Health
Nurses' union continues campaign on 35-hour week
The SEP nurses' union reported 71% support for the start of its national day of strike action on 28 June. The action is the latest step in the union's campaign to ensure that all nurses benefit from the return to the 35-hour week promised to public service workers. The SEP is angry that the Ministry of Health has not only failed to recruit the required number of nurses to ensure that the 35-hour limit can be met but is proposing that new workers be employed on fixed-term contracts.
Unions challenge government on proposed pay system
Public service trade unions have reacted angrily to government proposals to reform the public sector pay system which ignore union submissions on changes to the system. The controversial plans not only include a doubling of the prime minister's salary and increases for top officials but widespread changes that the unions say will not properly reflect the skills and qualifications of their members. The healthcare union points out that medical specialists could end up being paid less that drivers in some institutions and it has threatened strike action if the government doesn't negotiate.
Setting up a European Works Council in KORIAN – first meeting of the Special Negotiating Body
Trade unions and works council representatives met for the first time in the Special Negotiating Body (SNB) in order to establish a European Works Council (EWC) in the French-based care company KORIAN.
Tackling low pay in sectors dominated by women
EPSU affiliates around Europe have been developing collective bargaining policies, using legal action and pushing for legislative change to help them address the persistent problem of low pay in sectors dominated by women. In a report commissioned by EPSU, She works hard for the money, and in a presentation to EPSU's Quality Employment conference,Torsten Müller, senior researcher at the European Trade Union Institute, provides a number of examples from Finland, Sweden, Germany, the UK and other countries where public service trade unions have used collective bargaining to improve pay in health
Hospital workers' action stops attack on pay and conditions
Hundreds of hospital workers in Fribourg in western Switzerland took strike and protest action on 22 May to defend their pay and conditions. The workers, members of the vpod/SSP public services union were concerned that plans to remove health workers in the region from coverage by the law on state employees would lead to a deterioration in their pay and conditions. The following day the region's Grand Council announced that it wouldn't be taken the proposal any further, marking a significant success for the union and this unprecedented action by health workers in the region.
Confederations organise national action against austerity
The GSEE private sector and ADEDY public sector trade union confederations organised national strike action on 30 May in protest at the continuing austerity measures being imposed on workers and citizens, with the prospect of further pensions cuts on the way while public service workers continue to try deliver services despite massive staff shortages.
Private care deal covers pay and working time
Municipal workers' union Kommunal has negotiated a new two-year agreement with private care providers which includes general pay increases, additions for low-paid workers and several provisions on working time. The agreement follows the main municipal deal that provided for increases of 2% in 2018 and 2.3% in 2019 but in companies where average pay is below SEK 24000 (EUR 2330) a month in 2018 and below SEK 24480 (EUR 2380) in 2019, increases will be implemented as flat-rate amounts of SEK 490 (EUR 47) in 2018 and SEK 563 (EUR 55) in 2019. Assistant nurses will also get an extra 0.5%. Other
Union raises alarms over violence against health staff
The FP CGIL public services federation has raised the alarm over violence against health workers quoting official data that each year there are about 1,200 acts of aggression against staff, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals in the sector.The union gives a recent example from Naples where ambulance staff were followed by a group of motocyclists and found themselves surrounded by an angry crowd at the emergency centre. The trade union argues that proper measures need to be taken to protect health staff but that is a particular challenge in an environment marked by
Persistent strike action pays off for healthworkers
Services union ver.di was finally able to negotiate a new pay agreement with the Vivantes Service company in Berlin after 51 days of strike action. Vivantes Service is part of the Vivantes network of municipal health institutions providing care across the city. The three-year deal provides for increases of 2.1% in 2018, 2.1% in 2019 and 3.5% in 2010. However, in both 2018 and 2019 there are additional increases for the two lowest pay grades meaning that pay for the lowest paid will increase by up to 4% in 2018 and by between 3.2% and 3.5% in 2019. Ver.di's aim is to bring pay and conditions in
Joint union mobilisation for 140 demonstrations across the country
Nine public sector federations came together on 22 May to organise protests and strike action with a national demonstration in Paris as well as 140 other mobilisations across the country. The day of action was in protest at government plans to cut 120000 jobs and the continuing pay freeze imposed on civil servants and public sector employees. Unions are looking for a pay rise for all workers across the public sector and for the government to confirm that it will not interfere with the statutory rules covering civil servants.
A Sound Mind in a Sound Body - Taking care of those who take care of us
A joint conference organised by EPSU and HOSPEEM took place in Vilinus on the 23rd and 24th of May with the support of of the Lithuanian EPSU affiliate Lietuvos sveikatos apsaugos darbuotojų profesinė sąjunga (LSADPS).
Hospital social partners - "A sound mind in a sound body - taking care of those who take care of us"
Social Partner’s Conference on Occupational Safety and Health focusing on prevention and reduction of MSD and PSRS@W - A sound mind in a sound body - Taking care of those who take care of us