Culture, Pensions/retirement, Hungary, Czech Republic

On 29 March, EPSU affiliates, including the OSZSP health union, joined the national demonstration against an increase in the pension age that was called by OS KOVO, the largest trade union in the country. Trade unions are concerned about rumours that the government might increase the retirement age from 65 to 68. They are not only demanding that there should be no increase but that there should be measures to allow for earlier retirement, particularly in arduous and dangerous occupations. The CMKOS trade union confederation has launched a petition against any pension age increase.

Trade unions, youth and student groups and many other organisations continue to campaign against the French government’s proposed pension changes, including the increase in the pension age from 62 to 64. The latest and seventh day of protests took place on 11 March and further demonstrations and strikes are planned across different sectors. All EPSU affiliates are involved across the main confederations and trade union organisations – CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC. Meanwhile, trade unions in the Czech confederation CMKOS are concerned about the possibility of government changes that would

EPSU has sent letters to the prime minister and leaders of political groups in parliament protesting at legislation that will remove public service status from over 20000 workers in libraries, museums, archives, culture centres, theatres and orchestras. This is a group of workers that is mainly low paid and whose pay has been frozen for over 10 years. The additional employment protection of public service status is one of their few main benefits. The government is using its emergency to push through the change at breakneck speed without the usual parliamentary process or consultation with

The KKDSZ culture workers' union has launched a petition highlighting low pay in the sector and plans to hand it to the minister of human resources on 22 January, the national day of culture. The union will highlight the contradiction of government claims that national culture is important while failing to increase pay for museum, library and other culture workers for over 10 years or engage in proper collective bargaining. The union is planning a number of events in Budapest and other cities. EPSU send a message of solidarity.

The government has confirmed the pay increase for public sector workers that was negotiated in September. There will be a flat rate CZK 1500 (EUR 59) increase per year, meaning on average a 7% increase. However, the government has also confirmed that it will abolish the pay table for lower paid staff. These include non-teaching staff in regional education, culture staff, secondary professions in social services and non-medical professions in hospitals. These will be transferred to another pay system meaning a additional increase of 3.5%. The increases take effect in January.

Sixteen trade unions are working together in a campaign against the "slave law" that will see major changes to rules on working time, with overtime limits increased from 250 hours to 400 hours a year. A national demonstration was organised on 8 December and EPSU sent a message of support. A further national protest is planned for 5 January, with support also coming from civil society organisations. The unions have a range of demands including withdrawal of the overtime proposals, a pay rise for public sector workers, changes to the strike law and improvements to pensions.