Nordic unions coordinate their anti-austerity message

None of the five Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden - have a statutory minimum wage. High levels of collective bargaining coverage mean that workers are protected by the minimum wages set in collective agreements. In most cases minimum wages are between 50% and 70% of the average national wage and most workers on the lowest rates would benefit from additional payments. The report provides a very useful overview of minimum wage systems across Europe and summarises the main arguments of the Nordic unions against the introduction of legal minimum wages in their

Public service unions continue to be involved in the anti-austerity protests coordinated by the CMKOS trade union confederation. A week of action beginning 14 May will be followed by a another national demonstration on 22 May. The week of action will involve protestors occupying ministries as well as unions providing information to the public on the implication of the cuts to services. CMKOS will also consider the possibility of calling for a general strike. [Read more at > Czech news webstie (EN)->http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/czech-unionists-activists-to-march-through-prague-on-may

Trade unions are maintaining their protest actions against the government, its austerity measures and failure to engage in any social dialogue. Following the initial march in Strakonice, further mobilisations took place in Zlín and Ostrava on 27 June and a rally of public service trade unions took place in Prague on 29 June, with EPSU affiliates involved. The trade unions issued a public statement calling on the government to withdraw its proposals for budget and public sector pay cuts and not to make the same mistakes as the government of 2010 that imposed austerity across the public services