08 epsucob@NEWS 15 April 2006
Pensions strike on hold
The nine unions involved in the local government pensions dispute have agreed to suspend strike action while talks with local government employers take place. A nationwide strike took place on 28 March and regional action was planned for the end of April. Unions and employers issued a joint statement which set out their intentions to agree protection for current members of the scheme and to ensure that any further changes are properly negotiated. Read more at > UNISON
Further progress in working hours dispute
The dispute over working hours in local authorities in the Baden-Württemburg region is over with members of the ver.di services union backing an agreement to increase hours from 38.5 to 39 a week - the employers had demanded an increase to 40 hours a week. This is the third region where ver.di has secured a deal with local authority employers and resisted the introduction of a 40-hour week. However, the regional authority employers are maintaining their demand for longer working hours and as part of its campaign ver.di members in the North-Rhine Westfalia region are continuing their strike
Unions celebrate victory and plan next campaign
Following unprecedented unity among 12 trade union and student organisations, public and private sector trade unions were celebrating the French government's decision to withdraw the CPE law that would have undermined the employment rights of young workers. Unions are now arguing that this unity has to built on to fight off the next threat - the merger of the Suez private utility company with the state-owned GDF gas company. Read more at > CGT
Doctors continue strike action
Doctors organised in the Marburger Bund trade union are also continuing their strike action and demonstrations against the regional government employers. They are campaigning for better working conditions and salary levels on a par with other countries. The most recent demonstration saw around 6,000 doctors rally in Cologne. Read more at > Marburger Bund
Pay and pensions deal at Electricity Supply Board
In advance of pay increases awarded under the national pay agreement, workers at the Electricity Supply Board have agreed a four-year pay and pensions deal with the company. Although pay will rise by 2% workers will see their pension contributions increase by a similar amount. The company will also increase its contributions to help tackle the company's pension fund deficit. A lump sum of 3,000 euros is also part of the agreement which opens the way for local negotiations. Read more at > EIRO
Disabled care workers get new agreement
After a lengthy campaign of strikes and demonstrations workers in the disabled care sector have the chance to vote on a new collective agreement. This is a wide-ranging agreement that covers issues such as workloads and quality of work. It runs from 1 January 2005 to 30 April 2007 with pay increases of 1% (December 2005), 1.8% (January 2006) and 1% (January 2007) with a 400 euro lump sum for full-time workers in June 2006. Hospital workers are also being asked to vote on a new 25-month agreement beginning from 1 January 2006 which would see pay increase by 1.75% in April 2006 and by 1.4% in
Massive vote for action to defend jobs
Workers in Learning and Skills Councils (LSC) across the UK have voted by nearly nine to one to support strike action against job cuts. Their union, the PCS public services union says that 1,120 jobs could by cut by the summer - nearly a third of the LSC national workforce. The union is angry that the LSC is forcing workers to apply for jobs rather than dealing with potential redundancies through retraining and redeployment. Read more at > PCS
Demonstration in May is next stage of union campaign
Public administration union STAL is following three days' of action in April with a national demonstration planned for 19 May in Lisbon. The 10, 11 and 12 of April saw the union organise vigils outside the head offices of the minister for local administration, the finance minister and then on 12 April outside the prime minister's office. The campaign continues to focus on opposition to government cuts in public spending and defence of the pay and conditions of public service workers. The union will also be launching a national publicity campaign to alert people to the threat to public services
Waste workers on strike in Athens
Municipal waste collection workers have been on strike in Athens over improved pay and benefits. Part of the union's claim is to get the work classified as hazardous which would entitle workers to higher pay. A 24-hour strike was called again on 13 April when planned talks failed to take place. Read more at > Ekathimerini And at > BBC
Health workers take action over pay
Doctors and nurses' unions in Slovakia took strike action on 6 April to press for a 25% increase in pay. They also want a halt to setting up of hospitals as joint stock companies which they say is in fact privatisation. The unions want to ensure that healthcare is available for all and are calling for increased funding. Read more at > Slovak news agency Read more at > Reuters news agency
Work-life balance agreement in public sector
The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that around 500,000 workers in the general state administration are covered by a new agreement on working time, parental leave and protection against sexual harassment and violence at work. Working hours can be more flexible with the core working day now 9.00-15.00 allowing workers more scope to balance with caring responsibilities for children or disabled relatives. Since the EIRO report the CCOO has endorsed the agreement as it is now separate from any negotiations over pay. [Read more at > EIRO->http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2006/02
Part-time work challenge
The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that enforced part-time work is a major problem in Sweden with 200,000 workers, 75% of them women, working fewer hours than they want to because of labour market conditions. The care sector is one of the main sectors affected and both unions and employers have rejected government proposals to legislate on the issue. Read more at > EIRO