Strike

Strikes and industrial action

The right to strike is fundamental for trade unions. Although strikes and industrial action are the weapons of last resort, it is crucial that trade unions can use them in the fight to defend workers' rights and get a fair deal from employers. The challenge for many unions, particularly those in the public sector, is that the right to strike is restricted or even completely denied. Information on the right to strike in the public sector is available in 48 country factsheets that cover the main rules and include information on cases that trade unions have taken to the International Labour Organisation and Council of Europe.

Date
Jun. 26, 2025

Unions mobilise against austerity plans

Belgium

On 25 June, Belgium’s three main trade union confederations – FGTB/ABVV , CSC/ACV and CGSLB/ACLVB – organised a national day of mobilisation to protest against the federal government’s planned austerity measures. The actions targeted proposals to tighten access to unemployment benefits, limit early retirement options, and cut back public services. Tens of thousands of workers joined demonstrations across the country, with a major rally held in Brussels. The unions denounced the government’s social policies as unfair and harmful to working people, warning that the planned reforms would leave
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Jun. 26, 2025

Unions support protest over mental health care crisis

Switzerland

VPOD is backing a national demonstration planned for 16 August in Bern under the slogan “Mental health for all!” The action, supported by the “Mental Health Switzerland” initiative, aims to highlight the ongoing crisis in access to psychotherapeutic care. Despite the introduction of a new mandate model in 2022, therapists face impractical rules, inadequate tariffs, and stalled negotiations with health insurers. As a result, patients face growing delays, rejections in emergencies, and increasing inequality in access to care. The organisers are calling for fairer pay for psychotherapists, less
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Jun. 26, 2025

Strikes and actions in care and defence sectors

Italy

On 12 June, five Italian unions – Fp Cgil , Cisl Fp, Fisascat Cisl, Uil Fpl and Uiltucs – declared a national strike covering over 10,000 workers employed in facilities under ANASTE – the employers’ organisation representing private and non-profit providers that manage residential and care facilities for elderly and dependent people in Italy. The move followed a negotiation meeting on 10 June, where ANASTE presented a contract renewal offer including a €55 increase for level 4 full-time workers, partial improvements to sickness benefits and a small contribution for supplementary healthcare
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Jun. 12, 2025

Strike in private care and cleaning in Almega

Sweden

Kommunal has issued a strike notice in its dispute with Almega Vårdföretagarna, the employers’ organisation representing private care providers including Attendo, Forenede Care, and Unilabs. The action covers around 50,000 workers in private health and elderly care and is set to begin on 16 June if no agreement is reached. The conflict centres on Kommunal’s demand that part-time workers be paid overtime as soon as they work beyond their agreed hours. Currently, in the private care sector, they must first reach full-time hours before overtime rates apply. This means two workers doing the same
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May. 30, 2025

Strikes intensify across healthcare and public services

France

In response to the worsening situation in public hospitals, the FO-SPS federation has filed a national strike notice from 7 May to 30 June covering all staff. The union points to closures of emergency services, restructuring of facilities, and ongoing budget cuts, while social dialogue has stalled. FO warns of serious staffing issues over the summer and says the government’s latest measures will only worsen the crisis. This action adds to growing unrest in the sector. On 1 April, five major unions—CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, FO, and SUD—organised a nationwide strike in the health and care sectors
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May. 30, 2025

Strike ends at Spanish maritime fisheries inspectorate

Spain

After more than 80 days of strike action, unions representing maritime fisheries inspectors in Spain have reached a historic agreement with the government, securing major improvements to working conditions and pay. The agreement was signed by CCOO , UGT, CSIF, and CIG , while ELA initially held out but later also ended the strike. The inspectors had been demanding recognition of their special working hours, pay improvements, and the creation of a dedicated inspection scale. The government has now committed to begin negotiations on these points, including a new job classification structure
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May. 30, 2025

Enel workers resist harmful schedule changes

Italy

Workers at the Italian energy company Enel are stepping up their resistance to the company's unilateral imposition of a new work schedule that unions say is upending lives and causing serious organisational problems. Backed by the unions Filctem-CGIL , Flaei-CISL and Uiltec-UIL , the workers are staging a second national two-hour strike on 29 May following strong participation in the initial strike on 12 May. The changes introduced by Enel alter long-established working time arrangements, replacing them with a split-shift model that has already been piloted and rejected in Puglia. Unions
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May. 15, 2025

State sector unions secure 7.8% pay rise over three years

Finland

The unions representing workers in Finland’s state sector including JHL and Trade Union Pro —have approved a new collective agreement covering 76,000 civil servants and contract-based workers. The agreement was reached on 30 April and formally confirmed by the unions’ governing bodies on 5 May. Government approval is expected later in May. The new agreement runs from 1 March 2025 to 29 February 2028, with a possibility to terminate it a year early. It provides general-level pay increases totalling 7.8% over the period. The first across-the-board increase of 2.4% will take effect on 1 July 2025
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May. 02, 2025

Madrid waste workers end strike

Spain

The longest garbage collection strike in Madrid in ten years came to an end on 27 April 2025, following a collective agreement between unions and the private companies subcontracted by the Madrid City Council. The strike, which lasted from 21 to 27 April, was called by Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), and Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT). Around 1,800 workers employed by six companies—FCC, Valoriza, Acciona, OHLA, PreZero, and Urbaser—took part in the action. The unions demanded fairer conditions across the workforce, improved pay, and greater job
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May. 02, 2025

Municipal workers in Orasje strike

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Municipal workers in the city of Orašje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, are continuing a warning strike that began on 10 April 2025. The action follows the announcement by Mayor of plans to cancel the current decision on coefficients and pay grades in the city administration—an act that would violate the Law on Salaries in Government Bodies of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the applicable collective agreement for civil servants and public employees. The mayor has also refused to negotiate on the wage base for 2025, leaving salaries frozen at 2024 levels. The recent increase in
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May. 02, 2025

Non-profit workers to demonstrate, amid wider mobilisation

Belgium

Workers from Belgium’s non-profit sector will take to the streets of Brussels on 22 May to demand better working conditions and policies that recognise the value of care and social services. The action follows a major demonstration last November, when 30,000 workers protested against staff shortages, unsustainable workloads, and government inaction. Union representatives from FGTB-ABVV and CSC-ACV underline that there has been no progress since last autumn, with growing concerns over career endings, the impact of government measures on women, and the privatisation of public services
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