Transparency & Corruption, Demographic change
Public service federations launch campaign for jobs
The FeSP-UGT and CCOO federations in the public sector have come together to launch a campaign to get the government to negotiate over employment in the public sector and to adjust the budget for 2018 to begin to tackle the staffing crisis. The unions point out that not only have 350000 public sector jobs been cut since 2010 but the problem is being compounded by an ageing workforce. In social security, for example, around 48% of staff are set to retire over the next 10 years. The unions also want to ensure implementation of the agreement signed earlier this year to reduce the number of
Union analysis raises concerns about temporary contracts
The FSC-CCOO federation has analysed new data on public sector employment and found a worrying increase in temporary contracts. While over 58000 new workers have been taken on, more than 87% of these are on fixed-term contracts and this has taken the overall percentage of temporay contracts across the public administration from 22.9% to 24.1%. The data also shows an increase in the average age across the public administration with 43.1% now 50 or over.
European Parliament supports demand for whistleblower protection – you can help by signing the petition
Following a campaign of unions such as EPSU and Eurocadres, many social action groups and MEPs of several parties, the European Parliament adopted a report on the need for an EU initiative on whistleblower protection, 24 October.
Union launches campaign to increase pay in social services
(May 2017) The OSZSP health and social services union has launched a campaign to improve pay in the social services sector under the slogan "end cheap labour". The union has already had a meeting with the government where it highlighted staff shortages, excessive workloads and very low pay with some on as little as CZK 12000 a month (EUR 450). The union stresses that staff shortages are set to become more urgent as workers in the sector retire and there is increased demand from an older population.
EPSU agrees firmer EP action needed on lobby transparency
EPSU fully supports the lobby transparency coalition position that ‘the European Parliament (EP) must do much more to improve lobby transparency’. A 100 civil society organisations have written an open letter to MEPs asking the EP to do more to improve lobby transparency.
EPSU’s government affiliates restate backing for EU whistleblowers’ legal protection
EPSU’s NEA Committee, consisting of affiliates from central government and EU institutions, reiterated its support for legal protection of whistleblowers across the EU when meeting in Brussels on 3 March.
EPSU echoes MEPs calls for comprehensive EU-wide protection for whistle-blowers
EPSU welcomes today’s adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution which demands that the European Commission immediately puts forward effective and comprehensive Europe-wide whistle-blower protection.