Over two million workers joined the nationwide public sector strike over pensions on 30 November. All EPSU affiliates supported the day of action although not all had balloted for strike action. However, those on strike included the FDA managers’ union and SCP chiropodists’ union both taking action for the first time in their history. The action was called in protest against the government’s failure to negotiate properly over pension changes and proposals that would see most public sector workers have to work longer, pay higher pension contributions and get lower pension benefits. Some unions that supported the action but didn’t take strike action have reacted strongly against the latest government proposals that would withdraw protection for workers in their last 10 years of service. This could lead to further ballots for industrial action (see RCM press release). The timetable for negotiations over the firefighters’ pension schemes is different from other unions (see FBU press release).
Read more at > UNISON
And at > PCS
And at > Unite
And at > GMB
And at > FDA
And at > RCN
And at > NIPSA
And at > Prospect
And at > RCM
And at > FBU
And at > SCP
Public sector unions delighted by massive support for pensions strike
More like this
Massive support for public sector strike
Reports indicate that over 750,000 workers took part in the national public sector strike on 5 October in protest at government plans to cut pay and jobs. The government proposals are in response to a loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund and European Union. The government wanted to implement a new public sector pay structure without negotiating with the trade unions. Read more at > EIRO (EN) And at > news website (EN)
Massive support for strike in Venice
The public service federations - Fp-Cgil, Cisl-Fp and Uil-Fpl - report over 85% of workers supported the strike in the Venice local authority at the end of August. The protest was over €47 million in cuts that were not only threatening the pay and conditions of local government workers but the quality of local services. The unions underlined the fact that these cuts in pay and conditions at local level were coming after a five-year freeze on public sector bargaining at national level. Read more at > Fp-Cgil (IT)
Massive support for general strike
Trade unions report high levels of support for the general strike on 24 November against the new government’s austerity measures. In the latest round of cuts some public sector workers are set to lose up to 20% of their pay as Christmas and holiday bonuses are to be slashed. The STAL local government union says that levels of support reached 85% and have given workers the confidence to maintain their protest actions. [Read more at > STAL (PT)->http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=752&Itemid=1] [And at > STAL (PT)->http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task