Water workers make gains after all-out strike

(March 2017) The FP-CGIL public service federation reports that it has made some gains in the current negotiations over pay and reforms to the fire service. An EUR 80 a month pay increase will be implemented while the union will continue to negotiate a new collective agreement. The federation has also had some influence of the restructuring proposals put forward by the government and is particularly please that the fire service will retain some autonomy and not come under the control of the local prefecture.

Services union ver.di is in the process of balloting its members in social services on all-out strike action. The union has been trying to negotiate pay improvements for around 240000 workers in various social services such as child care, youth services and care for people with disabilities. Ver.di is arguing that these jobs have been undervalued and the workload, commitment and professionalism of staff needs to be recognised. So far, the regional government employers have failed to come up with any concrete offer, giving only vague indications that they might provide some improvements but

More than nine out of 10 social and childcare workers have voted for an all-out strike. Their trade union ver.di has been trying to negotiate an improvement in pay with the VKA local government employers that would recognise the workloads, responsibility and professionalism of this undervalued group of employees. The VKA has made an inadequate offer that would only benefit a small group of workers and so the union organised the ballot for action and around 20000 workers on strike on Friday 8 May with more gradually joining the strike over the following days. Ver.di wants to see the 240000