Gas, Training/life-long learning
Health unions call for urgent action on medical staffing
The three main unions representing health workers - FP-CGIL, CISL-FP and UIL-FPL - have issued a joint call demanding urgent action to tackle doctor shortages across the health service. The three federations are particularly concerned about precarious employment, the need for more specialists and for a recruitment plan for doctors to be put in place as soon as possible. They made their case at a meeting with the Ministry of Health on 30 August where they highlighted the impact of austerity and recruitment freezes which have impacted emergency services above all. The unions have warned for many
Union mobilises against energy network companies
The FNME-CGT energy union is stepping up its mobilisation of workers in the Enedis and GRDF electricity and gas network companies. The union accuses both companies of focusing on increasing profits at the expense of employees and customers. The companies are pushing through restructuring, outsourcing and job cuts with employees facing work intensification and pressure to deliver services without the proper resources. The union has a range of key demands including an increase in pay and an end to job cuts and outsourcing.
Energy union threatens strike action over pay
The Federation of Trade Unions Gaz Romania (FSGR) has said it may resort to strike action if the ENGIE energy company doesn't respond to its demands on pay. The union argues that the employers have failed to come up with a reasonable offer and also to provide information needed for the negotiations. The union has been in contact with the Labour Inspectorate to help put pressure on the company to provide the requested data and it hasn't ruled out possible legal action to be accompanied by protests and strikes.
Best negotiating result for many years for federal and municipal workers
Services union ver.di is celebrating the best negotiating result in many years for federal and municipal workers who will see pay rise by 7.5% in a new 30-month agreement. There will be increases of 3.19% on 1 March 2018, 3.09% on 1 April 2019 and 1.06% on 1 March 2020. The increases will be implemented through a fundamental revision of the pay structure, including particular changes to lower pay levels. The aim was to ensure faster pay developments in early stages of a career to make the sector more attractive and also to close the gap where there are big differences with the private sector
ETUC success with new apprenticeship recommendation
The ETUC reports that it has successfully negotiated and lobbied for a Recommendation by the European Council that sets out a number of measures to improve apprenticeships. These include:involving social partners in the design, governance and implementation of apprenticeship systems; a written agreement on learning and working conditions; a call for apprentices to be paid in line with national or sectoral requirements or collective agreements; and that they should be entitled to social protection, including necessary insurance in line with national legislation.
Ministry of Justice workers mobilise
The FSC-CCOO and FeSP-UGT public service federations organised a rally outside the Ministry of Justice against proposals that would change the rules on worker mobility. The unions are particularly angry that the amendments have been introduced in parliament without following the correct procedure. They say that if implemented the rules would significantly reduce workers' rights and mean that they could be forced to move to jobs on much lower pay levels. The unions will also use the protest to highlight some of the many other pay and conditions problems that the Ministry has failed to negotiate
The EU Parliament has included important measures to fight #EnergyPoverty but ruled out concrete measures to protect the most vulnerable
This week the European Parliament voted its position on the electricity market directive, missing the last opportunity to include a comprehensive definition of energy poverty in the new 2030 EU Energy Package.
European commission’s will to phase out regulated prices tempered by Council of the EU
In the last few months the European Commission, with its fourth energy package « clean energy for all Europeans » has called for the end of regulated tariffs for all domestic users within five years.
ETUC calls for strengthening of working conditions directive
On 20 December the European Commission published is draft directive on transparent and predictable working conditions to replace the Written Statement Directive. The initial response from the ETUC is to welcome the requirement on employers to provide information to workers on day one and to extend this right to a range of atypical workers. There are also positive measures related to training, prohibition periods, protection of trade union reps and the rights of flexible workers. However, the ETUC wants to see additional measures to tackle the worst forms of precarious employment, particularly
Unions welcome central government agreement
The three main trade unions representing workers in ministries and agencies - FP-CGIL, CISL-FP and UIL-PA - have welcomed the new agreement signed on 23 December that marks the end of almost nine years of a freeze on collective bargaining. Covering around 250000 employees, the agreement re-establishes the importance of the role of the trade unions and collective bargaining and implements the basic pay provisions set out in the public sector framework deal agreed at the end of 2016. The central government agreement has a wide range of provisions on leave, including extra leave for women who are
High levels of support for doctors' strike
Unions report a high level of support - 70%-80% in some areas - for the strike by doctors and health managers on 12 December. The action involved many organisations in the sector including FP-CGIL, UIL-FPL and CISL Medici. The strike was called in support of negotiations to renew doctors' contracts after eight years without any bargaining. But the unions are also raising issues around precarious work and training for young doctors as well as the issue of funding. The unions are criticising the government for failing to increase health funding as a percentage of GDP.