09 epsucob@NEWS May 2009
Unions maintain unity for next stage of protests
Following the success of the mobilisations on 1 May, the eight trade union federations are sticking together to organise another day of action on 26 May. This time the emphasis will be on widespread local actions. This will be followed by another national mobilisation on 13 June. The unions are also looking to build on their joint statement from January to set out a series of key demands that they want the government to respond to. Read more at > CGT (FR)
Public service unions strike over pay cuts
The government unilaterally cut salaries for public servants by amending the law that regulates basic pay in the sector, even though pay normally is subject to collective bargaining. The main public service unions have rejected the pay cut and also criticise the government for its unilateral action which, the unions argues, contravenes International Labour Organisation Convention 98 that guarantees the right to collective bargaining. The strikes were planned for 13 and 14 in the week leading up to local government elections across the country. Education workers were due to begin the strike on
MEPs back minimum income target and proposal for minimum wage policy
MEPs have voted by a large majority to back a demand for minimum income schemes across Europe to meet a target of 60% of national income. The demand was part of a report on active inclusion from UK MEP Jean Lambert that received backing from 256 MEPs with only 19 against and 129 abstentions. The report wants the European Council to agree an EU target whereby national minimum income schemes would provide income support of at least 60% of national median equalised income. It also calls on the Council to agree a timetable for achieving this target in all Member States. In addition, the report
Union launches campaign of warning strikes over agreement for social workers
Ver.di organized nationwide warning strikes on 6 May in support of its claim for a new agreement to protect the health of social workers and childcare workers. The union decided on the action when the employers – the association of local authorities (VKA) – effectively blocked progress by repeatedly putting off negotiations. The union argues that employees are facing much higher demands at work, made more acute by cuts in jobs. The aim is for an agreement that starts to tackle the overwork and poor working conditions that are undermining the health of many social workers and childcare workers
Unions warns of potential conflict in health sector
The IMPACT public services union has warned the Health Service Executive (HSE) that it needs to negotiate with the union to resolve conflicts over jobs, pay and pensions if it wants to avoid a major conflict. The union has called on members not to co-operate with any HSE demands to freeze recruitment or cut allowances. It has already backed workers in ballots for industrial action in three hospitals. Read more at > IMPACT (EN)
Unions win higher pay for nurses
Qualified nurses employed in the Basel region have been regarded and their new pay rates will be backdated to 1 April 2004. The Basel regional employers finally conceded that there were clear and good reasons for this predominantly female workforce to be moved up the pay scale in recognition of the specialist knowledge required for the job. Read more at > VPOD (DE)
Provincial government negotiations begin
After its first round of negotiations with provincial government employers, public service trade union ABVAKABO says that two issues have been settled – the agreement will run for 12 months and arrangements for reducing working time for older workers have been clarified. However, the next bargaining rounds could be more difficult. The union says that it might make concessions on pay in order to increase job security and get improved training and career development opportunities. In contrast, it appears that the employers are looking for a pay freeze, a few minor technical changes to conditions
Union launches equal pay case
The PCS civil service union has submitted an equal pay claim on behalf of 38 women who work for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). They have compared their pay with pay rates for similar jobs in the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) that are predominantly carried out by men. Both agencies are part of the Department for Transport. The union has found that pay rates for similar jobs are 21% lower in the DVLA than in the DSA. Read more at > PCS (EN)
Representativity in the hospital sector
Representativity in the hospital sector The EIRO industrial relations observatory has published its report into the representativity of employer and trade union organisations in the hospital sector. Along with an overview, national reports on social dialogue arrangements in all 27 EU Member States are available on the EIRO website. Read more at > EIRO (EN)
Municipal employers fail to implement pay increase and union raises issue of pay link to private sector
The FOA public service union has criticised municipal employers for failing to ensure that pay increases are implemented for all workers in April in line with the three-year agreement that was signed last year. It says that workers in the education sector in particular may have to wait to see the 2009 pay increase in their salaries. The union will be approaching the LO union confederation to see what action should be taken on this. It has also criticised the municipal employers for the time taken in producing an updated collective agreement. The municipal sector like the central government
Strikes and demonstrations continue in energy sector
Despite some progress in negotiations across the sector, unions are still mobilising their members in order to secure pay increases at sectoral level. A week of action is underway (11-15 May) with a major push planned for 12 May. Read more at > FNME-CGT (FR) And at FNEM-FO (FR)
New pay deal at Helios hospital group
Services union ver.di has negotiated a new collective agreement covering 15,000 employees of the Helios group of hospitals. A pay increase of €30 a month plus 3% is backdated to 1 March this year with a further 2.4% paid in March 2009. There is also a €225 lump sum paid this year and from 1 January 2010 pay rates in the East will be 100% of those in the West. The agreement runs until 31 December 2010 and ver.di believe this will bring pay at the company in line with pay in competing companies as well as pay in the public sector. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://presse.verdi.de
ETUC disappointed by delay in maternity rights changes
The European Parliament is to refer back proposals for new legislation on health and safety protection for pregnant worker and improved maternity leave provisions. Opposition from the conservative European People’s Party and from the Liberals meant that there was no vote and the issue will now go back to the Committee stage and will be debated again when the new Parliament takes office. The ETUC had been pushing for an increase in the current minimum of 14 weeks’ maternity leave and for paid leave to be at the worker’s full salary level. The Confederation also wants to see more rights for
University collective agreement signed
The GÖD public service union has signed the new collective agreement that will cover all university employees from 1 October this year. The agreement means that university workers will no longer be covered by the main public sector agreement and that university works councils will be able to negotiate certain changes to terms and conditions. The GÖD believes that the agreement establishes a decent minimum wage and provides job security and good career structure as well as career progression based on merit. Read more at > GÖD (DE)
Audit body alerts Parliament to outsourcing risks
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
Strike threat secures pay deal for hospital contract workers
Some 60 workers at Durham Hospitals in the North East of England will now be paid in line with National Health Service (NHS) pay rates after their ballot for strike action helped persuade the employer to agree to the new rates. In 2006 health unions negotiated a nationwide deal that was aimed at ensuring that all private contractors working for the NHS would pay their employees in line with NHS rates. However, it has been a challenge to guarantee that this happens at local level. Read more at > UNISON (EN)
Federation warns of more job cuts
The FO Fonctionnaires trade union federation has attacked the government for planning more job cuts in the public sector at a time of rising unemployment. The federation says that 20,000 jobs went in 2008 and the plan is for a further 30,000 to go by the end of 2009. The government’s target for 2010 is even higher at 34,000. The union warns that this will add to the anger felt by public sector workers and it is calling for the government to suspend the job cuts immediately. [Read more at > FO (FR)->http://www.force-ouvriere.fr/page_principal/fede/index.asp?lk=fd&id=4365&fed=Fédération
Union calls for collective agreement to cover church-run social services
Workers in health, social and welfare services run by the churches have been involved in a week of action to get a new collective agreement. Ver.di is calling for a new collective agreement that would bring pay rates in line with the main public sector agreement, after four years during which worker s in the sector have had no pay increase. It argues that the church employers’ association has been hiding behind the special role of the church to maintain poor conditions of employment. The week of action involved over 250 workers in eight different church operations involved in elder care