06-2007-epsucob@NEWS 26 March 2007
Mar. 27, 2007
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Unions plan strike action over government failure to agree pay increases
The leaders of the three main union federations in the public services, CGIL, CSIL and UIL, meet on 27 March to plan a general strike across the public sector. The unions are protesting over the government's failure, despite an initial agreement last November, to agree pay increases for public sector workers that should have been implemented 15 months ago. Read more at > CGIL (It)
Mar. 27, 2007
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Civil service action continues with customs staff in Rotterdam
A work-to-rule by customs staff in Rotterdam is the latest action by civil servants in support of their 2.5% pay claim. The 24-hour action will include a demonstration in Rotterdam called by the four unions involved in the pay dispute - ABVAKABO, CNV, CMHF and AC. Read more at > ABVAKABO (NL)
Mar. 27, 2007
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Strike plan for second half of May
The common front of unions in the public services is planning a national strike in the second half of May. This is part of the unions' continuing resistance to government attacks on the working conditions of employees in public administration and its policies on privatisation. Meetings of activists will take place on 20 April to plan the action. Read more at > STAL (PT)
Mar. 27, 2007
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Unions reject minister's minimum wage proposal
The DGB union confederation has attacked proposals from government minister Franz Müntefering that would make it illegal to pay workers more than 20%-30% below the relevant collectively agreed or average level of pay in the region. Information from the pay database of the WSI, the DGB's research body, reveals that setting such a low standard would mean minimum pay rates of as little as €2.14 for hairdressers in Saxony and €3.60 for security guards in Berlin. The DGB reaffirms its demand for a legal minimum wage of €7.50 an hour. [Read more at > DGB (EN)->http://www.dgb.de/presse
Mar. 27, 2007
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Unions pull out of public sector joint committees
In response to the government's repeated failure to respond to their demands on pay and jobs, a number of the public service union federations have decided not to participate in the joint committees (commissions administratives/techniques) that discuss individual and collective issues related to careers and working conditions. The CGT confederation is also calling for another day of action - strikes, demonstrations and meetings - on 29 March. Read more at > FO (FR) And at > CGT (FR)
Mar. 27, 2007
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Campaign over civil service pay and jobs continues
Around 20,000 workers in the Ministry of Defence and the Identity and Passport Service have been called out on a one-day strike on 30 March as part of the PCS union's campaign on pay and jobs that was launched with a two-day national strike in January. Around 230,000 civil servants will be taking action short of a strike on 30 March while a further 20,000 in a number of different departments will begin a month of working to rule. [Read more at > PCS (EN)-> http://www.pcs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=908761
Mar. 27, 2007
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First collective agreement for social welfare sector
The FSAP-CCOO and FSP-UGT public service federations have signed the first collective agreement to cover the social welfare sector. The framework agreement will cover around 100,000 workers in over 1,600 organisations working in a range of areas such as immigration, drug abuse, violence against women and social inclusion. The framework agreement will establish some basic working conditions and minimum pay rates and the union federations will negotiate more detailed agreements at regional level. [Read more at > FSAP-CCOO (ES)->http://www.fsap.ccoo.es/webfsap/menu.do?Actualidad:Sindical
Mar. 27, 2007
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Survey shows most think public sector workers are underpaid
A survey by the JHL public sector trade union found that most people thought that public sector workers in a range of low-paid occupations were underpaid. The 10 occupations used in the survey were mainly those where the majority of workers are women and the survey supported an average pay rise of €217 for these workers. Actual figures for basic pay and average pay for these workers revealed that most relied on large amounts of additional pay to supplement basic pay, with additional pay the equivalent of 30% of basic pay in the case of nurses. [Read more at > Trade Union News (EN)->http://www
Mar. 27, 2007
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Report finds 15% pay gap between men and women
A new report from the Belgian government says there is a 15% pay gap between men and women working full-time in the private sector. The report says that the pay gap is even wider when taking account of the fact that many more women than men work part-time and lose out because of their caring responsibilities. According to the report, the 15% pay gap puts Belgium fifth in a league table of European countries. [Read more at > the VRT news website in English->http://www2.vrtnieuws.net/cm/flandersnews.be/News/070326_wage%2Bgap] [And > in French->http://www2.vrtnieuws.net/cm/flandreinfo.be/Infos
Mar. 27, 2007
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Unbundling and employment feature in first gas social dialogue meeting
The first meeting of the formal sectoral social dialogue committee in the gas sector took place earlier this month. The committee expressed concern over European Commission plans to force ownership unbundling on energy companies and discussed the implications of a major study on the impact of liberalisation on employment in the electricity and gas sectors. Read more at > EPSU (EN) And more at > DG Employment (EN)
Mar. 27, 2007
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Substantial pay rises in social care sector
Workers in homes for the elderly and children's homes have just seen their monthly pay increase by up to 25%. From 1 January 2007 the minimum monthly salary for an activity instructor in a retirement home rose by €64 (25%) to €320. Meanwhile salaries for workers in children's homes also went up by €64 with the lowest monthly rate now €288 a month.