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German unions fight outsourcing in Swedish energy company Vattenfall - Strike action threatened
Press Communication: Brussels Immediate release, 7 March 2006 The European energy sector is in profound turmoil. Already 50 billion Euro's have been squandered on take-overs and mergers, and not returned
Progress on hours in Hamburg but strikes continue
Public services union ver.di has secured an agreement with local authorities in Hamburg on working hours. The new arrangements mean that most workers will stay below 40 hours a week but there are exceptions. Weekly hours depend on age, pay level and whether workers have children. So, for example all workers without children in the top four pay bands work 40 hour a week while those with children under the age of 12 work 39.5 hours. Those aged 50 and over in the bottom nine pay bands work 38 hours a week. General secretary Frank Bsirske welcomed the compromise deal but said that strikes in Lower
New pay structure in general state administration
The four unions in public administration have signed a four-year agreement which will see a major simplification of the pay structure. The current eight pay bands will be reduced to five and this will mean significant annual increases in pay for most categories of workers over the next four years. Those in the lowest pay bands at the moment (seven and eight) will make up the new band five and will see pay increase by 7.37% over the next four years with minimum pay reaching 13,592.88 euros in 2008. [Read more at > FSAP.CCOO->http://www.fsap.ccoo.es/conjunto.asp] [Read more at > FSP.UGT->http:/
Major review of training and collective agreements
A report was published in February looking at agreements on training which found that collective agreements in the public sector tend to have general training provisions but don't establish any specific individual right to continuing or further training. In contrast, according to the report, private sector agreements are in some respects more detailed, often setting out timeframes for the right to continuous training and that certain seniority requirements apply to this right. One of the report's recommendations is that training should be targeted more at those with basic or little education
Disabled care workers continue action
Public services union ABVAKABO is continuing its campaign for an improved collective agreement for disabled care workers, as reported in the last issue of epsucob@NEWS. Following last month's demonstration the union has organised a series of one-hour stoppages starting in Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe. The union stresses that the primary aim is not higher pay but a collective agreement that tackles heavy workloads and addresses personal development among other issues. Read more at > ABVAKABO
Pay equality campaign launched
The Swiss trade union confederation SGB/USS, backed by the VPOD/SSP public services union, is launching a year-long campaign for higher pay and equal pay. The campaign kicks off on 8 March with a series of events around the country including a demonstration outside parliament, leafleting at a range of different venues, public meetings and other public events highlighting the continuing pay gap between men and women. Read more at > SGB/USS
Action against weaker employment laws and for better pay
French public service unions are supporting the national action on 7 March in protest at new legislation which weakens the employment rights of young workers. The unions argue this is not the way to tackle unemployment and are calling for national negotiations on pay, jobs and growth to deal with the issue. Public service unions will also be using the day of action to highlight their continuing campaign for collective bargaining and higher pay. Read more at > CGT And at > FO
GDF-Suez merger threat to jobs
The proposed merger between GDF the publicly-owned gas company and the Suez private utility company has been attacked by unions. They are not only concerned about the threat to jobs but what the merger implies for the future of French and European energy policy and the future status of the electricity company EDF. The FNEM-FO federation called on its members to strike on 7 March and join the demonstrations on 7 March in protest at the new employment laws and make them also a protest against the Suez-GDF merger. [Read more at > CGT->http://www.fnme-cgt.fr/cnt/fjoint//31/414-fjoint.pdf] [And at
Commission plans action on gender equality
The European Commission has published a report looking at the measures needed to tackle gender equality. This is not just about reducing the persistent gender pay gap but about dealing with inequalities between men and women across society. The Commission plans to publish a Communication on the pay gap but in the meantime as set out a roadmap - a list of actions to be taken to tackle political, economic and social inequality. Read more at > European Commission
New salary system should mean improved pay for state workers
Many workers in state services, particularly the low paid, should benefit from a new salary structure, according to the EIRO industrial relations observatory. The new system is being introduced to replace a wide range of different arrangements which had created large variations in pay rates for similar jobs across the state sector. Although trade unions were not directly involved in negotiations over the new system they welcome the impact it will have on lower pay rates. The employees affected are all those in services funded from the state budget - ministries, institutions under the control
Legal action planned on equal pay
The Northern Ireland civil service union NIPSA is planning to take legal action on equal pay. It has examined administrative and technical jobs and found evidence of substantial pay differences in jobs that have been rated as equivalent using a job evaluation scheme. Women make up the majority of those in the administrative assistant and officer grades examined while the technical grade jobs are dominated by men. Read more at > NIPSA