2012 March epsucob@NEWS 05
Confederations call general strike against labour law reforms
The CCOO and UGT trade union confederations have called a general strike on 29 March in protest at the government’s labour law reforms. They have also put forward amendments to the legislation which is at the beginning the parliamentary process. The unions see this as an important contribution to a process of social dialogue that the government has so far ignored. They argue that the proposed reforms will make it much easier to sack workers although they question whether that is necessary in the light of the hundreds of thousands of dismissals that have contributed to the surge in unemployment
Confederation coordinates industrial action
EPSU affiliates have been supporting the campaign of industrial action called by the EAKL trade union confederation. Transport workers have been at the forefront of the strike over changes to the laws on collective bargaining and employment contracts while teachers have also been taking separate strike action over their demand for a 20% pay increase. The EPSU energy affiliate showed its support with industrial action at the Narva power plant. [Read more at > Baltic Course news website (EN)->http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/energy/?doc=54339] [And more at > ERR news website (EN)->http://news
Warning strikes across the public sector
Around 130,000 workers from different parts of the federal government and across local government will be involved in strikes this week following the first round of negotiations on pay. Ver.di and other unions had put forward a 6.5% pay claim (with minimum increase of €200) but the employers not only failed to make an offer but asked the unions to withdraw their claim. The warning strikes are aimed to show the employers the strength of feeling of workers as the next negotiations were taking place on 12 and 13 March. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://www.verdi.de/themen/nachrichten/++co+
ETUC Executive Committee issues solidarity statement
The ETUC Executive Committee earlier this month expressed its support for Greek trade unions “in their struggle against the unprecedented IMF–EU–ECB onslaught that methodically dismantles core labour rights, uproots labour institutions and demolishes the social state depriving workers of vital institutional capabilities to defend themselves.” It points out that nearly 30% of the population are below the poverty line but even more austerity measures are on the way. Read more at > EPSU (EN)
Report reveals extent of attacks on collective bargaining and pay and conditions
A new working paper from the International Labour Organisation provides detailed background on the austerity measures being imposed on workers and trade unions up to the end of last year. It runs through the cuts in public sector pay and jobs and the changes to the collective bargaining system in the private sector. The report provides data on the impact on pay noting that this is before the latest measures, including the cut in minimum wages, have been implemented. It points out that there the pay reforms are simply cutting labour costs and reducing demand in the economy while there is no
Federation warns of workers being replaced with unemployed "volunteers"
The FSP-UGT public service federation is very concerned that the labour reforms will reinforce government policy to get more of the unemployed to take on voluntary work in areas like social services. The union has criticised the government for the proposals which it says not only imply that it is the fault of the individuals that they are unemployed but could also end up with the unemployed doing work previously done by public sector workers who have since been made redundant. [Read more at > FSP-UGT (ES)->http://www.fspugt.es/UGT_alerta_del_peligro_de_sustituir_funcionarios_por_trabajadores
Four unions continue to coordinate action in waste sector
The FP-CGIL, FIT-CISL, UILT and FIADEL trade unions are coming together in another day of strike action in the waste sector on 12 March. The action is in protest at the state of the industry and the potential impact of a government decree that would leave the sector open to unregulated competition. The unions argue that the sector needs proper controls and management and a sustainable approach to waste that can be delivered by the municipalities. They say that increased competition without the protection of social clauses will also undermine pay and conditions in the sector as well as quality
Local government unions go for binding arbitration
UNISON, GMB and Unite, the three local government unions, have decided to approach the arbitration service ACAS and seek binding arbitration following the employers’ attempt to pose another pay freeze on the 1.5 million workers in the sector. The employers are also refusing to pay the £250 (€299) increase to workers paid less than £21000 (€25140) allowed under the government’s pay policy Read more at > UNISON (EN)
Unions air their views to minister over lack of progress in state sector
Public sector trade unions had a chance to meet the new interior minister, Liesbeth Spies, and express their grievances over the failure to make any progress on the negotiations covering civil servants. The unions continue to press for a protection of purchasing power, training for workers threatened with redundancy and better career prospects for young workers. The lack of response from the employers has lead the unions to take action and the work-to-rule by FNV Abvakabo members at Schiphol Airport will part of that campaign. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws
Report looks at trends in bargaining, wage developments and inequality
The 2012 edition of Benchmarking Working Europe from the ETUI research organisation includes a chapter on collective bargaining and wage developments. The report divides the EU into five groups of countries with similar structures and processes of collective bargaining and analyses trends in wages. It also looks at the evidence on the impact of collective bargaining on inequality. Read more at > ETUI (EN)
Union guide to dealing with outsourcing
The vida services union has collaborated with the Chamber of Labour to produce a guide on outsourcing. The booklet looks at the experience of vida and works council representatives in trying to resist or negotiate over outsourcing. The guide highlights the impact on workers but also emphasises that there is scope for unions to campaign against outsourcing and that often claims about lower costs are either inaccurate or unjustified and also fail to take account of the impact on quality. [Read more at > vida (DE)->http://www.vida.at/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=S03/Page/Index&n=S03_0.a&cid
Job cuts in public sector as part of austerity measures
The government is in the process of implementing €260 million of cuts that will hit public sector jobs as well as certain wage benefits, overtime and expenses. The government is also laying off around 5000 workers on temporary contracts. Unions have been involved in negotiations over the cuts package are arguing that the government has to analyse where to reduce employee numbers and not implement random cuts. [Read more at > SETimes news website (EN)->http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2012/03/06/feature-03] [And at > Balkan Insight news website (EN)->
Leaving work early for an "equal pay day"
The Kommunal municipal union notes that the latest pay statistics show women earning some SEK 9000 (€1000) less than men, a pay gap of 14.3% on average. The union has joined with other trade unions, political groups and women’s lobbying organisations to argue that this year on international women’s day, women workers should all go home early. Earning 14.3% less than men for a normal 8-5 working day, means that women should leave work at 15.51. Read more at > Kommunal (SV)
Notice of industrial action in unemployment benefit service
The CSC public services union has given formal notice of its intention to take industrial action over employment and working conditions at the CAPAC/HVW unemployment benefit service. The union is unhappy about the dismissal of contract workers and compulsory relocation of those with statutory rights. It is also critical of the failure of changed opening hours for office and of the pressure and even threats faced by workers. The union wants to see a proper process of social dialogue to try to resolve these issues. [Read more at > CSC (FR)->http://csc-services-publics.csc-en-ligne.be/Nouvelles
Union concern over childcare quality
The FOA public service union has supported the initiative of childminders and workers in childcare centres to write to the education minister to call for an end to privatisation. There is mounting evidence of a trend towards more private care and the union argues that this fails to guarantee the quality standards required in municipally provided childcare. This is in terms of the training of staff, the quality of the environment in which children are looked after and the quality of the education being provided. [Read more at > FOA (DK)->http://www.foa.dk/Forbund/Presse?newsid={C460E89C-A8B5
Union links up with students in living wage campaign
Public services union UNISON will be working with the National Union of Students to raise the issue of low pay in universities. The organisations will highlight the scale of the gap between the lowest and highest paid and will name those universities that pay their workers, including the employees of private contractors less than the minimum wage. In 2009-10 the top university officials (Vice-Chancellors) were paid £218813 (€262000) on average, compared to the £12334 (€14760) for those on the minimum wage and 40-hour week. [Read more at > UNiSON (EN)->http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack
More action needed to reduce pay gap
Jarkko Eloranta, president of the JHL public services union, argues that the government should do more to analyse the effect of collective bargaining on public sector workers and the continuing need to reduce the gender pay gap. The average gap is 18% and the government has a commitment to reduce this to 15%. Jarkko points out that despite it being a legal requirement, many organisations have not drawn up equality plans and have not updated them. He also underlined the importance of continuing to work on measures to reduce inequality despite the pressure from austerity measures. [Read more at
Difficult negotiations in the transport and waste sector
After four rounds of negotiations, the FNV Bondgenoten trade union reports little progress on the main issues in the transport sector negotiations with the employer TLN. This agreement also covers the private waste sector. The next round of negotiations will start on 11 April and the main demands include equal pay for work of equal value . This is about ensuring that all those working in the Netherlands receive the appropriate wage in line with the collective agreement and other obligations. A working group is to come with proposals on this issue. So far the employers have made no pay offer
Prison workers highlight problems of overcrowding
Trade unions at the Forest prison in Brussels called an emergency meeting with employers under social dialogue procedures on 1 March to raise the urgent problem of overcrowding, made more acute by the need to find space to isolate several cases of tuberculosis. The prison’s capacity is 405 but it has 715 inmates. The unions organised internal actions, including a go-slow, during the week beginning 5 March to underline the problems created by overcrowding and the lack of investment in the prison and understaffing. The unions want a meeting with the Minister of Justice to tackle the issue across
EPSU collective bargaining seminar
The ETUI is helping EPSU organise a collective bargaining seminar at the Elewijt Centre near Brussels on 24-25 May. Participants will be expected to arrive the evening before (23rd May) and the meeting will run until 15.30 on 25th. Speakers will include ETUC Confederal secretary Luca Visentini on the latest discussions on collective bargaining coordination and ETUC advisor Ronald Janssen who will cover economic governance and the threat to collective bargaining and wage determination. An official invitation will be available soon. Read more at > EPSU (EN)