Health

Trade unions Kommunal and Vårdförbundet have negotiated a 29-month agreement covering the health and social care sector running from 1 May 2023 to 30 September 2025. Kommunal reports that the amount for increases for full-time employees on 1 May 2023 is SEK 1138 (€97) and SEK 1049 (€90) on 1 May 2024. The new minimum salary as of 1 October 2023 will be SEK 22203 (€1900) and SEK 24456 (€2090) for those with upper secondary education. The corresponding figures for 2024 will be SEK 23252 (€1990) and SEK 25505 (€2180). For Vårdförbundet the main elements include: salary increases in the first year

Public service unions in the CMKOS confederation, including OSZSP and OSSOO, have reacted angrily to the threat of austerity as further details emerge of the government’s plans to slash public spending. This would include cuts to the public sector pay bill – with workers facing a 5% pay cut in 2024 and having no pay rise awarded so far this year. The unions argue that job cuts and reductions in pay will worsen existing staffing problems in public services and make it even harder to provide quality services. The CMKOS confederation launched a strike alert last month and earlier this month

A nationwide strike on 7 June by SIPTU members in local authority water services was averted following the decision by the government to guarantee that any workers who do not want to transfer to the new public water company, Uisce Éireann, will have all their earnings protected. The key issue for the union was to secure the guarantee in relation to workers’ allowances and overtime payments they accrue currently as part of their work. Meanwhile, INMO and other health unions have called for the extension of the temporary special leave with pay scheme for workers with COVID to be extended. The

Kommunal and the Almega Vårdföretagarna employers’ organisation have negotiated two new collective agreements for employees working in private health and social care and eldercare both of which run from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2025. In the private health and social care agreement, the minimum wage will be increased by SEK 1350 (€115) in 2023 and by 3.5% in 2024. The general wage rises will be SEK 1156 (€100) in 2023 and SEK 995 (€85) in 2024. The new minimum salary as of 1 December 2023 will be SEK 21297 (€1830) with a rate of SEK 24013 (€2060) for professionals. These rates will rise to SEK

Members of ver.di employed by the SRH private health company have voted with a 70% approval for the new collective agreement. Workers will get a 5% increase (minimum €150) in on both 1 July 2023 and 1 July 2024. There will also be one-off payments (net for full-time, part-time pro rata) of €1000 in June 2023 and €500 in January 2024. The allowance for trainees will increase by €100 in both 2023 and 2024 and they will get one-off payments of €300 in 2023 and €200 in 2024. Other provisions include extra paid leave for employees with long service.

EPSU affiliates and other trade unions in the CMKOS confederation are on strike alert in response to a range of government proposals to consolidate public finances that pose a threat to public employees but also to tax allowances and other benefits for all workers. A potential 2% cut in staff costs in the public sector could have major consequences for pay and jobs with inflation reaching 30% over two years and so far no pay rise for public service workers this year. Public sector unions, including OSSOO and OSZSP, have expressed concern over the failure of the government to engage in social

A picket of the Ministry of Health on 23 May organised by the Sanitas health federation was key to getting the government to sit down with the union to discuss a range of issues relating to pay, bonuses, food allowances and funding for the health and social care system. Meetings took place on 24 and 25 May with the union setting out its key demands and the government indicating it would respond in early June. Sanitas will continue to mobilise its members and hasn’t ruled out warning strikes and potentially a national strike if the government fails to come up with solutions to its demands.

The recent campaign of protests by the HSSMS-MT and SSZSSH health unions, “We are health care”, led to a meeting with the government to discuss pay and how to ensure that nurses and other health workers do not lose out in comparison to doctors and other health professionals. The government’s promise that a new pay agreement in 2024 would resolve the issue was not enough to convince the unions who said that they cannot wait until next year to see progress. Further negotiations are now planned. Meanwhile, the SDLSN trade union has called for mediation over its claim for a €400 pay increase for

After two rounds of collective bargaining, the ver.di trade union has agreed a new 26-month deal with the German Red Cross covering around 50000 employees. Members have until June 15 to vote on the agreement which runs to 31 May 2025. From 1 August this year there will be a €1200 tax-free payment which employers can deliver in five instalments by the end of the year. In addition, workers will get €200 a month from September 2023 up to and including May 2024. There will be a pay increase of €200 plus 6% in June 2024. Various allowances are set to increase by 12% and there are also pay rises for

Strike action could be on the cards across local government in England and Wales as members of the main trade unions – UNISON, GMB and Unite – have rejected the £1925 (€2215) flat-rate pay offer. Meanwhile, action over pay is continuing in the National Health Service in England where Unite is continuing its campaign to get pay negotiations re-opened with targeted strike action in hospitals and the ambulance service. The RCN nursing union is balloting its members in England over further action while RCN members in Wales have also rejected the separate pay offer there. In central government, PCS