Strike, Social Dialogue, Slovenia, Italy
Capacity building project for the hospital sector in Central, East and Southern Europe started
On 28 March 2019 EPSU participated, together with its representatives of the two national affiliates from Romania, Sanitas, and Croatia, HSSMS-MT, in the kick-off meeting of the joint HOSPEEM-EPSU project focusing on strengthening social dialogue in the hospital sector that will run in 2019 and 2020.
Massive support for private health care strike
The three public service federations - Fp Cgil, Cisl Fp and Uil Fpl - reported fantastic levels of support for the national strike in the private health care sector. In many facilities all workers not providing minimum services joined the strike action. This shows the level of determination of workers to secure the first new collective agreement for 14 years. The Aris and Aiop employer organisations refused to ratify the agreement in June after three years of negotiations and after initially indicated their backing for the deal. The negotiations cover around 100000 workers.
Public service federations mobilise for 9 December strike
The Fp-Cgil, Cisl-FP, Uil-Fpl and Uil-Pa public service federations are mobilising for the national strike on 9 December. The unions say that years of recruitment freezes have created staff shortages and mean that public services need around 500000 extra workers. The unions are also calling for action to increase permanent employment with around 170000 workers on precarious contracts. Health and safety are also vital with unions wanting action on personal protective equipment, reduced workloads and measures to tackle harassment. Finally, the federations are calling for a renewal of the
Trade unions back major protest over government policy
The main trade union confederations are taking part in the major national demonstration on 28 May. The unions are particularly concerned about the government’s refusal to engage in meaningful social dialogue and to consult trade unions over key pieces of legislation. The unions are also raising concerns about government plans on tax and other measures that mainly benefit the rich and risk undermining the welfare state. EPSU sent messages of solidarity.
Unions mobilise over outsourcing and the recovery
Trade unions in the electricity and waste sectors reported very high levels of support for their industrial action and protests on 30 June. The unions want article 177 of the procurement code to be deleted as they argue that it requires widespread outsourcing across their sectors, posing a major threat to jobs and working conditions. They say that if the article is not deleted there will be increasing fragmentation of these industries and it will undermine initiatives towards a circular economy and low carbon energy sector. Meanwhile, the three main confederations have also been mobilising to
Health unions criticise lack of social dialogue and block on unions
Health unions came together with representatives of trade union confederations to criticise a proposed amendment to the Health Care and Insurance Act. The unions argue that the amendment is effectively revenge for recent trade union protests against government policy and that it will deny trade unions and workers representation on health institution management bodies. Trade unions and confederations across all sectors have been engaged in protests over the refusal of the government to engage in social dialogue. This is just the latest example of the government failing to consult and putting
Discussing building power for European public service workers with Slovenian unions
The Slovenian Confederation KSJS organised a meeting between its affiliates and several European trade union organisations like EPSU. We discussed the work of the European Federation and the challenges for the future.
Federations plan for national strike in waste services
The federations that organise workers in waste and environmental services – Fp-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uiltrasporti and Fiadel – have called for a national strike on 8 November. The unions are mobilising hard to maximise turnout and ensure the key messages of the dispute are fully understood. They are facing up to employers who are pushing to unilaterally worsen employment conditions for all workers with a view to cut labour costs and eliminate the unions. The unions are determined to resist precarious working conditions and calls to decentralise bargaining and so fragment the main sector agreement. A