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Unions win pension agreement
Public sector unions in the UK have won an important concession from the government over the protection of pension rights. Existing members of public sector pension schemes will retain their right to retire at 60 on a full pension but all new employees will face a pension age of 65. The agreement covers all the main schemes apart from local government where negotiations continue. [Read more at > UNISON->http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=2322] [Read more at > PCS->http://www.pcs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=898944] [Read more at > GMB->http://www.gmb.org.uk/Templates
General strike backed by all three union federations
Unions in Belgium continue to protest against government plans to end early retirement provisions. Following the general strike called by the ABVV-FGTB socialist federation on 7 October, all three federations came together to back a general strike on 28 October with an estimated 100,000 demonstrating in Brussels. Read more at > the VRT news website
Swedish-Latvian anti-social dumping agreement
In the light of the recent controversy over attempts by a Latvian building company to undercut the Swedish collective agreement in the construction sector (the Vaxholm case), the two main union federations have come together to resist social dumping. The co-operation agreement says the federations will step up their work together and encourage improved links between their member organisations. [Read more at > LO->http://www.lo.se/home/lo/home.nsf/unidView/7906F4F2F15D46FBC12570A800491F00] In the meantime Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevey has appeared before the European Parliament
Prime minister fails to respond to public service unions
Prime minister Dominique de Villepin chose to announce further plans for privatisation and the creation of a “modern” state rather than respond to union demands for a proper social dialogue. Privatisation of EDF, the motorways and Paris airport are all on the agenda but not negotiations with the unions. Following the national demonstration on 4 October the CGT federation is now calling for two days of action on 9 and 10 November. This will again involve both private and public sectors with demands for pay increases and pay negotiations involving public service unions. [Read more at > FO->http
Public administration workers continue protests
Following a 40,000-strong demonstration in Lisbon on 20 October, union protests against government attacks on public administration pay and conditions will continue with another day of action on 10 November, including demonstrations in Lisbon and Porto. Read more at > STAL
Job cuts and early retirement background to public sector agreement
The industrial relations observatory EIRO reports on the cutbacks to public sector jobs and changes to retirement provision that formed that background to this year's public sector negotiations. There are fears that if job cuts continued on their current trends service quality will be undermined while there is also concern that the public services are failing to recruit younger workers. Read more at > EIRO
Metalworkers co-ordinate common demand on training
The European Metalworkers' Federation is running a co-ordinated collective bargaining campaign focussing on the right to training. The campaign was launched at the Federation's fifth collective bargaining conference in Rome on 11 and 12 October. EMF affiliates will put the demand for an individual right to training on their collective bargaining agenda and the campaign will be closely monitored over the next couple of years. The EMF conference also reaffirmed the need to more co-ordination to resist social dumping and underlined the importance of building its eucoba collective bargaining
EDF Energy vote for industrial action
Workers at EDF Energy in the UK have voted by an overwhelming majority for industrial action short of a strike. They are protesting against a pay offer that is below inflation and already six months overdue. The workers, members of the Prospect trade union, will work their contracted hours only and there will be a general withdrawal of goodwill and co-operation. Read more at > EDF
Health workers bargaining success
Services union ver.di, representing health workers at university hospitals, has managed to win concessions from employers over hours and special payments. In line with trends in the rest of the public sector the employers had demanded a 40-hour week and cuts to Christmas and holiday pay. The final agreement involves a change in hours according to age. Those under 40 will work 39 hours (up 30 minutes) while those aged 40-55 will remain on 38.5 hours. Workers over 55 will get a 30-minute cut to 38 hours. The agreement also involves a lump sum payment for 2005 in addition to those offered for
Anti-discrimination website
The European Commission's Directorate of Employment and Social Affairs has launched a new anti-discrimination website. The site provides information about EU law on all kinds of discrimination at work except gender discrimination. Read more at > Employment and Social Affairs
European Parliament discusses McCreevey attack on collective agreements
Commission President Barroso and Commissioner McCreevey were summoned before the European Parliament after Commissioner McCreevey had argued that Swedish collective agreements might be obstacles to the free movement of Services