Prison staff take strike action

Trade unions (ACV/CSC and ACOD/CGSP) organised a national strike in the prisons service on 12 December in protest at underfunding, badly maintained buildings, lack of staff, overcrowding and the resulting safety issues arising from this deteriorating situation. Understaffing has lead to many employees doing extra hours and a massive number of hours of overtime that remains to be recouped. The unions also have issues with contracts, provision of uniforms and a lack of strategy in the justice system. It is estimated that prisons currently hold around 10000 in mates, exceeding capacity by 1700.

Unions in the prison sector organised strike action on 15 November and plan further action from 24 November over jobs and working conditions. The unions are calling for negotiations over plans to shut facilities as well as over staffing levels and employment conditions. In general they are demanding a proper process of social dialogue in the sector. [Read more at > CFDT (FR)->http://www.cfdt.fr/rewrite/article/29728/actualites/l-actu-des-ministeres/administration-penitentiaire:mobilisons-nous-le-24-novembre-2010-et-au-dela-!.htm?idRubrique=9016] [And at > Figaro news website (FR)-> http://www

Workers employed in the Agency for International Co-operation for Development (AECID) took strike action on 8 September in protest over pay and conditions. Around 40% of staff have either left or are thinking of leaving the service because of deteriorating conditions pay frozen since 2009 and eroded by inflation and currency fluctuations. This has left some workers as much as 60% worse off in real terms. Unlike workers in other overseas departments AECID employees don't get any protection against local changes in the cost of living and this is the key demand of the strike.