Seven trade unions with members in the public sector have launched a legal challenge to the government’s decision to change the way that public sector pensions are protected against inflation. The change from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was introduced without consultation or negotiation last year and the unions estimate that the difference in the two indices mean that public sector workers could lose £15000 (€17700) over the course of an average period of retirement as their pensions will be uprated by lower amounts.
Read more at > PCS (EN)
Unions mount legal challenge to pensions change
More like this
Union challenges planned legal changes on social care
The GÖD public services federation has won some initial concessions from the government over planned changes to legislation covering 24-hour home care. The union was worried that the Bill would lead to widespread use of untrained staff and had planned a national demonstration and potential strike action in response to the government's plans. However, representatives from GÖD were called to a meeting at the health ministry and got a positive response from their demands that the draft legislation should place a higher value on trained healthcare staff and not leave home care in the hands of
Pressure mounts for action on equal pay
The SGB/USS trade union federation is putting pressure on the Swiss parliament to push through new measures to tackle the gender pay gap. The parliament will be debating a range of equality-related proposals on 8 March and unions have been pointing out the problems and loopholes with existing legislation. The unions have been compiling new data about the persistence and extent of the gender pay gap across different sectors. Even in the federal and cantonal health services, where women make up over 80% of workers, women earn less than men even taking account of age, length of service and
Union challenges government over pensions changes
EPSU letterEPSU has sent a letter to the Croatian president expressing its support for the SLSN state and local government trade union which is concerned about draft legislation on pensions and retirement age in the public sector. The legislation will mean that the government can terminate contracts when civil servants reach 65 or 35 years of qualifying service. The union is worried that the government will use the new rules to force women to retire as part of a strategy to cut 12000 jobs from the civil service. In its letter EPSU highlights the importance of gender equality and particularly