Latvia
EPSU affiliate LAKRS organised a picket of the ministry of transport on 4 October calling for better pay and conditions and a collective agreement covering bus workers. The union wants to see a minimum wage of EUR 7 an hour for drivers and action to tackle the widespread problem of long working hours.
The Sanitas health workers' federation organised a picket of three ministries (health, finance and labour) on 7 April, world health day, in order to raise a number of concerns about pay, training and funding of health services. EPSU sent a letter to the three ministers expressing support for the Sanitas action. The union has managed to secure a commitment to deal with a range of issues and there will be talks on public sector pay in general as well as how to improve pay in the health service in particular. Read more at > Sanitas (RO)
Members of public services union Forsa who work as school secretaries (head of administration in schools) have voted with a nine-to-one majority to take industrial action from 20 September. The secretaries have a long-standing issue over a two-tier system that leaves most of them who are employed by schools on low pay and without other benefits such as sick pay and pensions. In contrast, a minority are directly employed public servants who benefit from much better pay and conditions. The action will mainly consist of a work-to-rule.
