2013 July epsucob@NEWS 10
No change in gender pay gap in 20 years!
A new report from the Kommunal local government union says that the 14% pay gap between men and women is the same now as 20 years ago. On average women earn SEK 4400 (€500) a month less than men. Kommunal general secretary Annelie Nordström says that the best way for a woman to close the gap is to become a man! The union is calling for higher pay increases for sectors dominated by women and wants the government to ask the National Mediation service to look at the role played by industry pay norms. [Read more at > Kommunal (SW)->http://www.kommunal.se/Kommunal/Nyheter/2013/Lonerna-lika
MEPs deliver blow to protection for posted workers
The ETUC and European Trade Union Federations, including in particular the construction (EFBWW) and foodworkers (EFFAT) have attacked MEPs for voting to water down provisions of the Enforcement Directive. The Directive is intended to provide greater protection for posted workers but the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee (excluding the Socialists and Democrats and European United Left-Nordic Green Left) endorsed amendments that undermine the legislation. Posted workers could be denied the minimum wages and standards (including collective agreements) of their host
Union warns of strike action over austerity measures
The vpod public services union says that it is considering industrial action if the Bern cantonal (regional) government goes ahead with a package of severe cuts. The union says that 600 jobs are under threat including many jobs in health and social services. The Canton's workforce is also facing cuts in pay. Vpod will be discussing its response with the employees and the institutions that are affected, highlighting the serious impact that these cuts will have on the quantity and quality of services to citizens. [Read more at > vpod (DE)->http://www.vpod.ch/aktuell/nachrichten/ansicht/article
Confederation reaffirms €1500 minimum wage target
At its recent congress, the ÖGB trade union confederation has reaffirmed the commitment of its affiliates to achieve a minimum monthly wage of at least €1500 in all collective agreements. The confederation's target was strongly endorsed by 79% of people in a recent poll. However, the confederation also recognised the need to increase working time for those workers, mainly women, who are stuck in part-time jobs but want full-time work. Read more at > ÖGB (DE)
Busworkers win improvements in pay and conditions
Members of the Kommunal municipal union working on the buses have secured a number of improvements to pay and conditions after taking industrial action. They will get a pay increase of SEK 1732 (€195) over three years to bring them in line with similar jobs in other sectors. They have also achieved more control over their working time and shifts. There will also be greater monitoring of what happens when a new company wins a contract and employees are transferred from their current employer. Kommunal is pleased with the result, emphasising the importance for passenger safety when workers have
Health professionals plan strike for 22 July
Over 100,000 health professionals and managerial staff will take four hours' of strike action on 22 July. They also plan other forms of industrial action in protest at cutbacks in the health sector. The action involves federations of the three main trade union confederations - CGIL, CSIL and UIL - as well as more than 15 other trade unions. As well as calling for more funding for the service the unions' demands include demands on collective agreements, trade union rights, career progression, youth employment and staffing levels. [Read more at > FP CGIL (IT)->http://www.fpcgil.it/flex/cm/pages
Report highlights outsourcing impact on pay and conditions
Public services union Fagforbundet has welcomed a new report from the LO confederation that provides further evidence from a number of countries of the negative impact of outsourcing. The report reveals that outsourcing in welfare services doesn't deliver an improvement in services while undermining pay, pensions and working conditions. Fagforbundet itself has highlighted some of the worst cases in Norway where outsourcing companies have cut pay or forced employees to work excessive hours. Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
Widespread support for general strike
EPSU affiliates report strong support for the general strike that took place on 27 June in protest at the government's austerity measures. The STAL local government union estimated that nine out of 10 workers in the sector supported the action. SINTAP argues that it was the most solidly supported general strike that sent a clear message to the government. STE said that the strike achieved a key aim in uniting workers and giving a sense of optimism about an alternative to austerity. [Read more at > STAL (PT)->http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1256&Itemid=1] [And at >
Unions push for action on agreements in local government
The FSC-CCOO and FSP-UGT trade union federations met with the FEMP local government employers on 26 June to discuss what action can be taken to protect collective agreements in the sector. The unions are concerned about implementation of law 3/2012 which will have the effect that any collective agreement that is not renewed by 7 July will be considered as no longer applicable. The unions put forwards four action points calling for the intensification of current negotiations, for use of dispute resolution where negotiations are blocked and for the inclusion of clauses stating that current
Union promotes ethical care charter
Public services union UNISON is promoting an ethical care charter to improve the quality of home care provision and the pay and conditions of home care workers. A survey by the union found many workers on low pay and facing increased pressure of work. Most reported seeing their pay fall, their working time changed while being given more duties. UNISON wants to see councils sign up to the charter to ensure that the quality of care and pay and conditions of workers are taken properly into account when commissioning services. [Read more at > UNISON->http://www.unison.org.uk/news/articles/care
Outsourcing means fewer hours or two jobs!
The FOA public services union reveals that cleaners who have seen their work outsourced faced the choice of working fewer hours or taking up a second job to make up their pay. This means for some starting the first job at six in the morning and not finishing the second job until seven in the evening. The union gives the specific example of nursing home cleaners now employed by the ISS multinational. The cleaning was outsourced by Velje municipality last year and the workers were on the same pay and conditions until the collective agreement expired on 1 April. [Read more at > FOA (DK)->http:/
Care workers fight to defend pay and jobs
Members of the UNISON public services union employed as care workers in the west of Scotland and north west England are facing cuts in pay and jobs. Employees of Cornerstone Community Care in Scotland are being balloted for industrial action in protest at the company's plans to cut 155 jobs. Those who are not retained as support workers face being demoted to an assistant role with a £2000-£3000 (€2350-€3500) cut in salary. Meanwhile employees of Future Direction, a contractor working for Rochdale council, are taking a second round of strike action as well as planning legal action to defend
Impact of crisis on industrial relations
A report from the EIRO industrial relations observatory examines the impact of the crisis on industrial relations across Europe. The findings are, not surprisingly, that trends have been mainly negative from a trade union point of view in terms of reforms in wage-setting mechanisms, an increase in opt-out and opening clauses, a decrease of extensions in collective agreements, a fall in the volume and quality of bargaining and generally more adversarial industrial relations. The report acknowledges that these features have often been more acute in the public sector. However, it also argues that
New study reveals size of gender pensions gap
A report from the European Commission exposes the scale of the gender pensions gap across Europe. Some 17 countries have pension gaps greater or equal to 30%. The two widest gender pension gaps are found in Luxembourg (47%) and Germany (44%). At the other extreme, Estonia has the lowest gender pension gap (4%), followed by Slovakia (8%). The main factors behind this are that women face lower employment rates in many countries and work fewer hours and/or years on lower pay. Read more at > DG Justice
Unions unite in protest over pay, pensions and jobs
The Sanatatea health union and other EPSU affiliates joined a national trade union protest march on 7 June. They handed over a petition to the government criticising the lack of a coherent programme for creating workplaces and ensuring decent income and decent working conditions to the people. The protestors called for measures to eliminate undeclared work and tax evasion, to provide safe working conditions, a fair system of pay and pensions, equal opportunities for women and men and also a better integration of young people into the labour market. The unions also want to see harmonisation of