2010 June epsucob@NEWS 11
Federation calls for alternative approach to crisis
Meeting in Brussels on 27 and 28 May, the EPSU Executive Committee has called on the European Commission, International Monetary Fund and national governments to change their approach to the crisis. The meeting heard how public sector workers in 17 European countries were already facing pay cuts and pay freezes along with cuts in jobs and freezes on recruitment. The Federation is calling for a more balanced and long-term response that acknowledges the central role that public services play in tackling the crisis and its effects. Read more at > EPSU (EN)
Public sector workers strike against pay cuts
A public-sector wide strike on 31 May was followed by further action on 1 June as unions protested against a government-imposed 25% cut in pay. Workers in local government, prisons, hospitals, transport and other services were involved. Further action may follow in the health sector later in the month. Read more at > CBC news website (EN) And solidarity message at > EPSU (EN)
Unions build for general strike on 8 June
Following demonstrations at the end of May, unions are mobilising for a general strike on 8 June in protest at government plans for massive cuts in public spending including a 5% cut in public sector workers’ pay. The FSC-CCOO federation argues that the cuts will have a regressive impact as workers on lower pay rates will suffer larger reductions than the higher paid. [Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)->http://www.fsc.ccoo.es/webfsc/menu.do?Inicio:89397] [And at > FSC-CCOO (ES)->http://www.fsc.ccoo.es/webfsc/menu.do?Inicio:89134] [And at > FSP-UGT (ES)->http://www.fspugt.es/Gran_asistencia_de
Federation mobilizes for 12 June protests
The FP CGIL public services federation is planning a national demonstration on 12 June in protest at government proposals for cuts. The union says that public sector pay will be frozen until 2013, recruitment will also be frozen while half of those on fixed-term contracts will lose their jobs. The FP CSIL federation is not planning protests at the moment. It is running a campaign to get workers and citizens to expose waste and unproductive spending in the public sector with arguments that this money could be better spent by investing in human resources. [Read more at > FP CGIL (IT)->http://www
Massive demonstration against government austerity plans
An estimated 300,000 workers joined the protests on 29 May against government plans to cut public spending. Public service unions have attacked the government for its austerity measures. Apart from freezing pay the government also plans to cut a range of other payments including overtime and performance payments. There will be cuts in pay for some managers and officials as well as a freeze on recruitment and a block on career progression. Workers’ net salary will also be affected by a range of tax increases including VAT. [Read more at > STAL (PT)->http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com
Unions estimate a million workers supported demonstrations
The six unions that organized a day of action on 27 May estimate that around a million people got involved in some 176 demonstrations around the country. The CGT, CFDT, CFTC, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA called the protests in opposition to the government’s policies on the public sector, pay and pensions. After a meeting on 31 May the same group of unions agreed on another national mobilisation on 24 June. [Read more at > CGT (FR)->http://www.spterritoriaux.cgt.fr/spip.php?article4014] [And at > CFDT (FR)->http://www.cfdt.fr/rewrite/article/26753/les-actualites/mobilisations/2010/24-juin-2010/-le
Local government unions begin strike over pay
Trade unions in the municipal sector have rejected the employers’ latest offer and begun a strike in support of a higher pay increase. Local government employers had proposed a pay rise of around 3.3%, in line with the increase agreed in the state sector. However, municipal unions are claiming a higher increase in recognition of the fact that low pay is more of a problem in the local government sector. Read more at > news website (EN)
Two-year agreement for blue-collar workers in local government
The Kommunal municipal union has signed new two-year agreement with the SALAR local government employers and Pacta employers’ association. The deal is worth 4.65% over two years and the union is particularly pleased about the increases on the minimum wage in the agreement and the setting up of a gender equality council to tackle inequality issues. The agreement also establishes a joint working party that will examine ways of creating more full-time jobs and look at working time. [Read more at > Kommunal (SE)->http://www.kommunal.se/Kommunal/press/Pressmeddelanden/Avtal-klart-mellan-Kommunal
Union makes urgent call for extra health and social care staff
Ver.di has criticised the government for failing to take action over the desperate need for more care workers in hospitals. The union believes the government fails to appreciate the value of care workers for patients in general as well as for the chronically and terminally ill. The union argues that hospitals need to provide more training opportunities and that there needs to be an improvement in the pay and conditions of care workers in order to improve significantly the numbers joining the profession. [Read more at > Verdi (DE)->http://presse.verdi.de/pressemitteilungen/showNews?id=32d02ce0
Petition backs call for 20,000 more care workers
The VIDA and GPD-DJP unions are campaigning for a major boost to jobs in the care sector. They argue that overwork and burnout pose a threat not just to workers but also to patients and clients. The unions’ are calling for a “social billion” to cover the creation of 20,000 new jobs in the sector. They also want to see a parliamentary enquiry to investigate pay and conditions for care workers and financing of the sector. Read more at > VIDA (DE)
Government call s for ethical recruitment of health workers
In recognition of the sharply increasing demands on health and care services, the health minister, Paula Risikko, has argued for an increase in the recruitment of staff from overseas. However, she emphasized that this recruitment had to be in line with ethical guidelines. Around 360,000 people work in health and social care at the moment but an extra 200,000 could be needed by 2040. Read more at > YLE news site (EN)
Unions back agreement in principal to end long-running local government dispute
After more than three months of targeted industrial action unions in the local government sector have concluded in principle a new two-year agreement. The deal means increases of 1.5% this year and 0.5% next year. End of year bonuses will also go up by 0.5% with a higher increase for the lower paid. The agreement also includes a range of other elements including job security, measures to tackle workplace violence and initiatives on work-life balance. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/principeakkoord-gemeenten] [And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)->http:/
Provincial government dispute set to end
Unions and employers look to have resolved the conflict over pay in the provincial government sector after more than a year of negotiations and campaigning. The agreement runs from 1 June 2009 to 1 June 2011 and includes pay increases of 1.2% backdated to 1 January 2010 and a lump sum worth 0.5% of salary paid on 1 June to compensate for no pay increase during the last six months of 2009. There will be another rise of 0.7% on 1 January 2011. The agreement also includes provisions on training and employment of disabled workers. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws
Wage Commission report confirms gender pay gap
After 18 months of work the Wages Commission has reported and confirmed the extent of the gender pay gap. The FOA public service union highlights in particular the higher pay awarded to jobs dominated by men that usually involve working with machinery compared to those dominated by women who mainly work with people. FOA says that effectively women work unpaid for an hour and 20 minutes every day. Read more at > FOA (DK)
National day of protest over church employers' attacks on right to strike
The ver.di services union is organising a national day of action on 9 June in protest at the church employers that refuse to sign collective agreements or acknowledge workers’ right to strike. The union points out that increased competition in the health and social services sector has lead to a lowering of sector wide pay levels. Church employers have also ignored demands from the elected employee representatives on the sectoral employment committee to negotiate a collective agreement. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->https://gesundheit-soziales.verdi.de/kirchen_diakonie_caritas/diakonie
Equal pay ruling could be major breakthrough
Public services union UNISON believes that a ruling by an Employment Appeal Tribunal in Edinburgh could be a major breakthrough in its campaign for equal pay. Local authorities have tried to block claims by arguing that the jobs being compared have to be at the same workplace or covered by the same pay and conditions agreements. This ruling challenges that argument and means that some occupations, such as classroom assistants that are dominated by women can be more easily subjected to an equal pay comparison. [Read more at > UNISON (EN)->http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view
State sector workers maintain purchasing power
After difficult negotiations and a mediation process, unions in the state sector secured a 3.3% pay increase that protects their pay against rising prices (inflation in the year to April was 3.3%). However, the key element in the agreement and welcomed by the trade unions was the NOK 300m (€38m) made available to tackle the gender pay gap. Read more at > LO Stat (NO)
Union plays role key in municipal reform
The JHL public sector reform reports that its involvement in consultations in the municipal sector have been crucial in ensuring that employees terms and conditions have been protected in the restructuring process. There has been a large number of mergers with the number of local authorities reduced from 432 to 342. Read more at > JHL (FI)
Union rejects public service agreement
Members of the CPSU civil service have voted 67% to 33% to reject the “Croke Park” agreement. There was a high 74% turnout for the vote. The agreement was drawn up to try to resolve the conflict between government and unions over pay and job cuts in the public services. The deal involves maintaining the 5%-7% pay cuts this year with proposals for making efficiency savings that would allow for pay increases over the next three years. It also includes a range of other measures related to redeployment and outsourcing. Read more at > CPSU (EN)
Action in prisons over staffing levels
Members of the CGSP/ACOD and SLPF/VSOA trade unions took industrial action in prisons across the country between Thursday 27 and Saturday 29 May. The unions are calling for an increasing in staffing and will consider further action if there is no response from the prison service. Read more at > Le Soir news website (FR) And at > Knack news website (NL)