Health and Safety

PSI/EPSU Joint Statement - The Rights-Based Approach to Migration in 3 Phrases: Solidarity, Human Rights and Root Causes
This year, we mark International Migrants’ Day by amplifying the call for a rights-based approach to migration, contained in 3 phrases: solidarity, human rights and root causes.
Public service federations mobilise for 9 December strike
The Fp-Cgil, Cisl-FP, Uil-Fpl and Uil-Pa public service federations are mobilising for the national strike on 9 December. The unions say that years of recruitment freezes have created staff shortages and mean that public services need around 500000 extra workers. The unions are also calling for action to increase permanent employment with around 170000 workers on precarious contracts. Health and safety are also vital with unions wanting action on personal protective equipment, reduced workloads and measures to tackle harassment. Finally, the federations are calling for a renewal of the
Trade unions stress need for action against gender violence and harassment
EPSU joined with the ETUC and other European and global trade union organisations in a strong call for action to end violence against and harassment of women. The ETUC called for laws against workplace harassment to be updated to protect women working from home against online abuse made possible by surveillance techniques being used by employers. EPSU outlined the many ways in which the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on women not only as the backbone of health and social care provision across Europe but also often facing the double burden of dealing with extra childcare while working from

Joint EONS, EPSU and ETUC letter calling the European Parliament and the Council to include hazardous medicinal products and substances toxic for reproduction in the CMD
An open letter outlines the significant health risks caused by regular exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic drugs.
Increase in fatal cases of COVID-19 among long-term care facility residents in the EU/EEA and the UK
Observed all-cause mortality among older people underlines the severe impact of COVID-19 in this population group. Residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are one of the most vulnerable populations, and particular focus should be given to the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 introduction and to
Health union builds towards national strike
The OZZPiP nurses' and midwives' union looks set to declare disputes in different regions across the country in a process that could lead to a national strike. The union is angry that legislation on bonuses for work with COVID-19 patients has been amended and could see many nurses lose out if they work with COVID-19 patients but in hospitals that are not designated as COVID-19 facilities. Furthermore, the union is calling for allowances to go to all nurses and midwives that come into contact with COVID-19 patients and not just staff who are specifically assigned to care for these patients
Call for government to protect health workers
The vpod/ssp public services union, as part of the Health Alliance campaign, has called on the Federal Council to refrain from any watering down of labour legislation and to provide comprehensive protection for health personnel, including special measures for pregnant women and other vulnerable people. The Alliance is also calling for massive financial investment in working conditions, a corona premium for all health workers and action to address structural deficiencies in the healthcare system and tackle precarious work in the sector. vpod/ssp (DE) vpod/ssp (FR)
Strike planned across health and public administration
The Cgil, Cisl and Uil Pa public service federations have declared a one-day strike on 9 December covering public health, and local, regional and central government. New collective agreements are due to be negotiated across these sectors but the unions argue that the government has failed to guarantee funding to cover any negotiated improvements. They also say that there is no commitment from the government to ensure safety at work, to increase employment or to tackle precarious work. Fp-Cgil (IT)

Amnesty International and EPSU organize a joint online conference on human rights violations of health and social care workers
On 28 October, Amnesty International and EPSU joined forces for an online event to discuss the human rights violations of health and social care workers during COVID-19.