Ireland, Finland
Confederation suspends political strikes
The SAK trade union confederation has decided to suspend the industrial action taken by a number of its member organisations in order to engage with the government over its programme of welfare cuts and anti-union measures. The actions began on 11 March and were suspended on 8 April. The unions involved were in both public and private sectors – the industrial union, the AKT transport workers' union, service union PAM, the construction union, the JHL public and welfare sector union and the electricity union. SAK wants the government to make clear that it won’t bring forward measures to restrict
Public sector workers back new collective agreement
Members of public sector unions have voted by a large majority to accept the pay agreement negotiated earlier this year. The agreement runs from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2026 and provides for pay improvements worth 9.25% but because of flat-rate elements this rises to 17.3% for lower paid workers. This agreement also provides specific provisions for local bargaining, which will give trade unions the scope to negotiate up to an additional 3% of pay costs, inclusive of allowances, for particular grades, groups or categories of employee. The agreement also sees the full and final unwinding of
Unions taking different approaches to working time
Following the article on Iceland, the latest in the series of articles on working time commissioned by EPSU from the Labour Research Department focuses on developments in the other Nordic countries. While several unions in Sweden have put shorter working time on the bargaining agenda (see also article on Sweden in this newsletter), there are only a few cases in social care where a shorter working week has been implemented. In Norway and Denmark the priority has been more to ensure that workers in health and care and other services have the right to full-time working although there are some
Health union calls for end to recruitment freeze
The INMO nurses’ and midwives’ union has called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to end the moratorium on recruiting frontline patient-facing staff. The HSE has revealed that emergency department attendances are up 13% compared to the same period in 2023 and 452 patients were admitted to hospital without a bed on a single day earlier this month. INMO warns that its members are bearing the brunt of public disappointment and in some cases aggression for the state of the health service while working in extremely challenging environments. The union says that staff who are leaving because of
Two weeks of strikes against government programme
The JHL public service unions, AKT transport union and other members of the SAK trade unio confederation are involved in two weeks of strike action against the government programme of welfare cuts and attacks on workers’ and trade union rights. The unions are frustrated that the government is not responding to their calls to negotiate. Alongside JHL and AKT, the strikes involve unions in industry, electricity, construction and services. The measures target exports and imports in ports and on rails. Large industrial plants and distribution terminals are also involved. Around 7,000 workers are
Week of strike action in campaign against attack on unions and welfare
The JHL trade union and others in the SAK confederation organised a week of strike action between 12 and 16 February in their continuing campaign to oppose the government’s attacks on the welfare state and trade union and workers’ rights. The actions follow the major national protest organised by the SAK and STTK confederations on 1 February. A range of JHL’s membership will be involved in the week of action including workers in early childhood education and care, municipalities, local public transport, energy and rail services.
Unions ballot members over public sector pay offer
Fórsa, SIPTU, INMO, AHCPS and other public service unions are consulting their members over the latest pay offer from the government which would provide for a series of pay increases over a 30-month period from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2026. The unions have until 25 March to complete the ballots. If an aggregate of the members of all the unions vote in favour then the agreement would provide the following pay increases: in 2024 – 2.25% or €1,125, whichever is greater, from 1 January; 1% on 1 June; 1% or €500, whichever is greater, on 1 October; in 2025 – 2% or €1,000, whichever is greater, on
Public sector pay offer falls well short of union expectations
Public services unions, including Fórsa, SIPTU and INMO, were very disappointed with the government’s initial pay offer as part of the negotiations for a new, multi-year public sector collective agreement. The unions say that the offer revealed the lack of preparedness of the government to negotiate a sustainable deal. The unions argue that the offer of 7% with 1.5% payable in March this year, fails to meet the basic test of dealing with the cumulative gap between wages and inflation – amounting to almost 19% over the last three years. The unions are concerned about the painfully slow process
Unions continue their campaign against government austerity measures
The SAK and STTK trade union confederations are continuing their campaign against government proposals that attack the welfare state, employment and trade union rights. The next step will be a national demonstration in Helsinki on 1 February. They are also calling for support from civil society organisations. The confederations have been participating in tripartite working groups, discussions set up by the government and in parliamentary hearings, emphasising how badly workers will be affected by the government’s policies. The first reductions affecting the unemployed have already entered into
Unions to meet to plan industrial action
The Fórsa trade union reports that the breakdown of public sector negotiations in December, has led to public service unions planning possible ballots on industrial action. The 19 trade unions that make up the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are set to meet on 11 January to decide whether to ballot if there is no progress on negotiations with the government. Negotiations mainly on issues other than pay began at the end of November with 11 meetings taking place up to Christmas but without conclusion and without moving on to pay bargaining. The previous public
Unions negotiate pay deal covering municipal and private companies
JHL, Jyty and other unions have negotiated pay increases for employees of companies covered by the Avaintes employers’ organisation. This includes (joint) municipal companies and private companies providing services to municipalities. The pay increases also apply to the Seuretes staff supply company and cover the third year of the collective agreement which runs until the end of April 2025. There will be a general increase of 3.1% as of 1 May 2024 and from 1 February 2024, a previously agreed general increase of 0.3% will also be paid. As of 1 October 2024 there will be a further 0.3% increase
Protests and strikes continue against government reforms
Members of the JHL trade union have been taking strike action as part of the continuing campaign against the government’s plans to weaken welfare provision and employment rights and the right to strike. The largest strike day of the autumn season was planned for 14 December when JHL was due to shut down train services and power plants, among other services. There is a strong opposition in the union to the government’s proposals and further action has not been ruled out. The range of government measures include restrictions on the right to take political strike action which would, in future
Confederations reject government attack on right to strike
The three trade union confederations – SAK, Akava and STTK – have issued a joint statement condemning the proposed reform of the law on collective action. They argue that the changes are designed to upset the balance of the labour market, increase unilateral action by employers and will not improve industrial peace. The confederations say that they will not accept the reforms and that there is no need for a further tightening of rules as existing regulations already impose a range of restrictions. The government wants to limit the rights to political strikes and solidarity action and proposes