Company policy and EWCs, Union Rights
Defending the rights to organise, negotiate and take industrial action
Public service trade unionists from North West Europe met online on 10-11 May to discuss the state of trade union rights in their countries in the fifth and final regional meeting in a two-year trade union rights project being run jointly by EPSU and the European federations for police (EuroCOP) and military personnel (EUROMIL).
Federations send joint protest letter to Achema management
EPSU and industriAll Europe have sent a joint letter of protest to bosses at the Achema chemicals plant in Lithuania. They have called on the management to end anti-union activity and return to the negotiating table to resolve a dispute over pay and a new collective agreement. The local union, part of the LPPSF union affiliated to both EPSU and industriAll, took strike action in February – the first private sector strike in Lithuania for 30 years – but had to suspend the action when the government declared a state of emergency because of the war in Ukraine.
EPSU joins international condemnation of detention of union leaders
EPSU has joined the ETUC and ITUC in condemning the detention of several leaders of independent trade unions and calling for their immediate release. Those detained include Aleksandr Yarashuk, president of the ITUC-affiliated BKDP; BKDP vice president Sergey Antusevich; Aleksandr Bukhvostov, president of the Free Trade Union of Metalworkers SPM; and Nikolay Sharakh, president of the Free Trade Union of Belarus SPB. Their homes and offices have also been searched. These are the latest in a long line of attacks on the BKDP and its member unions. Labourstart is coordinating a protest campaign.
EPSU and industriAll in joint challenge to Lithuanian company's anti-union actions
EPSU and industriAll Europe have sent a joint letter to the management of the AB Achema factory in Lithuania protesting at its anti-union activity and failure to resolve a dispute over pay and collective bargaining.