The recent elections in several European countries that resulted in gains for extreme-right parties and even brought them into government were discussed at the constituency of the Mediterranean unions.
The Economic Policy Institute in the US has just published research that reveals the impact of declining union density and collective bargaining on wages. It finds, for example, that falling union membership translates to a loss of $1.56 (€1.47) per hour worked for the average worker, the equivalent of $3,250 (€3,070) for a full-time, full-year worker. Meanwhile, the erosion of collective bargaining lowered the median hourly wage also by $1.56 (€1.47), a 7.9% decline (0.2% annually), from 1979 to 2017. An analysis of wage distribution found that declining unionisation had widened inequality
The US government has set out 70 recommendations to encourage collective bargaining and union membership making it easier for many federal employees to join unions and eliminating barriers for union organizers to talk with workers. A report by the administration’s Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, says, “it is our administration’s belief that unions benefit all of us.” The report notes that union households earn up to 20% more than non-union households, with an even greater union advantage for workers with less formal education and workers of colour. The report calls for
The KTAMS civil service union is taking widespread industrial action (excluding hospitals) over the government's failure to ensure safety in workplaces in response to the continuing threat of the COVID-19 virus. The union action began on 10 September but continued as the government didn't respond to the union's demands.
Public service union PASYDY is to pursue a legal case on pay and pensions cuts during austerity to the European Court of Human Rights. The union has expressed disappointment with a ruling of the country's Supreme Court that the government was within its powers to cut pay and pensions in the period 2011-13 as part of austerity measures following the financial and economic crisis. PASYDY also raises questions about the conduct of the case which has dragged on for nearly eight years and the fact that the judgement appears to be in conflict with other rulings in relation to judges and pensioners.
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.
On 9 October the KTAMS civil service union organised a day of strike action in all workplaces in which it organises in protest at the sharply falling purchasing power of workers' pay. A steep decline in the Turkish Lira has led to much higher inflation, leaving the minimum wage effectively below the poverty level. The union wants to see legislation that will ensure the increasing cost of living is reflected in workers' pay on a monthly basis. During the day's strike action, KTAMS is organising a march to the parliament to present its proposals.
Unions organising local government, semi-public sector and contract workers called off a planned 3-hour strike following confirmation by the government that it would honour an agreement signed in January this year. The agreement included a commitment to a pay rise/recuperation of some of the pay cuts imposed since 2012 once the economy was growing again. The unions planned the strike when the government initially refused to discuss a pay rise despite positive economic developments.
The Cyprus Turkish Civil Cervants Trade Union (KTAMS) held a one–hour token strike on 17 July in protest at unfair employment practices at the Central Bank of North Cyprus. The union argued that the Bank had taken on employees and assigned some as managers without following the proper procedures, particularly in regard to equal opportunities.
(April 2017) The KTAMS civil service union in Cyprus organised strike action in the Turkish News Agency at the end of March over the denial of promotion to certain Agency employees. This is an issue that the union has taken up with the government which has prevented the Agency management from carrying out the promotions.
Efforts to privatize utilities and health institutions, the outsourcing of services, overcrowded prisons, and the constant pressure on the unions from unfriendly governments were some of the themes discussed by the board of the Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants Trade union KTAMS with the EPSU General Secretary.
