Staffing levels, Pensions/retirement
EPSU Executive Committee stands with French workers against pension reform
Members of the Executive Committee, representing over eight million public service workers across Europe, sent letters to French President Emmanuel Macron outlining their solidarity with French trade unions and their concern for the protection of workers' rights and social benefits.
Health initiative blocked in parliament
The younion trade union reports that a trade union-backed petition calling for better pay and conditions in healthcare has been blocked by a parliamentary committee. The citizens' initiative, supported by over 70,000 signatories, called for action on the major problems facing the sector, including a demand for more training and better pay for trainees, a national assessment of staffing needs and recognition of nursing as an arduous occupation. The parliamentary committee on petitions and citizens' initiatives decided no further action would be taken in response to the petition, despite the
Eleventh day of protests over pension reforms
The main trade union confederations – CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC – supported by a range of youth, student and other groups, organised the 11th day of action against the government’s pension reform legislation on 6 April. The draft legislation is currently being considered by the Constitutional Court and trade unions have submitted arguments challenging the validity of the text. The Court is set to publish its findings on 14 April. The unions met briefly with prime minister Elisabeth Borne on 5 April but withdrew from the meeting when it was clear that she was not willing to consider
Trade unions mobilise against threat to increase pension age
On 29 March, EPSU affiliates, including the OSZSP health union, joined the national demonstration against an increase in the pension age that was called by OS KOVO, the largest trade union in the country. Trade unions are concerned about rumours that the government might increase the retirement age from 65 to 68. They are not only demanding that there should be no increase but that there should be measures to allow for earlier retirement, particularly in arduous and dangerous occupations. The CMKOS trade union confederation has launched a petition against any pension age increase.
Union protest over pay and pensions for police and prison staff
The Publisind federation organised a national protest on 24 March over a range of issues related to pay, allowances and pensions. It argues that the government should address aspects of pay that haven’t been revised for 13 years, deliver on salary arrears and ensure the updating and indexation of pensions for police and prison staff. The union says urgent action is needed to support workers who are attempting to maintain services despite the risks they face and the staff shortages reaching 25%, leading to high levels of overtime and burnout.
Unions mobilise for 10th day of strikes and protests
The main trade union organisations – CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC – have maintained their determined campaign of protest and strike action against the pension reforms put forward by the government. The government chose to use a constitutional mechanism to avoid a vote in parliament and so the legislation is now at the Constitutional Court for assessment. The 10th day of action took place on 28 March with the next date set as 6 April.
Union action secures another pensions success in childcare
Following a successful strike over pensions at the PBL employers’ organisation, the Fagforbundet trade union has managed to secure improved occupational pensions for employees in kindergartens covered by the NHO Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise. The four-week strike in NHO companies ended on 17 March with negotiations guaranteeing that the portion of public subsidies intended for pension purposes will be fully applied and that savings rates for pensions will also be guaranteed rather than varying from one kindergarten to another. The deal also means that employers are not tempted to
National industrial action across hospitals
The FNV and NU’91 unions have called a national day of industrial action across the hospital sector on 16 March when only a Sunday service will be provided. The unions are demanding a 10% pay increase in response to the surge in the cost of living and as one measure to help deal with the staffing crisis. The NU’91 also is also organising a broader campaign on the crisis in care with a demonstration in Utrecht on 9 March where it encouraged everyone to wear black and then to back its “every Tuesday in black” campaign.
Struggle against pension reforms continues
Trade unions, youth and student groups and many other organisations continue to campaign against the French government’s proposed pension changes, including the increase in the pension age from 62 to 64. The latest and seventh day of protests took place on 11 March and further demonstrations and strikes are planned across different sectors. All EPSU affiliates are involved across the main confederations and trade union organisations – CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC. Meanwhile, trade unions in the Czech confederation CMKOS are concerned about the possibility of government changes that would
Nurses’ union could take action on safe staffing levels
The INMO nurses’ union is to ballot intensive care unit nurses at University Hospital Limerick in pursuance of safe staffing, having exhausted local negotiations to resolve the problem. The union argues that the lack of consistent safe staffing is having a detrimental impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of workers and patients. This follows INMO’s executive council decision in February to sanction a campaign of industrial action in response to members reporting that unsafe staffing is the norm in many hospitals. The union has also called on the Department of Health and the Health
Unions determined to keep up pressure over pension reform
The main trade union confederations – CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and CGE-CFC – along with organisations representing students and retired workers are maintaining their strong mobilisation against the government plans to reform pensions and in particular to increase the pension age from 62 to 64. The next, and sixth, day of action will be on 7 March but the unions are also calling for protests on 8 March – International Women’s Day – to highlight how the reforms will fail to address gender inequality in pension provision.
Health union in national protest
The POEDHN health workers’ union, supported by the ADEDY public sector trade union confederation, organised a national demonstration on 22 February with calls for urgent action on health service funding. The union is demanding increased staffing and measures to address the widespread use of precarious contracts across the health service. It is also continuing to campaign for better pay and conditions with many health workers facing low pay, often little more than the minimum wage. This is a long-term legacy of austerity with pay cuts imposed in 2009 and pay frozen since 2015.