Ireland
The IMPACT trade union has criticised the government for pushing ahead with plans for pay cuts in the public sector on the basis of claims that this was a trend in the private sector. However, a survey by consultants Mercer found only 9% of companies cutting pay while the majority of employers looking to reduce salary costs implemented pay freezes or used other methods such as unpaid leave.
Read more at > IMPACT (EN)
The blue collar LO confederation has put forward a pay claim to the Spekter employers’ organisation that covers workers in health, transport and other public services employed in the public sector. The claim includes real wage growth and a general increase of NOK 2438 (€323). The unions also want to see better conditions for temporary agency workers, improved pay for working unsocial hours and action to improve working conditions for older workers. Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
After 13 hours, negotiations over the agreement covering 80,000 workers in the private health and social services sector ended with no progress over the annual pay increase. The GPA-DJP and VIDA unions said the 1.3% offer from the employers was below the trend of recent settlements and would mean a loss of purchasing power with inflation expected to reach 1.8%. They also said it was inadequate for a sector dominated by women where it was important to recognise the value of the work of such a vital service. Negotiations will resume on 12 January and the unions are planning protest actions on 26
The Fagforbundet public services union is celebrating a positive result after 30 days of strike action by some of its members in the private health sector. The aim of the strike was to ensure that agreements in the sector kept pay in line with the public sector. This was achieved including an historic rise in the minimum wage up by NOK 80000 (EUR 7800) to NOK 300000 (EUR 29250). The strike action was challenged by the NHO employers’ organisation, but the Labour Court ruled that the strike was legal and not in breach of the peace obligation. The union and employers are now committed to further
