2012 March epsucob@NEWS 06

The public service federations – FSC-CCOO and FSP-UGT – report high levels of support for the general strike on 29 March. The strike was in protest at government proposals for labour reform that would significantly weaken employment rights. FSC-CCOO said there were over 100 demonstrations around the country and that the mobilisation in Madrid was bigger than in the previous general strike in September 2010. FSP-UGT estimated support in the central administration at 50%, in regional government at 57% and 64% local authorities. The FSC-CCOO also reported action around the world in Spanish

The ADEDY civil service confederation called for strike action on 29 March over the impact of austerity measures in the health sector. The union says that thousands of workers now lack the constitutionally guaranteed right to health services by the State. Continued cuts and restrictions on drugs and benefits, reductions in funding and the squeeze on budgets are leading to tragic consequences. Hospitals and health units are being merged and closed solely to drastically cut costs and meet the requirements of the Troika and the lenders, without considering the real needs of society for health

The European Commission has adopted the so-called Monti II regulation in response to the issues arising from the Viking and Laval European Court of Justice rulings. Trade unions had hoped that the regulation would provide a counterbalance towards social rights in the internal market in relation to the economic freedoms that took priority in the Viking and Laval cases. The regulation has been widely criticised by national confederations with LO Sweden arguing that it contravenes ILO conventions by allowing the European Court of Justice to decide whether industrial action is justified in a

Members of Unison are being balloted over what the government says is its final offer on pension reform for the National Health Service. The proposals maintain a defined benefit scheme with a move towards career average in 2015; health workers earning less than £26558 (€31870) a year will not see an increase in their pension payments this year; all benefits built up in existing schemes will be protected and will maintain the final salary link at retirement; and members within 10 years of retirement will receive protection. Members of the Unite union have already rejected the deal and other

Fagforbundet and the other local government unions in the LO confederation have set out their key bargaining demands for 2012. They are looking for compensation for inflation with increases to help the lower paid and close the gender pay gap as well as higher pay for working unsocial hours. The union will ensure they take account of the particular interests of young workers, graduates and temporary workers. They are calling on municipalities to directly employ more workers rather than rely on agency staff and they want higher starting pay rates and career development plans to make the local

The FNV Abvakabo and CNV Publieke Zaak public service federations have negotiated a new collective agreement covering 95,000 childcare workers. The two-year agreement is backdated to 1 January 2012 and includes three pay increases – 2% on 1 May 2012, 1.5% on 1 January 2013 and 0.5% on 1 June 2013. There are also provisions covering health management, career planning and counselling. Unions and employers will also work together on issues related to ethics and quality in childcare. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/akkoord-cao-kinderopvang] [And at > CNV

In February the Histradrut signed a national agreement covering contract workers in the private and public sectors. Essentially contract workers, such as cleaners and security staff working on public sector contracts, will now benefit from the pay increases applied in the public sector and a range of other provisions such as pensions, a study fund, meal allowances and convalescence plans. The agreement will result in around 1000 contract workers being taken on directly by public sector employers and in future there will be close monitoring of the pay and conditions of contract staff who work

Local government union Kommunal has said it fully supports the Handels commercial employees’ union in the current negotiations. Handels has just given notice of a dispute with employers and will consider industrial action if the employers don’t come up with a suitable pay offer by 13 April. Kommunal says that it is important to show support for Handels because it negotiating on behalf of a large number of relatively low-paid workers and it is important that they don’t get left behind other groups of workers. Within the LO blue-collar workers confederation unions are pushing for a 100 SEK (€11

The STAL local government union has announced that it is planning further protest action in April following the general strike that took place on 22 March. The union says that there was 80% support for the strike in local government. It had been called by the CGTP trade union confederation but was not support by the UGT confederation. The UGT signed an agreement on growth and jobs with the employers and government earlier this year. [Read more at > STAL (PT)->http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=824&Itemid=183] [And on the UGT agreement at > Sintap (PT)->http://www

EPSU affiliate Pardia reports that the STTK white-collar workers’ confederation has endorsed an agreement with employers on a number of issues to deal with the ageing workforce. There will be an increase in pensions contributions in 2015-2016 in response to higher pension costs but there will also be improvements to unemployment benefits. Workers aged 63 and over will now have the right to rehabilitation and the unions have stressed the need for the government to focus on a strategy for jobs and investment rather than making cuts. [Read more at > Pardia (EN)->http://www.pardia.fi/in_english/

The health and safety section of the ETUI trade union institute has published a new guide to health and safety for firefighters. The guide was produced in close collaboration with EPSU and its firefighters’ network. A key message from the publication is the need for improved monitoring and action to improve the health of firefighters and greater acknowledgement of the risks they face. [Read more at > ETUI (EN)->http://www.etui.org/Publications2/Guides/Firefighters-feeling-the-heat] [And in French at > ETUI->http://www.etui.org/fr/Publications2/Guides/La-sante-et-la-securite-des-hommes-du-feu]

A regular survey by the FNV Abvakabo public service union found that 60% of workers in the health sector doubted whether they would work until retirement age because of the high mental and physical demands they face. Mental health professionals find their work particularly draining because of the heavy workloads and the nature of the job which are often made worse by concerns about job security. Pressures on night shift workers are even more acute and that’s why the union has called for more workers on shifts and action on diet and health monitoring. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http:/

The Impact public services union has given evidence to a parliamentary committee on the Croke Park agreement. The agreement was negotiated in 2010 after pay cuts had been imposed by the government. Unions signed the deal to avoid further pay cuts and committed to negotiate savings across the public sector that would involve a reduction in the public sector workforce of 38000 by 2015 and cuts in the pay and pensions bill of €3.5 billion. A range of measures have been introduced to reduce spending including changing working practices and cuts in overtime hours. [Read more at > Impact (EN)->http