Early Childhood Education and Care, Switzerland, Latvia

Along with two other organisations representing health professionals, the vpod/ssp public services union is organising a week of action from 26-31 October demanding better pay and conditions and more staff in healthcare. The action will highlight the long working hours and risks faced by health workers during the pandemic and the long-term need to revaluate jobs in the sector. A series of actions will take place during the week with a national protest planned for Berne on 31 October. Meanwhile the union was also active in a demonstration in Zürich on 26 September calling for better pay and

The vpod public service union is calling on the Zürich city council to take the lead in properly regulating childcare facilities. The union is particularly concerned that for-profit providers are failing to protect children's welfare or comply with labour legislation. The Trotzphase campaigning group within the union has been campaigning for a collective agreement for the sector and a range of other measures to improve pay and conditions. Vpod says that city, regional and federal authorities have been passing the buck between them and it is now time for action.

(June 2017) The vpod public services union has called for an end to internships in childcare and additional funding to ensure a proper provision of training in the sector. The union argues that many employers exploit the intern system to keep staff costs down while there is evidence that many workers who start on internships as a step towards a proper traineeship are disappointed as too few training places are available. While some authorities and employers have tried to regulate internships, vpod argues that they should be abolished completely.