Switzerland, Hungary

Public service unions are gearing up for the autumn round of pay negotiations and a day of action against job cuts and threats to public service provision. There will be demonstrations around the country on 15 September in protest at public spending cutbacks. EPSU affiliate, VPOD/SSP, will be joined by 16 other unions in a series of regional protests. Meanwhile, the union is putting job security and a 2% increase in real pay at the top of its bargaining agenda. [Read more about the day of action at > VPOD->http://www.vpod-ssp.ch/vpod/aktuell/news/aktionen2005.pdf] [Read more about pay (in

The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that the government and social partners have agreed new minimum wage rates including a new three-tier minimum wage system. For 2006 the government has recommended a 10.5% increase to HUF 63,000 (254 euros). The second rate for jobs requiring a vocational qualification will be 10% higher at HUF 70,000 and the third minimum wage rate will be another 10% higher at HUF 77,000 for jobs requiring a degree. The Ministry of Finance has also indicated the level of minimum wages up to 2010, with the lowest rising to 90,000. Union targets for the minimum

After the threat of strike action employers in the electricity industry agreed a 4.5% pay increase for 2006. Although ahead of inflation (currently around 2%) the deal acknowledges high productivity growth of around 10%. The deal also includes a minimum monthly salary for the industry of 63,500 HUF (240 euros).

The SGB Swiss union federation is running an intersectoral campaign for higher wages and equal pay. It has published a briefing document covering 12 key questions which looks at recent developments in pay - increasing inequality, stagnation of pay in comparison to other countries and, for the public services, a period of lower pay increases in comparison to those in the private sector. There will be a national day of action focussing on equal pay on 14 June and a national demonstration over pay in Bern on 23 September. [Read more at > SGB->http://www.sgb.ch/lohn-kampagne/downloads/06-38d_doe

The VPOD/SSP public service federation is supporting the campaign for gender pay equality organised by the SGB/USS union confederation. In the latest issue of its magazine VPOD highlights the gender pay gap across the public services. A relatively small gap of 9.6% at federal level rises to 12.3% in health and social services at the cantonal level and to 18.8% among administrative workers in the cantons. The union argues that the reasons behind the pay gap include the undervaluing of typically female occupations and the fact that men are often more likely to benefit from bonuses and other

Unions in Switzerland came together on 27 June in a joint press conference to outline their pay campaigns for the year as they build up to the national pay demonstration on 23 September. The VPOD/SSP public service union said that public service pay increases had fallen behind those in the private service sector for the last 12 years. For the public services and energy sector the union was calling for compensation for rising prices, a real pay increase of 3%, closing the gender pay gap, no increase in the gap between the high and low paid, no job cuts and not to rely just on pension scheme

Unions across Switzerland mobilised over 25,000 members for a national demonstration in Bern over pay increases and pay equality. Public sector workers joined the demonstration to make their case for a 4% pay increase to compensate for inflation and begin to recoup the loss in real pay over the last 12 years. Unions also demanded higher increases for women workers to start to reduce the 10%-20% gender pay gap. Public sector unions are particularly angry at their employers plans for further cuts in public spending while implementing take cuts for the higher paid. [Read more at > SGB (FR+DE)-

The SGB/USS trade union federation is putting pressure on the Swiss parliament to push through new measures to tackle the gender pay gap. The parliament will be debating a range of equality-related proposals on 8 March and unions have been pointing out the problems and loopholes with existing legislation. The unions have been compiling new data about the persistence and extent of the gender pay gap across different sectors. Even in the federal and cantonal health services, where women make up over 80% of workers, women earn less than men even taking account of age, length of service and

The VPOD/SSP public services union is working with other health unions and the SGB/USS trade union confederation to campaign for a major reform of the Swiss healthcare system. The SBK/ASI nurses' association and SVBG/FSAS federation of professional health associations are also supporting the campaign. The unions believe it is possible to move to a more affordable and efficient system with more planning to reduce the costs of what they see as an inequitable and costly system. They are also calling for action on working time and the training and employment of more health specialists. The unions

The SGB/USS trade union confederation is co-ordinating a pay campaign among its affiliates with the key demands being real pay increases of 3%-4% and action to tackle pay inequality. The VPOD/SSP public services union is part of the campaign and notes that the healthier financial situation of public sector organisations means they should end pay restraint. The union warns that cutbacks in recent years are threatening the quality of public services and that there is a risk that the public sector will fail to recruit if pay increase lag behind the public sector. [Read more at > SGB (DE)->http:/