Prison sector unions are planning a series of 24-hour strikes beginning on 24 October in protest at the withdrawal of a pay offer by the prison service. The unions have been campaigning together for several years to secure improved pay as a key measure to tackle staff shortages in the sector. Following the installation of a new government, the prison service offered to increase the prison pay bill by EUR 122.6 million over the next three years. The unions were angry and astonished when, at a meeting on 25 September, the head of the prison service announced that the offer was withdrawn on the basis that it hadn't been authorised by the government. The unions have called for an urgent meeting with the Minister of the Interior and they will begin their actions with a protest outside the Ministry on 17 October.
Prison unions unite in strike action over pay
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Prison unions begin their campaign of strike action
EPSU's affiliates in the prison services - FSC-CCOO, FeSP-UGT and ACAIP-USO - began their planned six-day strike campaign on 24 October. The unions are calling on the government to abide by its commitment to fund pay increases in the sector that are needed to deal urgently with staff shortages and to address the question of major pay disparities in different institutions. The strike action follows a long period of campaigning, lobbying and negotiating and the unions have agreed that further strikes will take place on 26 October with a further four days in November (6, 8 13 and 15).
Energy unions unite in day of action on pay
(March 2017) Five energy federations, including FNME-CGT, FNEM-FO, CFDT, CGC and CFE, organised a joint day of action and strikes on 14 March in their campaign to secure a pay increase as well as an end to restsructuring and job cuts. The unions want to see an increase applied to the basic pay structure but employers in the sector have only been offering changes to other payments and have refused an increase on the basic salary which would guarantee a pay increase for all workers in the sector. EPSU sent a solidarity message.
Strong support for prison sector strike action
Prison sector unions have called on the government to immediately restart negotiations over pay following the latest of six days of strike action which have had strong nationwide support from prison workers. The unions began the action following the new socialist-led government's withdrawal of funding for a pay increase. The unions now want to see bargaining restart and have been critical of the authorities for aggressive tactics in the policing of pickets and demonstrations around the country.