Outsourcing
German unions fight outsourcing in Swedish energy company Vattenfall - Strike action threatened
Press Communication: Brussels Immediate release, 7 March 2006 The European energy sector is in profound turmoil. Already 50 billion Euro's have been squandered on take-overs and mergers, and not returned
EPSU Questionnaire: Outsourcing in the Public Services
Questionnaire FSESP: L'externalisation dans les services publics EPSU Fragebogen: Outsourcing im öffentlichen Dienst Cuestionario de la FSESP: Externalización de los servicios públicos EPSU kartläggning: Outsourcing inom offentliga tjänster {EPSU affiliates
Out-sourcing a priority issue for European Works Councils, argue coordinators and EWC representatives
(Report of the meeting of 10 May 2006) Many companies in the utilities and other sectors outsource activities in different forms, including off-shoring. European Works Councils are also confronted with
Union reveals public-private pay gap in care sector
The Fagforbundet public service union has revealed figures showing that care workers in the private sector in Oslo are between EUR 7000 and EUR 8700 worse off than those in the public sector. A starting salary for a graduate care worker in the public sector is NOK 367000 (EUR 38500), NOK 84000 more than the same worker in the private sector. Those on minimum wages in the sector are EUR 7000 better off if employed by the municipality. Fagforbundet also says that private sector workers are more likely to face heavier workloads as a result of understaffing. Fourteen of the 40 care homes in Oslo
Unions launch major campaign on collective bargaining and public services
The four main public service unions - FP-CGIL, CISL-FP, UIL-PA and UIL-FPL - have together launched a major campaign and petition calling for action to improve public services and deliver better employment conditions. The four unions have drawn up a document with 11 key proposals that cover calls for increased public investment; substantial recruitment of new workers and improved training provision; better union representation; finalising outstanding collective agreements for the 2016-2018 period and ensuring resources for the next round of agreements for 2019-21; bringing back privatised
Government steps in to end nurses' lockout and strike
On 20 November the government announced compulsory arbitration to end a dispute between the NSF nurses' union and the NHO private employers' organisation. The union had called a strategic strike of 55 nurses on 25 October to protest against the NHO agreement having lower minimum pay and sickness benefit rates compared to the agreement negotiated with municipal employers. NSF has found examples of nurses' annual salaries in NHO employers that are NOK 30000-100000 (EUR 3200-10000) lower than in the public sector. After three weeks of strike action the NHO imposed a lockout on all 501 NSF members
Survey reveals differences between public and private eldercare
An update of a survey by the Kommunal municipal workers' union has revealed differences between private and public eldercare in terms of pay and conditions. On average a full-time municipal worker in eldercare is paid SEK 2300 (EUR 225) more a month than their private counterpart. Private sector workers are also more likely to work part time (72%) and on fixed-term contracts (37%) than municipal workers (61% and 27% respectively). A survey of members also found that private sector workers feel less satisfied with the job and less motivated than municipal workers and while both sets of workers