Early Childhood Education and Care, Demographic change, Recruitment & organising
Labour shortages: Social Partners jointly respond to the European Commission Consultation on Labour and Skills Shortages in the EU: An Action Plan
In a coordinated action, EPSU joined with Social Partners in Health and Social Services to responded to the European Commission consultation on Labour and Skills Shortages in the EU Action Plan.
EPSU Social Services Working Group discuss labour shortages, legislative developments and European Work Councils
On 27 February 48 participants gathered in Brussels for the Social Services Working Group to discuss, among other things, European Works Councils in the care sector, staffing levels and digital care platforms.
Union pushes for transitional agreement in childcare
The FNV trade union was due to begin talks with childcare employers to negotiate a transitional collective agreement to cover the approximately 114,000 employees in the sector, particularly with a view to address the challenges of retaining and attracting staff. The union notes that staff shortages and heavy workloads are leading to high levels of sickness absence and that the numbers leaving the profession increased significantly in 2023. The aim is to secure a temporary agreement for the second six months of 2024 in the lead up to negotiations over a long-term agreement. A recent FNV survey
Childcare workers strike over pay and precarious conditions
Members of the CCOO trade union in early years education have taken three days of strike action with a fourth planned for 15 November. They also came from all regions of Spain to join a national demonstration in Madrid on 2 November as part of their campaign to secure improvements to pay and secure real progress after over two years of negotiations with private sector employers. The union wants action to address precarious employment conditions and has had to resort to industrial action to put pressure on the employers to negotiate on the issue. The union argues that pay and working conditions
EPSU Childcare network discussed monitoring and evaluation in early childhood education and care
On 20th September 2023 the EPSU Childcare network met to discuss monitoring and evaluation in early childhood education and care, and the results of a survey on working conditions and professionalisation.
Survey reveals problem with childcare provision
The trade union-linked Hans Böckler research organisation has published a new survey uncovering worrying gaps in childcare provision across the country. It says that 10 years after the legal right to childcare from the age of one came into force, there is a shortage of childcare places. Further, it reveals that a large proportion of working or job-seeking parents who officially have a place for their child don’t have reliable care, with 57% confronted with reductions in childcare hours and/or even temporary closures of facilities due to staff shortages this spring. Two-thirds of those surveyed
Series of pay deals for private sector childcare workers
EPSU affiliates Fagforbundet and Delta, along with other unions, have been involved in negotiating a series of similar pay deals for workers covered by different private sector collective agreements. Assistants and skilled workers in the PBL group of kindergartens got a NOK 25800 (€2200) addition on annual salaries while teachers and education leaders received NOK 30000 (€2560). The overall cost increase of 5.4% is in line with the public sector increase. A 5.4% rise will also cover childcare facilities run by Norlandia which has moved to the agreement negotiated by the Spekter employers’