Union Rights
Directive on transparent and predictable working conditions
The Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive (TPWCD) was adopted in December 2017 and the deadline for transposition at national level is 1 August 2022. EPSU is concerned that the new rights in the directive might be denied to may public service workers.
Legal news round-up
The latest edition of the ETUCLEX newsletter has just been published with news on labour reforms in Spain and a key legal case about trade union representation on company supervisory boards among others. ETUCLEX is the human rights, legal and strategic litigation network of the European Trade Union Confederation and its affiliates and last year established a website and database that provides information on legal developments at European and national level. By signing up affiliates can benefit from and contribute to the early identification of and communication on important pending cases
Patent office workers plan industrial action
Members of the SUEPO trade union at the European Patent Office (EPO) have voted for industrial action, including a “work to rule”, “go slow” and a strike on 22 March. The union is calling for the restoration of fundamental rights at the EPO and the suspension or reversal of major reforms that have been detrimental to working conditions and wellbeing of staff. There have been longstanding problems with asserting trade union rights at the EPO with a former director intervening in the trade union’s internal affairs and blocking the right to strike. The International Labour Organisation has ruled
EPSU working group: strengthening the draft directive on minimum wages
Thirty-six representatives of EPSU affiliates from 17 countries took part in an online working group on 12 January to discuss the European Commission’s draft directive on adequate minimum wages. This was the third working group meeting following the launch of the Commission’s initiative in January 2020.
Unions angered by state intervention in private health and care dispute
The government has imposed compulsory arbitration in a dispute between unions representing health and care staff in the private and non-profit sector and the NHO employers’ organisation. The unions were taking strike action in support of their demand for higher pay rates that would bring pay in line with comparable collective agreements in health and care. The NHO was refusing to negotiate and then the national health board intervened claiming that the dispute was posing a danger to life and health. Each side will now present evidence to an independent wages board whose decision will then be