Collective Bargaining, Working Time
Negotiating and campaigning on working time
After pay, working time is core collective bargaining issue but is also an important area of employment regulated by national and European legislation. EPSU has been very active in defending and calling for proper implementation of the Working Time Directive and is involved in current debates on working time. The why and how of working time reduction is a guide produced for EPSU by the European Trade Union Institute and examines long-term trends in working time, the arguments for reducing it and examples of how this has been achieved.
Back to 35-hour week in public sector
(July 2016) Public sector workers have won back their right to a 35-hour week. Legislation came into effect earlier this month reversing the increase to 40 hours a week pushed through as part of a range of austerity measures in 2013. Most workers benefit immediately although implementation in some cases may be delayed to ensure continuity of service. Public sector unions have been waging a high-profile campaign against the five-hour increase, negotiating hundreds of local agreements across the public sector to retain the 35-hour week. Read more at CGTP (PT) and UGT (PT).
Unions welcome President's veto of Labour Code
(July 2016) Trade unions have welcomed the decision by President Dalia Grybauskaitė to veto the draft Labour Code. She said that the Code fails to provide adequate protections for workers and she has sent it back to Parliament with 22 suggested amendments. The unions have been campaigning against the Code since last autumn, warning of the impact of measures that would relax rules on working time and make it easier for employers to sack workers. Read more at Baltic Times (EN) and EPSU (EN).
Collective bargaining news from around Europe
(July 2016) The latest collective bargaining newsletter from the ETUI includes several articles on public services - pay developments affecting health staff (Hungary, Romania) and public service workers in general (Croatia, Ireland), strike action by museum workers in UK and action by Bulgarian unions over the right to strike. Read more at ETUI (EN).
Second strike by energy staff over working time
(July 2016) Over 400 energy meter readers around the country took their second period of four-day strike action in protest at demands by the E.On company that they work 30 minutes extra three nights a week. The unions - Unite, Unison and GMB - are concerned about long working days and that the company won't stop there if the extra hours are agreed. Read more at Unite.
Employers challenge generally binding agreements
(August 2016) The Trade Union News website reports that employer organisations are beginning a campaign against the generally binding nature of collective agreements. This is an important element of Finnish industrial relations ensuring that collective bargaining coverage is very high - 75.5% in the private sector and 100% in the public sector. The trade union confederations have made clear their support for the system which they argue prevents undercutting by unscrupulous employers. Read more at Trade Union News (EN). Also see a recent analysis by the ETUI.
High level of support for strike over working hours
(August 2016) Unions representing health workers from both the CGTP and UGT confederations organised strike action on 28 and 29 July calling for implementation of the 35-hour week across the health sector. The unions are angry that the decision to return to the 35-hour week across the public sector has not been fully implement in the health sector where many workers are covered by separate collective agreements that continue to apply the 40-hour week. The unions involved were Sintap, FNSTFPS and SEP. The SEP nurses' union reported 75% and more support for the strike and plans further action
Leaked report links working time cuts to job creation
(August 2016) A report by the IGAS social affairs inspectorate provides evidence that the reduction in working time implemented with the introduction of the 35-hour seek in 1998 lead to the creation of 350000 jobs over the next four years. The report has not been officially published but was leaked to the Mediapart organisation. The CGT trade union confederation has criticised the decision by the IGAS not to publish the report officially and argues that the analysis supports its call for a further reduction of weekly working time to 32 hours. The CFDT confederatoin has also called for a cut in
Positive pay trend in first half of year
(August 2016) Pay deals at an average of 2.5% in the first half of the year were slightly below the same period last year but delivered a 2% real increase in pay with inflation at only 0.5%. This is the main finding of the regular analysis of collectively negotiated pay deals published by the trade union-linked WSI research institute, part of the Hans Böckler Foundation. The major deals during this period included the 2.4% awarded to federal and local government workers and the 2.8% in the metall sector. Read more at WSI (DE).
Nurses maintain strike action over 35-hour week
(August 2016) Following their national action at the end of July (see last issue of epsucob@NEWS), nurses in the SEP trade union have been involved in a series of strikes at different hospitals around the country. Strikes at Barlavento Algarvio, Faro hospital and other institutions took place in the first half of the month and more are to follow with a five-day action planned at Tondela-Viseu in central Portugal. Read more at SEP (PT).
Strike vote enough to stop private contractor cuts
(August 2016) Staff at Cardiff Hospital working for the contractor ENGIE stopped proposed cuts to hours and pay enhancements following a 100% vote for strike action. The workers provide portering, catering, security, reception, housekeeping and cleaning staff to St. David’s Hospital could have lost hundreds of pounds a month under the changes, with redundancies also threatened. The company has withdrawn the proposals and also recognised Unison for collective bargaining. Read more at Unison.
Survey shows positive developments in collective bargaining
(August 2016) A survey of collective agreements across the Czech Republic for 2014-2015 shows ear-on-year, there was a significant increase in the number of collective agreements containing commitments on overall wage increases and commitments to increase salary tariffs. The survey also looked at salary bonuses and benefits as well as working hours and holidays where there were no significant developments over the period covered. Read more at Eurofound.
Unions argue for increased wage share
(August 2016) The International Trade Union Confederation and trade unions at the G20 summit of leading industrial nations have called for world leaders to take urgent steps to boost the global economy through co-ordinated action to increase wages and their share in national income. The ITUC says that rebuilding strong labour market institutions to create quality jobs and reduce income inequality must be a priority. Read more at ITUC (EN/FR/ES).