Social Services
Sep. 10, 2020
Unions aim for more full-time work in local government negotiations
Negotiations are underway in local government and while unions are aiming for a real pay increase they are also setting their sights on improvements in other working conditions. They want more investment in competence development and training during working time. However, a key demand is for more full-time work. Around two thirds of health and social care workers and 40% of those in childcare and education work part-time. Unions argue that this does not make the sector attractive and that full-time hours are needed to deliver decent pay. They also point to the benefits to the quality of services and health and safety and particularly in the current situation the increase in infection control that would come from fewer shift changes.
Sep. 09, 2020
Union calls for public-sector wide pay rise
In anticipation of annual pay negotiations, the GÖD public service union has written to the government calling for sustained, real increases in pay and allowances for all public sector workers. The union argues that public employees have faced increasingly difficult working conditions as they have responded to the pandemic and its knock-on effects on employment and the economy by maintaining quality public services. The union points out the importance of public services to support Austria as a successful international economy and that a pay rise for the public sector would make an important contribution to domestic demand and economic recovery. The current pay agreement runs until the end of December this year and the GÖD wants a prompt start to the negotiations to ensure that pay increases apply from 1 January 2021.
Sep. 09, 2020
Union survey exposes care workers' concerns over pay and safety
A survey of 1600 care workers by the FNV trade union has revealed disturbing levels of concern about safety, overwork and low pay. Some 70% of workers feel unsafe because government measures to tackle the pandemic are not properly enforced and only 25% say they have adequate personal protective equipment for a second wave. Three in four say they have a high or very high workload and 90% feel they are not appreciated by government or politicians. Seven in 10 want a structural pay increase and not a corona bonus payment. They say this is essential to make the sector more protective and address the 80000 vacancies that have occurred over the last two years. This situation is set to worsen as one in four health workers are thinking of quitting. The survey was published as part of the FNV's week of campaigning on health and social care and the impact of the pandemic.
Sep. 09, 2020
Negotiations get off to disappointing start
Public services union ver.di reports that the first exchange with employers in the negotiations covering 2.3 million federal and municipal workers was a disappointment. The union has set out a series of key demands with the main one being a 4.8% pay rise with a minimum increase of EUR 150 a month. While the employers responded with some positive words about the efforts of public service workers during the pandemic they didn't come up with a pay offer. In fact, they underlined the challenges facing public finances and called for a long-term deal rather than the 12-month agreement demanded by ver.di. The union has launched a photo petition to support the negotiations, the next round of which takes place on 19-20 September.
Aug. 27, 2020
Unions secure NOK 975 increase across public service companies
Trade unions coordinated by the LO confederation have secured a NOK 975 (EUR 93) increase on monthly pay for all workers covered by the negotiations with the Spekter employers' organisation. Spekter covers major companies providing public services, particularly in health, culture and transport/infrastructure. On top of this general rise local negotiations should deliver further increases. LO Stat, the coordinating body, emphasises that the local negotiations should take account of the low pay, gender equality and the situation of skilled workers and graduates. Low pay in this context is anyone getting 90% of the average industrial wage or less. The negotiations also include initiatives focusing on sustainability and proposals to collect examples of how unions and employers are dealing with digitalisation and artificial intelligence.
Aug. 27, 2020
Week of action in health and social care and push for higher minimum wage
The FNV trade union is involved in two major campaigns. The first, running from 1-5 September, is a nationwide action across health and social care in response to COVID-19. The union wants to see proper recognition of the role played by health and social care workers and is calling for better pay and working conditions, reduced workloads and more autonomy for workers. The FNV is underlining the importance of preparing for a second wave of the pandemic and argues that action is needed to make the health and care sectors more attractive to increase recruitment. Meanwhile, the union is running a campaign and petition across local government to establish a EUR 14 an hour minimum wage. Six local authorities have already signed up and the plan is to develop the campaign over the next six months in the lead up to the general election in March next year.
Aug. 27, 2020
Union sets out main demands for federal and municipal bargaining
The collective bargaining committee of the ver.di public services union has agreed on a claim for a 4.8% pay increase (minimum EUR 150 a month) for the upcoming negotiations covering 2.3 million workers employed by the federal government and municipalities. The union is calling for appropriate recognition of the key role that many public service workers have played in response to COVID-19. Ver.di wants a 12-month agreement and demands also include a EUR 100 increase for apprentices/trainees. There are several other elements to the claim covering extension and improvement in the part-time work scheme for older workers, equalisation of working time between East and West, additional holidays and some specific issues related to the health sector, including shift work and Sunday work allowances. The first negotiations take place on 1 September.
Aug. 26, 2020
Unions work with employers on joint emergency plan for care sector
The FeSP-UGT public service federations and two federations from the CCOO confederation have joined with the Aeste and Asade employer organisations to draft an emergency plan for residential and home care services. The objective is to prevent any recurrence of the massive impact of COVID-19 on the sector both in terms of service users and workers. The unions and employers underline the role of government and the importance of increased funding, noting that the sector has seen EUR 5.9 billion worth of cuts since 2012. The joint plan emphasises the importance of applying collective agreements and securing better pay and working conditions for the 500000+ mainly women workers in the sector.
Aug. 26, 2020
Confederation calls for new approach to public sector pay
In response to a new government development strategy, the OPZZ trade union confederation has emphasised the need to ensure decent pay in the public services and has expressed concern about government proposals to freeze public sector pay in 2021. OPZZ argues that current levels of pay fail to make the public sector attractive to new recruits and there are problems with fluctuating employment levels while workers face increasing responsibilities and workloads. The confederation underlines the link between quality services and quality employment and the important of effective tax, legal, health and other services as a basis for an innovative and competitive economy. It is calling for a new approach to determining public sector pay with a possible link to economic growth.
Aug. 26, 2020
Unions protest over treatment of care home staff
Public service unions SIPTU, Forsa and INMO have been involved in protests and are calling for action to support 200 workers who have lost their jobs following the closure of three care facilities run by the Dublin Sisters of Charity. Although independent the charity received significant public funding by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the unions want the HSE to be involved in negotiations over a fair redundancy package for the workers.
Jul. 28, 2020
Report reveals extent of temporary and part-time work in health and social care
A new report on employment security commissioned by the Kommunal municipal services union reveals the extent of temporary and part-time work in health, social care and education. The survey found just under 240,000 workers in these sectors were on fixed-term contracts with 58% of these on the most precarious terms and conditions. Most of these workers want a permanent job. Workers in companies with fewer than 10 employees have weaker employment security and there are 10550 companies in this category operating in health and social care. While 18% of workers in public health and social care are on temporary contracts this rises to 24% in private companies. Overall part-time and fixed-term work are twice as common in health, social care and education as in the economy as a whole.
Jul. 27, 2020
€34 million boost for health and care workers' pay and conditions
After negotiations dating back to November 2018 the public and private sector health and care unions (younion, GÖD, GPA-djp and vida) have secured a €34 million package of improvements to the pay and conditions of workers in the Upper Austria region. As of 1 February 2021 qualified nurses, midwives and clinical social workers will get pay rises ranging from €97 to €194 a month. Improvements to other conditions include a second night shift in care homes with more than 60 beds, additional support staff and the right to full-time work for part-time staff. The measures will be implemented directly in the public sector and will form the basis for future negotiations in the private sector.
Jul. 13, 2020
Mixed reaction to proposals on pay and jobs in health and social care
Health and social care unions have reacted differently to the government's €7.5 billion package on pay and jobs. The CFDT has welcomed the proposals that it says will mean a €90 net increase a month for most health workers from September with a further €93 increase from March 2021. On top of this a working group will be set up to look at revaluating pay for certain occupations which will be implemented in January 2022. The lowest paid workers in the sector, currently on the minimum wage should see their pay increase by 15%. Around 8000 jobs will be created and 7300 vacancies filled. The FO trade union is supporting the proposal on the basis that it is a first step in the right direction. The CGT is disappointed by the package particularly because it says does not go far enough to address the problem of proper compensation for long working hours with nothing offered in relation to on-call and overtime, nor anything extra for night, weekend and holiday work. The union has called for support for a demonstration already planned for 14 July and warns that further resignations of health staff were likely and will only add to the pressure on services.
Jul. 13, 2020
