Czech Republic
The member organisations of the CMKOS trade union confederation aim to work together in a campaign to highlight the problem of low pay in the country. CMKOS has called a rally on 16 September in Prague that will be a key step towards coordinated action in 2016. An important aim will be to underline the impact of low wages not just on workers but also to highlight the negative impact on the economy and on productivity.
Read more at > CMKOS (CZ)
EPSU affiliates have been supporting the campaign of industrial action called by the EAKL trade union confederation. Transport workers have been at the forefront of the strike over changes to the laws on collective bargaining and employment contracts while teachers have also been taking separate strike action over their demand for a 20% pay increase. The EPSU energy affiliate showed its support with industrial action at the Narva power plant. [Read more at > Baltic Course news website (EN)->http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/energy/?doc=54339] [And more at > ERR news website (EN)->http://news
The LO confederation, with 14 affiliates representing mainly blue-collar workers, has agreed a formula to coordinate collective bargaining on pay in the upcoming wage round. This includes a commitment to focus on lower paid workers with an aim to secure increases in minimum wages in collective agreements by specific amounts in Krone to underpin general percentage pay rises. This first step in coordination was welcomed by EPSU’s affiliates in LO, Kommunal, SEKO and the transport workers’ union. However, there was also a recognition that discussions would continue on the specific figures to be
Municipal union Kommunal has welcomed the decision by the LO blue-collar trade union confederation to target low pay in the next bargaining round. LO and Kommunal argue that this will also mean improving pay in sectors dominated by women. The aim will be for all workers paid less than the monthly average industrial wage (SEK 25000, €2910) to get the same monetary amount as the percentage increase for those on more than the average. This would also apply to minimum wage rates. [Read more at > LO (SV)->http://www.lo.se/home/lo/home.nsf/unidview/BC9BDEE39DEC0773C1257AA100434A0A] [And at >
