Norway
The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that unions and employers have agreed a new pension system for the private sector. At the moment the public sector retains its system that provides workers with a pension worth two-thirds of income at retirement. In contrast the private sector system will be adjusted according to life expectancy, prices and wages and pensions will not keep pace with average earnings.
Read more at > EIRO
The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that a July 2005 law introduces collective agreements into the Slovenian public sector and will require the government to negotiate an annual agreement on pay. However, experts and unions are concerned about the compulsory element included in the legislation and say that it could contravene the European Social Charter and International Labour Organisation Convention 158. Read more at > EIROl
After lengthy negotiations a new salary system was introduced across the public sector this year. One of the aims of the reform was to establish a fairer and clearer salary structure for public sector workers, recognising that some groups were particularly worse off. The agreement included provisions to make some of the bigger wage adjustments over a longer period – up to 2011. However, the new system has been subject to criticism by several different groups of workers and is now the subject of a constitutional court case taken by a trade union representing child care, education and research
