Solidarity, Early Childhood Education and Care
Supporting campaigns, strikes and protests
Solidarity is a core area of our joint European trade union work There are common elements to many of the actions of public service unions as we fight for better pay and working conditions or when we defend trade union rights or protest against privatisation and attacks on public services. Any expression of solidarity is welcomed by unions and it can be a real boost to their campaign when EPSU, its affiliates and other trade union organisations, not only send messages of support but also messages of protest to companies, employers and governments. This briefing gives examples of our solidarity work in recent years.
EPSU Childcare Network meets to discuss monitoring and evaluation, staff ratios, and more
This week, the EPSU Childcare Network met to discuss monitoring and evaluation of early childhood education and care, the capacity of ECEC systems to welcome Ukrainian children and ECEC staff, and child : staff ratios.
Social and care staff to get additional days off and monthly allowances
After three days of bargaining the ver.di services union has negotiated an agreement with the VKA municipal employers that goes some way to address the undervaluation and overwork of staff in social and educational services. The union thanked its members for mobilising to achieve the result in the face of considerable resistance from the employers. Over 40,000 ver.di members took action in the week leading up to the latest negotiations. The agreement will provide employees with two additional days off as well as the option to convert part of their salary into two further days off. Educators
Unions condemn government proposals on childcare
Public and private sector unions representing workers in early years education, younion and GPA, have attacked government plans for the sector as farcical. They argue that the claim that there will be an extra billion euros in funding is a sham and that in reality the additional money is less than €60 million and already worth less because of inflation. The unions are also concerned that the aim is to create more childcare places when facilities are already full and staff overstretched. They also criticise the government for developing policies without proper consultation and negotiation with
EPSU Executive Committee supports Finnish affiliates’ industrial action in local government and health
The EPSU Executive Committee, meeting in Brussels on 4-5 May, sends solidarity greetings to its affiliates JHL, Jyty, SuPer and Tehy for their industrial action to secure a decent pay increase-for workers across local government and health services.
EPSU salutes courageous firefighters on International Firefighters’ Day
On International Firefighters’ Day, EPSU shares its solidarity with past firefighters who have died while serving our communities and who dedicated their lives to protecting the safety of us all; to their families, colleagues and comrades.
