Union Rights

Since 7 March, workers at the Belgrade City Center for Social Work , organised by the Trade Union of Health and Social Care Workers "Nezavisnost," have been striking against understaffing, excessive workloads, and low wages. W orkers are calling for urgent measures to improve staffing levels, reduce excessive workloads, and introduce fair wages that reflect the complexity and responsibility of their jobs. They also demand an end to temporary contracts, Instead of addressing these concerns, employers have responded with salary cuts and threats of dismissal. Further escalating tensions, Zoran

Unions in the Czech Republic have won a major victory after the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Czech Parliament, rejected a proposed amendment to the Labour Code that would have allowed employers to fire workers without providing a reason. The proposal, pushed by deputies from ODS (Civic Democratic Party) and TOP 09, both right-wing political parties advocating for economic liberalism and free-market policies, was widely condemned as an attack on workers' rights and job security. ČMKOS warned that the amendment would have created an atmosphere of fear in workplaces, undermined

The Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) has declared a strike alert in response to proposed amendments to the Labour Code, which include provisions allowing employers to dismiss workers without providing a reason. This proposal is viewed by unions as a significant threat to job security and a fundamental weakening of employee rights in the Czech Republic. ČMKOS warns that if the amendment is approved in its current form, they are prepared to escalate protest actions, including initiating preparations for a general strike. The confederation criticizes the proposal as an

Workers at the Sophien- und Hufeland-Klinikum in Weimar are demanding that their church employer negotiate a collective agreement with Ver.di . Despite their calls, the church, Diakonie, and clinic management have resisted, instead pursuing legal action to block union-led strikes. The Erfurt Labour Court will hear the case on February 19. On January 17, 2025, around 100 workers from the clinic and other church-run institutions demonstrated in Erfurt, demanding better pay, improved conditions, and the right to strike. Protesters highlighted that workers in church institutions, such as hospitals

The Federal Labor Court (BAG), Germany's highest court for labour law, has ruled that part-time workers must receive overtime bonuses as soon as they exceed their individually agreed working hours. Previously, overtime bonuses were often paid only after exceeding the hours of full-time workers. This decision, issued on December 5, 2024, is considered a significant milestone in ensuring fairness for part-time workers, particularly women, who are disproportionately affected by such practices. The case was initiated by part-time nursing staff employed by the KfH Kuratorium Dialysis Providers

A two-day general strike in northern Cyprus on 26-27 December 2024 led to the suspension of two controversial bills in 'parliament'. Thousands of workers from 33 unions marched to the 'parliament' building in northern Nicosia, demanding the withdrawal of laws affecting cost-of-living allowances and collective labour agreements. The protest centred on two proposed laws: one that would reduce the frequency of cost-of-living allowance adjustments from three times a year to two, and another requiring 'finance ministry' approval for public sector collective agreements, effectively limiting union