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Commission analyses reveal gaps in working time protection
European Commission reports on the Working Time Directive, published on 15 March, reveal that Member States’ legislation is generally compliant, but that some problems remain in ensuring that the legislation is having full effect, particularly across all public services.
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.
Three-year deal in public residential care
On 3 March the FSS-CCOO and FeSP-UGT federations signed a new three-year collective agreement covering around 300,000 workers in the public residential care sector. The agreement runs until 31 December 2025 and was secured after negotiations lasting for almost five years. It includes salary increases of 4% this year and 2.5% in both 2024 and 2025. A salary update clause means that there could be additional adjustments depending on developments in inflation. There will an hours reduction calculated on an annual basis with an 8-hour cut in 2024 and a further cut of 12 hours in 2025. Improvements
National industrial action across hospitals
The FNV and NU’91 unions have called a national day of industrial action across the hospital sector on 16 March when only a Sunday service will be provided. The unions are demanding a 10% pay increase in response to the surge in the cost of living and as one measure to help deal with the staffing crisis. The NU’91 also is also organising a broader campaign on the crisis in care with a demonstration in Utrecht on 9 March where it encouraged everyone to wear black and then to back its “every Tuesday in black” campaign.
National strike across central government
The PCS civil service union has been running a targeted campaign of industrial action to support its claim for higher pay and in defence of pensions and jobs. A nationwide action was organised on 1 March and then again on 15 March another national strike took place to coincide with the announcement of the government’s budget. The campaign of industrial action continues with various government agencies targeted with a series of one- and two-day strikes until the end of March. Meanwhile, some health service unions have suspended strike action during talks with the government over pay. However
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.
Struggle against pension reforms continues
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