On 11 December hundreds of employees of the Zürich cantonal (regional) government mobilised in a demonstration over pay. Their union, vpod/ssp, said that a survey of members had revealed widespread dissatisfaction over pay and the loss of purchasing power over recent years. A key negotating demand from the unions as a first step in restoring real pay levels is a 2% increase for all workers earning up to CH FR 100000 a year, with a 1% increase for those earning above that level.
Regional government employees stage pay protest
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Healthworkers stage protests
Changes to hospital funding threaten to cut doctors' and nurses' pay by up to a half in some institutions. The Podkrepa trade union backed protests against the changes and is calling for a doubling of health care funding to take it from 4.4% of GDP to 8.8%. Read more at > Sofia Echo news agency
Prison staff stage nationwide protests
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