2014 February epsucob@NEWS 04
EPSU and PSI protest over firefighter rights
EPSU-PSI LetterEPSU and PSI have written to the Labour Ministry and authorities in Tbilisi to protest about the employment and working conditions of firefighters. Firefighters have been mounting protests since 12 February and some have started a hunger strike. Among the firefighter demands are: dismissal of the Director of the Emergency and Urgent Services Agency; an end to persecution of elected union leaders and intimidation of union members; annulment of the termination of employment of the workers who have been fired on the basis of false accusations; and improvement of working conditions
Thousands demonstrate against sub-contracting
Report from Yol-ISThousands of construction workers joined a demonstration in Ankara on 15 February in protest against sub-contracting and forced transfer of employees. Despite a court ruling dating from 2011 many workers who should be directly employed by the Directorate of Highways and covered by collective agreements have been subject to illegal sub-contracting without proper employment conditions. The protest was also over another group of workers who have faced redeployment to jobs inappropriate for their skills and training.
ETUC and ITUC letter of protest over labour law
The European and global trade union confederations - ETUC and ITUC - have written to the prime minister in support of the Croatian trade unions and to express their concerns about draft labour legislation. The ETUC and ITUC argues that the effect of the legislation will be to undermine social dialogue and marginalise the trade unions. Unions organised a protest outside parliament on 26 February to coincide with the latest reading of the legislation. There was also a solidarity strike across the country on 25 February in support of two separate disputes at a knitwear factory and medical
Protest over pay, hours and employment conditions
The KKDSZ cultural workers' trade union was one of 28 public sector unions that organised a day-long demonstration outside parliament on 21 February. The unions are angry that there has been no public sector pay increase for six years, that workers have lost their 13th month payment and that changes to employment rights mean that civil servants can be easily dismissed at short notice. After substantial cuts in jobs many workers are also having to work long hours without overtime pay to maintain services. The unions are calling for a 20% pay increase. [Read more at > KKDSZ (EN)->http://kkdsz.hu
Week of action over 35-hour week
The STAL local government union has organised a week of action around the country calling for implementation of the agreements it has signed with municipalities to retain the 35-hour working week. As part of austerity measures introduced last year the government imposed a 40-hour week in public administration but trade unions, including STAL and SINTAP, have managed to negotiate locally to keep the 35-hour week. The protests are to ensure that the agreements are implemented in the face of the refusal of the state administration to recognise the agreements. SINTAP has meanwhile met with the
Union in dispute with care company over collective agreement
The FOA public services is in dispute with the Caregruppen social care company and will take strike action from 1 April unless the company agrees to negotiations over a collective agreement. Caregruppen has contracts with several municipalities but its employees are not covered by a collective agreement. The company took over some contracts from Falck which did have an agreement with FOA but Caregruppen terminated this, sacked the workers and took them on on worse pay and conditions. Read more at > FOA (DK)
Unions mobilise for 18 March
Four trade union organisations - CGT, FO, SUD and Solidaires - are mobilising for a national demonstration against austerity bringing together both public and private sector workers. The CGT and FO have also issued a joint call for action in the public sector highlighting some of their key demands for public sector workers. These include a increase in the public sector pay index which has been frozen for five years and an increase in pay to restore purchasing power, along with recognition of the role of the public services and the resources and staffing needed to deliver those services. [Read
Union calls for negotiations after court rulings
The FSC-CCOO federation has called on the government urgently to convene negotiations covering national administration to resolve the question of bonus payments from December 2012. The bonuses were cut by the government as one of a number of cuts in the pay and conditions of public sector workers. However, court judgements since then have challenged the legality of these cuts and now unions argue that the government should negotiate rather than leave it to be settled by a range of different legal actions and rulings. The latest case ruling involved a prison official and was supported by the
Long-term deal at National Grid
Public services union UNISON reports that the National Grid energy company has agreed a new four-year collective agreement. There is a 3.3% pay increase backdated to July 2013 and then a further four years of pay increasing by the rate of inflation. There are also changes to the pay structure and improvements to pension arrangements. The company will also strengthen its commitment to directly-employed labour. UNISON sees this as a significant improvement on the company's original offer and achieved on the basis of a continuing strong trade union presence in the company. [Read more at > UNISON-
Unions secure talks over Red Cross restructuring
The Cgil, Csil and Uil unions have ensured that they will be involved in talks over the future of the Italian Red Cross. The unions have been concerned that the organisation would be restructured and parts of it privatised with no consultation with the unions. The three unions will now discuss the plans for the service and what provisions are being put in place to protect workers' pay, conditions and jobs and workers' rights in relation to mobility and potential transfer to other organisations. [Read more at > Cisl-Fp (IT)->http://www.fp.cisl.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id
Federations attack block on local government law
The three federations organising in local and regional government - Fp-Cgil, Csil-Fp and Uil-Fpl - have warned that they will mobilise their members if the Senate doesn't unblock legislation relating to bargaining in the sector. The unions say that the freezing of the legislation means that local government workers face threats to additional payments and even the prospect of employers taking back pay increments. The federations point out also the threat to local government services as workers have been trying to maintain services while seeing collective bargaining blocked and recruitment
Real wages lower than in 2000
A new report from the WSI trade union research department shows that wages overall have fallen by 0.7% since 2000, taking account of inflation. This compares to an increase of 8.2% in real terms for wages negotiated in collective agreements. The WSI explains that Germany has seen a significant increase in its low-wage sector partly as a result of employers setting pay outside of sector collective agreements or, even if still covered by such agreements, taking advantage of opening clauses. The increase in part-time work and "mini-jobs" have also contributed to the overall decline in real pay
Union takes working time case to Commission
Public service union IMPACT has approached the European Commission about a claim that health employers are in breach of working time legislation over residential care staff who are often required to sleep over where they work. IMPACT says that some staff are routinely required to work a 63-hour week and are only paid a sleepover allowance. The union wants to see a properly enforced 39-hour week with any overtime paid at a higher rate, including any sleepover time. It is also calling for staff just to have one sleepover night a week. [Read more at > IMPACT->www.impact.ie/14/02/24/Unions-lodge
Union calls for job security agreement at hospitals group
Ver.di has reaffirmed its call for a job security agreement at the Helios (Fresenius) hospital group following confirmation that it would acquire 53 clinics and care centres from the Rhön healthcare company. Helios stated some time ago that the merger would not have an impact on employment, but ver.di argues that if that is the case then the company should sign an agreement to that effect. The union is concerned that the costs of the merger may have an impact on employment levels and wants to ensure that works councils in the company have are informed in advance of any restructuring plans.
Energy sector: 4.5% increase and jobs for trainees
The 25000 workers covered by the energy agreement that includes the EON energy company are to get a 4.5% pay increase in two stages - 2.4% in February 2014 and 2.1% in February 2015. The agreement runs until 31 January 2016. The deal also includes a commitment to provide permanent jobs for at least 120 qualified trainees in 2015 and maybe up to 150 in total while all other qualified trainees will be offered a minimum one-year contract. Read more at > ver.di (DE)
"Speed dating" on hospital negotiations
Hospital sector unions, FNV Abvakabo and CNV Publieke Zaake, are organising a series of "speed dating" events at hospitals around the country. The unions want to provide workers with the opportunity to find out about and react to the main issues up for negotiation in the hospital sector. The unions are concerned to secure a real pay increase, ensure jobs for qualified graduates and stop the practice of calling employees back to work during their break time. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/over-ons/nieuws/nieuwsoverzicht/2014/02/speeddates-ziekenhuizen/] [And at >
Municipal employers have nothing to offer
Local government trade unions, FNV Abvakabo and CNV Publieke Zaak, were disappointed following a meeting on 24 February where the employers failed to come up with any offer in relation to a new collective agreement covering 180000 municipal workers. Unions will meet shortly to discuss what action to take. Negotiations were suspended last year and the last collective agreement ran to 31 December 2012 and the last pay rise was 1% in April 2012, although there were lump sum payments of €200-€400 in August 2012. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/over-ons/nieuws