France
The six unions that organized a day of action on 27 May estimate that around a million people got involved in some 176 demonstrations around the country. The CGT, CFDT, CFTC, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA called the protests in opposition to the government’s policies on the public sector, pay and pensions. After a meeting on 31 May the same group of unions agreed on another national mobilisation on 24 June.
Read more at > CGT (FR)
And at > CFDT (FR)
The GPA trade union is calling for urgent action on pay and conditions in health and care to deal with major anticipated shortages of nursing staff. A recent report by Health Austria says that there will be a shortfall of 200,000 nurses by 2050. The union underlines that better working conditions have to be part of the solution rather than look to recruit from third countries. GPA says that nurses are stretched to their limits with day-to-day care characterized by overtime, constant standing in for absent staff and a bureaucracy that leaves hardly any time for caring. These conditions lead to
Eight national trade union federations came together to organize a second nationwide day of action this year on 19 March and the response was even better than on 29 January. Around three million workers are estimated to have taken part in over 200 demonstrations around the country. The action was over pay and purchasing power in both public and private sectors and is the latest stage in the public sector unions to secure a reform of the public sector pay system and to try to make up for declining real pay since 2000. The unions have called on the government and employers to open talks
The PCS trade union reported widespread disruption in its second one-day national strike over pay and jobs. This is part of an industrial relations strategy that has involved working-to-rule across a number of different government departments. The union began a two-week overtime ban the day after the strike. Read more at > PCS
