Sweden
Municipal union Kommunal reports that it is facing very tough negotiations with the SKL local government employers' organisation. Union officials are shocked at the employers' approach with calls for no pay increases in an agreement to run indefinitely with no minimum wages and extended hours. Kommunal is putting for a number of demands inlcuding a 2.8% pay increase with an extra SEK 400 (EUR 42.50) for nurses.
Read more at > Kommunal (SV)
The ver.di services union has given notice of the end of the current agreement covering 2.3 million workers in federal and municipal government on 31 August. This confirms that negotiations will get underway and the union is looking for an appropriate pay increase to recognise the hard work done by its members particularly during the current crisis. At a meeting with employers earlier this month there had been a discussion about the possibility of postponing bargaining until next year and giving all workers a lump sum payment this year as an interim measure. However, the union says the
The dispute with Southampton City Council in the South of England is continuing although the Unite and UNISON unions were due to re-open negotiations with the Council on 13 September. The dispute is over the council’s attempt to impose pay cuts and to sack over 4,000 employees and re-employ them on contracts with poorer pay and conditions. Meanwhile UNISON members are also taking action against Barnet Council in North East London. There the council is attempting to outsource most of its services and retain only a small number of staff who would commission services from other providers. [Read
The FNV and other unions are facing tough negotiations in both hospitals (200000 workers) and mental health (80000 workers). In the hospital sector the employers have made an unacceptable offer of a 2.5% pay rise when the unions are looking for a 5% increase as well action to protect working time and rest periods and initiatives on employee health and training to improve retention. Similarly, in mental health unions want better pay and limits on flexibility but are being confronted by employer demands to reduce working time protection and sick pay provision.
