EWCs, Embassy and household staff
EPSU European Works Council Coordinators Network meeting
(10 February 2016, Brussels) Company policy and coordination of European Work Councils activities at European level is a key priority for EPSU. That’s the reason why, twice a year, an EPSU EWC coordinators network meeting is organized in Brussels.
RESOLUCIÓN de la FSESP relativa a la red de coordinadores de comités de empresa europeos
{Considered at the EPSU EWC Coordinators Seminar 13 September 2001, LuxembourgAdopted at the Executive Committee meeting 28-29 November 2001} 1. The EPSU policy statement: 'Public Service Trade Unions and Collective
EWC Coordinators exchange on gender equality, company networks in HSS and the EWC directive
The major topics in this week’s EPSU European Works Council (EWC) Coordinators meeting in Brussels have been firstly the ongoing work on gender equality in the two EWCs ENGIE and Suez-Environment
Unions negotiate pay rise for embassy and other international staff
(March 2017) The three main confederations - CGIL, CISL and UIL - have negotiated a new labour agreement that covers employees of embassies, consulates, legations, cultural institutes and other international organisations in Italy. The agreement runs for three years (2017-2019) and includes a 3.6% pay increase as well as a new mandatory payment by employers to the FIS Fund which provides benefits in the case of losing a job or having a cut in hours.
New decent work guidelines for multinationals
(April 2017) The International Labour Organisation has issued new guidelines for multinational enterprises. The revision has added to the longstanding ILO declaration by adding principles addressing specific decent work issues related to social security, forced labour, transition from the informal to the formal economy, wages, access to remedy and compensation of victims. The principles have been agreed with employers, trade unions and governments and set out responsibilities for public authorities.
Embassy and other international staff strike for better pay
(June 2017) Embassy, tourist office and other international staff around the world are taking strike action to secure pay rises and end a long-term pay freeze that has seen wages in some countries fall to below national minima. Unions are looking for a 20% pay increase, arguing that in some countries inflation has meant a 40% loss of purchasing power for some workers. Action has taken place or is planned in several countries including Canada, Sweden, the United States and Argentina.
Workers in overseas services take strike action
The FSC-CCOO and FeSP-UGT public service federations have called a strike on 16 October involving workers in the government's overseas services. The strike is in protest at the freezing of salaries for the 7000 workers in the service and increasingly precarious employment conditions. The unions say that the strike is necessary as there has been no response to their demands since a meeting a meeting in June and despite a number of other protests and actions so far in 2017.
Setting up a European Works Council in KORIAN – first meeting of the Special Negotiating Body
Trade unions and works council representatives met for the first time in the Special Negotiating Body (SNB) in order to establish a European Works Council (EWC) in the French-based care company KORIAN.
EPSU challenges union rights violations by German subsidiary of French multinational ORPEA
The French multinational company ORPEA specialising in elderly care, psychiatry, rehabilitation, home care and other assistance to dependent people is massively violating trade union rights of workers in the clinics of Celenus, one of its subsidiaries in Germany.