Social Services
Oct. 10, 2019
Joint union strikes and protests over health and social services
Seven trade union and professional organisations joined with two campaigning groups to organise a coordinated day of strikes and protests calling for urgent action on funding for health and social services. The action on 8 October also linked up with protests by pensioner groups for better pensions and increased funding for care homes. Increased staffing and better pay and conditions were among the key demands from the unions. A second day of action is planned for 15 October which will link up with unions representing firefighters.
Oct. 09, 2019
Health and care workers to get flexibility bonus
From 1 October the 100000 workers covered by the private health and social care agreement are entitled to a flexibility bonus if they agree to stand in for a colleague at short notice . They will get a EUR 20 bonus for the shift (if only three days' notice) and EUR 10 for further days. The arrangement was part of the 2019 collective agreement negotiated by the vida and GPA-djp private service unions. The unions see this as an important initiative, recognising the high level of workloads, extent of sickness and staff shortages that often need to be addressed with additional shifts.
Oct. 09, 2019
Union highlights staff shortages across health and social care
The FOA public services union has analysed the staffing shortage facing health and social service providers across the country. It estimates that by 2028 the staffing shortage will reach 41000 unless urgent action is taken now. With a third of staff aged 55 and over, there will be a large number of retirements in the coming period, not taking account of staff who may change jobs. FOA argues that the service needs to offer more full-time jobs with greater recognition of the work done by carers and proper time allowed to carry out tasks.
Oct. 03, 2019
Решить проблему нехватки персонала в сфере ухода и обеспечить работникам по уходу уважение, более высокую оплату труда и лучшие условия, которых они заслуживают, говорит ЕФПОО работодателям
3 октября 2019 Сайт EPSU Люди в Европе хотят получать качественные услуги для молодежи, инвалидов, пожилых и всех, кто нуждается в уходе.
Oct. 02, 2019
Paola Cammilli, ETUCE, and Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary at the European Semester conference 1st October 2019
Trade unions need to keep pressing for a more social Semester
On 1 October over 60 trade union representatives from 22 countries took part in a lively conference in Brussels on the European Semester - the European Union's annual process of economic and social policy coordination.
Sep. 13, 2019
Ending care home contracts will boost workers' pay
Public service unions, including Fagborbundet and the nurses' union, are hopeful that 11 privatised care homes in Oslo will be back under municipal control in the next two years as their contracts come to an end. The red/green coalition on the city council has given positive signs but the unions are concerned it may use an option to extend contracts by one or two years. The unions argue that any delay will be costly to the workers. They give the example of a care home in Uranienburg which was privatised in 2013 and then remunicipalised but workers in the home had lost out with annual salaries for most workers NOK70-80000 (EUR 7-8000) less than in the public sector.
Aug. 23, 2019
Care employers commit to negotiate sector agreement
Following talks with the BVAP eldercare employers' organisation, the ver.di services union has confirmed that both parties are committed to negotiate a sector collective agreement by the end of the year. They have also made it clear that they want the labour ministry to extend the agreement to cover all employers in the sector to prevent those paying low wages from undercutting the agreement. Ver.di and BVAP believe this is essential to ensuring decent pay in the sector and making occupations eldercare more attractive to workers.
Aug. 23, 2019
Union attacks care organisation for trying to outlaw strikes and protests
The GPA-djp private services union has strongly attacked the VKKJ organisation that provides care to disabled children for using an injunction to try to prevent its works councils from organising any kind of strike or protest to secure improvements in pay and conditions. The VKKJ has not signed up to the social services sector agreement and the works councils had successfully campaigned to bring pay at the organisation in line with that agreement but that's when VKKJ took the legal step. The union has offered to go to mediation but the employer has rejected this. The GPA-djp will strongly defend the case and the right to take action.
Aug. 21, 2019
Unions work together to tackle part-time crisis
Three unions - Fagforbundet, NSF and Delta - with a combined total membership of 560000, are joining forces to address the continuing problem of part-time work in health and social care. The unions say that around two-thirds of workers in the sector, employed mainly by municipalities - are on part-time contracts. This is a problem for many workers, making it difficult to make ends meet. The unions argue that the problem has been recognised at national level and some municipalities have taken action but they say the government needs to ensure that municipalities have the funding so that they can offer workers full-time contracts.
Aug. 07, 2019
Independent living assistants push for overdue evaluation
The FNV trade union has delivered 1450 cards to the directors of the Fokus disability care group to demonstrate the anger of workers over the company's failure to carry out a promised evaluation of their jobs and pay. Fokus employs around 3000 social care assistants who provide support to people with disabilities. Following a restructuring three years ago management responsibilities were cut and teams left to organise themselves. The company made a commitment to review the situation after three years. The union believes that the workers are due compensation for their extra responsibilities and wants to see the evaluation carried out as soon as possible or it will organise further action.
Aug. 07, 2019
