practical details. There will be sessions on: - economic governance and wages - public sector restructuring and the impact on collective bargaining - evaluation of the social dialogue and - attacks on labour law and trade union rights. [Read more at > EPSU->http:/
ILO critical of attacks on collective bargaining
The International Labour Organisation has issued a report critical of the attacks on trade union and collective bargaining rights. In response to complaints bought by the ADEDY civil service confederation, GSEE private sector confederation and GENOP-DEI power sector trade union, it concluded: "While deeply aware that these measures were taken within a context qualified as grave and exceptional, provoked by a financial and economic crisis, the Committee found that there were a number of repeated and extensive interventions into free and voluntary collective bargaining and an important deficit
Report exposes Commission view of collective bargaining
The position of the European Commission is becoming more transparent. In its recent analysis Labour Market Developments in Europe DG ECFIN identifies what it claims are employment-friendly labour reforms, most of which are about increasing flexibility. However, in terms of industrial relations DG ECFIN is explicit about its negative view of collective bargaining and trade unions in relation to employment ( annex to the report, page 104). Ronald Janssen, economic advisor at the ETUC, looks at the report and warns of its implications and the threat of the "wild west" attacks from the cowboys
Health workers strike to defend collective agreement
Health workers in the CGT, FO and CFTC trade unions are to strike on 29 November in protest at employer plans to undermine their collective agreement. The agreement, originally negotiated in 1951, covers around 230000 employees in 3000 non-profit health and social institutions. The FEHAP employers' organisation is looking to reduce costs and increase flexibility. Read more at > CGT (FR)
Anti-austerity actions continue after strike
After the general strike on 14 November and the final journey of the caravan of protest, local government union STAL will continue to organise actions and protests against the austerity measures aimed at public sector workers and public services. The caravan covered 9000 kilometres and organised public meetings up and down the country. The next actions are planned for parliament on 27 November, followed by demonstrations on 8 and 15 December. Read more at > STAL (PT)
Union questions public sector pay premium
Public services union Unison has analysed the latest official pay statistics and put forward two key arguments for why any evidence of a public sector pay premium needed to be treated with caution. In the first place the outsourcing of services like catering and cleaning mean that many low paid workers are now in the private sector although still working for the public sector. Secondly, there are large numbers of specialised professional jobs in healthcare, education and other parts of the public sector that require significant training and so pay rates reflect this. [Read more at > Unison (EN
Study compares public sector pay rates
A study commissioned by the Impact public services union reveals the complexity of making pay comparisons of public sector jobs between different countries. The report looked at a range of occupations and compared similar jobs in Ireland and Germany. The comparison of pay rates showed that certain jobs such as clerical workers and primary school teachers are paid less in Ireland even before taking account of the higher cost of living. Read more at > Impact (EN)
Statistics show high level of temporary work and pay gap with permanent workers
The latest data from Statistics Finland show that there continues to be widespread use of fixed-term contracts in the public sector with 23% of workers on temporary contracts. The statistics also show that two-thirds of fixed-term workers would prefer to have a permanent contract. Temporary workers in both public and private sectors are paid less than permanent staff although the pay gap in the public sector is lower at 9% in central government and 8% in local government. Read more at > Trade union news (EN)
Health workers strike on 29 November
Health workers will be taking industrial action on 29 November in protest at cuts to the health sector and the unilateral decision by the government to end the collective agreement without any form of social dialogue. Read more at > HSSMS-MT (HR) And our solidarity message and letter of protest to Croatian government at > EPSU (EN, HR)
Energy union campaigns for pay increases
The All-Russia electricity workers' union has been organising a series of pickets, protests and other actions in support of a significant pay rise to compensate for several years without any increase. The key demands are for a 25% pay increase and minimum wage in the industry of R6827 (around €170) from January 2013. Read the our solidarity message and union press release at > EPSU (EN, RU)
Health unions win pay increases after long strike
Unions representing doctors and health workers agreed on pay increases, reduced workloads and new working time arrangements at the end of October after lengthy strike action. From 1 March 2013 pay for nurses will increase by 17.5% and for doctors by 11%. The health sector minimum wage, covering many care workers, will increase by 23%. Read more at > Baltic Times news website (EN) And at > Estonian Public Broadcasting news website (EN)
Four-day strike by health workers
Health unions in Madrid have agreed to four days of strike action on 26-27 November and 4-5 December in protest at plans by the regional government to cut over 1000 jobs. There will also be a demonstration in the city on 27 November. Meanwhile, as part of the protest members of the unions' executive committees have locked themselves into the offices of the region's ministry of health building. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES) And at > FSP-UGT (ES)
ILO to investigate attacks on trade union rights
The International Labour Organisation has confirmed that it will investigate the attacks on trade union and collective bargaining rights listed by public sector trade unions in a complaint submitted to the ILO at the end of October. The ILO will now write to the government asking for its response to the accusations. The unions also have time to submit more evidence to support their case. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)
1 November marks equal pay day
The FOA public services union argues that women should take the rest of the year off because of the scale of the gender pay gap. On average women are paid 18% less than men which effectively is like being paid only for 10 months a year and so they should refuse to work from 1 November until the end of the year. FOA argues that efforts to close the gender pay gap have been piecemeal and what is needed is major and coordinated action. Read more at > FOA (DK)
Latest data shows very slow closure of gender pay gap
The Vision white-collar local government union has commented on the latest official pay statistics that show a persistent structural gender pay gap in nine out of 10 professional groups. Vision president Annika Strandhäll is on the government committee on equality and is concerned not only about the very slow trend towards closing the pay gap but also the fact that sectors where women make up the majority of workers have lower pay then those dominated by men. This is despite the fact that women are, in general, better educated than men. [Read more at > Vision (SE)->http://vision.se/Opinion
Confederation confirms coordination of collective bargaining for next pay round
The LO blue-collar workers' confederation has confirmed plans to coordinate bargaining in the next pay round. The aim will be secure pay increases of 2.8% for all workers earning at least SEK 25000 (€2900) a month. The pay claim for workers on less than SEK 25000 will be a flat-rate amount of SEK 700 (€81). The aim is to boost lower pay rates and contribute to closing the gender pay gap. The coordinated claim will include a number of other elements including an allowance for those on parental leave. [Read more at > Kommunal (SE)->http://www.kommunal.se/Kommunal/Nyheter/2012/LOs-krav-en-laglone
Union continues to call for right to strike in church organisations
A hearing in the federal labour court in Erfurt on 20 November was due to consider the question of the right to strike in church organisations. This is a key issue for ver.di members working for the Elisabeth Foundation in Darmstadt. The Foundation is part of the Agaplesion health group which takes advantage of the so-called third way used by church organisations to avoid applying the employment laws that apply in the rest of the economy. Workers at the Elisabeth Foundation are calling for a proper collective agreement, along the lines of the main public sector agreement. Currently they face