Seven trade union and professional organisations joined with two campaigning groups to organise a coordinated day of strikes and protests calling for urgent action on funding for health and social services. The action on 8 October also linked up with protests by pensioner groups for better pensions and increased funding for care homes. Increased staffing and better pay and conditions were among the key demands from the unions. A second day of action is planned for 15 October which will link up with unions representing firefighters.
Joint union strikes and protests over health and social services
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Unions organise joint protest over pay in community services
(March 2017) The IMPACT and SIPTU trade unions have organised a joint protest outside the parliament on 22 March calling for a restoration of pay and funding in community and voluntary services. The unions argue that workers in the sector have faced pay cuts, short-time working and unpaid overtime as they try to maintain services for vulnerable people. The unions want to ensure that the sector is not left behind as pay restoration gets underway in the rest of the public services.
Joint union protest in non-profit social services
(March 2017) Unions organising workers in the non-profit social services came together in a major demonstration in Brussels on 21 March. The unions want to see urgent action to tackle major problems facing the sector - poor pay, understaffing and excessive workloads leading to burnout for many workers trying to maintain services in impossible conditions. The unions want to negotiate a new agreement for the sector which addresses pay and working conditions but they also underline the link between quality employment and delivery of quality services. EPSU sent a message of solidarity.
Trade unions in joint protest over burnout in health
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