Collective Bargaining, Economic Policy
Collective bargaining – trends and developments
Collective bargaining is a core activity of trade unions and EPSU’s affiliates negotiate with public service employers at every level. This can range from national public-sector wide bargaining to sector and local negotiations with public sector employers but also private and non-profit providers of public services. EPSU works with the European Trade Union Confederation to try to improve collective bargaining rights for all workers across Europe. We also act as a European information point so that EPSU affiliates are aware of trends in public service negotiations. EPSU’s collective bargaining newsletter provides regular updates on developments across Europe.
Gas social partners to launch negotiations for first Just Transition Agreement
Eurogas, EPSU, and industriAll Europe have notified the European Commission of their intention to enter into negotiations towards a European Framework Agreement. The negotiations will be the first of their kind to focus on a Just Transition.
Stop Cancer at Work welcomes new EU guidelines and list of hazardous medicinal products, but more needs to be done to protect workers
Employers, workers and Member States need to work together to raise awareness, enhance best practice and implement the guidelines and list of hazardous drugs in the workplace.
Confederations mobilise over pay, jobs and public services
The CGIL, CISL and UIL trade union confederations are planning major mobilisations in May to send a clear message to the government and employers that urgent action is needed to deliver higher pay for workers and a shift in other economic and social policies. Along with workplace assemblies there will be large regional events in Naples, Bologna and Milan. The main union demands include protection against inflation for pay and pensions in both public and private sectors, fairer taxation, higher funding for public social and health, action on health and safety, social security reform and
Price rises twice the level of wage increases
Using figures from the Eurostat statistics agency, the ETUC shows how prices soared in 2022 by 9.2%, more than double the level of pay increases, recorded at 4.4%. The ETUC points out that the gap is even wider for the most essential living costs with housing and utilities prices rising by 18%, four times faster than wages, while transport and food (12%) increased three times faster. Real wages, taking into account inflation, have fallen in every EU member state this year by as much as 9%. The ETUC contrasts this with data on real profits which actually increased by 1%.
Will EU’s new fiscal rules hinder urgent action on staffing crises?
Public service federation EPSU is concerned that the proposed reform of the European Union’s fiscal rules, published yesterday, might undermine national action to address the widespread staffing shortages across a broad range of public services in Europe – in health and social care, the justice system, childcare, tax administrations, utilities and more.
Unions express concern over push for new pay system
Public service trade unions, including SDLSN and HSMSS-MT, have expressed major concerns at the attempt by the government to rush to set up a new pay system covering the 240,000 workers in the public sector. The unions argue that there are many factors at play covering different groups of workers that make it impossible to complete negotiations by the end of June. The government says that the changes are needed as part of the reforms required by the European Union for Croatia to access funds from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. The unions are worried that legislation will be put
EPSU Social Services Working Group meets in Brussels to discuss key issues in the care sector
EPSU Social Services Working Group discussed effective collective bargaining coverage of social care workers in Central and Eastern Europe, the European Commission’s Skills and Talent Package and other topics.
Unions protest over collective agreement in residential care
Federations in the CGIL, CISL and UIL confederations are maintaining their protests against the decision by the ANASTE employers’ organisation to sign a collective agreement with unrepresentative trade unions. ANASTE brings together private sector residential care companies that employ around 20,000 workers. CGIL, CISL and UIL argue that the three-year collective agreement signed with the unrepresentative unions is weak in a number of aspects, not least the level of the pay increase – well below inflation – and provisions related to sick pay and leave. The CGIL, CISL and UIL trade unions had
Unions stress need for new approach to sector negotiations
The JHL public service and OAJ education unions are calling on employers to make progress in stalled negotiations that cover over 130,000 workers in the state, education and the churches. The unions are challenging the fact that the employers are waiting to see what happens in the private sector and particularly the export-led sector, before further negotiating on pay in the public sector. JHL and OAJ argue that the centralised system of bargaining no longer applies and that sector negotiations have to focus on the needs and demands of the sectors that deliver welfare for citizens and provide