State sector and private social services agreements concluded

A new agreement has been signed covering central government workers. It is divided into two periods, from 1 April 2014 to 31 January 2016 and from 1 February to 31 January 2017. In the first period there will be a flat-rate increase of €20 a month from 1 August 2014 and then a 0.3% increase from 1 August 2015. Bonuses and additional pay given in euros will also be increased by 0.73% from 1 August 2014. For the second period, if the cross-sector social partners cannot agree on salary increases by 15 June 2015, then the agreement may be terminated with a four-month period of notice. The

The vida and GPA-DJP services unions have negotiated pay increases for a range of workers in private and non-profit health and social care. Pay will increase by 3.4% in both the main BAGS private health agreement covering 90,000 employees and the agreement covering 12,000 workers employed by the Caritas social welfare organisation. The increase for the 6,000 employees of the Vienna Red Cross is slightly lower at 3.3%. In all three cases changes to the treatment of parental and other leave will mean protect pay and will benefit women workers in particular. [Read more at > vida (DE)->http://www

After more than a year of negotiations, campaigns and action trade unions in the local government sector have managed to get the employers sign a new collective agreement covering the 180000 workers in the sector. The unions wanted to protest purchasing power and the deal involves a 1% pay increase backdated to 1 January 2012 and a further 1% backdated to 1 April 2012. There will also be lump sum payments in August of €200 or €400 depending on salary level. The deal includes a commitment on job security as well as more flexibility in working time. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www