Early Childhood Education and Care, Social Dialogue
Gas social partners to launch negotiations for first Just Transition Agreement
Eurogas, EPSU, and industriAll Europe have notified the European Commission of their intention to enter into negotiations towards a European Framework Agreement. The negotiations will be the first of their kind to focus on a Just Transition.
Childcare workers take to streets over pay, jobs and funding
A trade union alliance involving the CNE, CSC Services Publics, CGSP, SETCA, CGSLB and SLPF coordinated a demonstration in Brussels on 26 April to raise concerns about the state of childcare provision. The protest involved a delegation meeting with the minister for children and health in the Brussels-Wallonia Federation with demands to tackle the long-standing problems of understaffing and precarious work and to prevent the extension of private, for-profit provision across the sector. The union were supported by non-profit providers in the sector.
“Why is upskilling and reskilling so important for LTC workers? What impact does it have on quality?”
Last week, EPSU participated in the online launch event of the ‘Partnership for Skills in Long Term Care – Driving Up Training and Life Long Learning’, organised by the project lead, the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities.
Union leaders from across Europe send a powerful message of solidarity to Europe’s public service workers
Europe’s public service workers are showing in many different ways that they expect significant pay increases to value the work they do for society, to compensate for high inflation and to show respect for their dedication during the very difficult period of COVID-19. They kept public services running. Strikes and industrial actions continue to take place across Europe.
Korian: negotiations to begin for a new Social Dialogue Ethics Charter
Building on the successful experience of the 1st European works council of Korian, the Korian Group has decided, with the support of the EPSU, to launch with the works council a negotiation on social dialogue within the Group.
Union action secures another pensions success in childcare
Following a successful strike over pensions at the PBL employers’ organisation, the Fagforbundet trade union has managed to secure improved occupational pensions for employees in kindergartens covered by the NHO Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise. The four-week strike in NHO companies ended on 17 March with negotiations guaranteeing that the portion of public subsidies intended for pension purposes will be fully applied and that savings rates for pensions will also be guaranteed rather than varying from one kindergarten to another. The deal also means that employers are not tempted to
Social Dialogue and Staff Shortages on the agenda of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee in the Hospital and Health Sector
Almost 40 participants from EU and non EU countries, including Norway and the UK, exchanged information and views on the situation of workers and employers in their countries and on the European level.
Health workers join action in federal and local government
Health workers were involved in warning strikes across the country on 14 and 15 March as the ver.di trade union builds support for its negotiations covering 2.5 million workers in federal and local government. The union is seeking a pay rise of 10.5% with a minimum increase of €500 a month. There was also action by workers in early years education and other social services to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March.
EPSU Social Services Working Group meets in Brussels to discuss key issues in the care sector
EPSU Social Services Working Group discussed effective collective bargaining coverage of social care workers in Central and Eastern Europe, the European Commission’s Skills and Talent Package and other topics.
New strike action over pensions in early years education
Following successful strike action in private childcare providers last autumn represented by the PBL employers’ organisation, the Fagforbundet trade union is again calling its members out on strike this time in the companies that are part of the NHO employers’ organisation. The aim is to ensure that workers in NHO companies are entitled to pensions on the same basis as municipal workers and those in the PBL agreement. This means a pension guaranteed for life and on a gender-equal basis and with some protection against the fluctuations of the stock market. Strikes began in a first group of