2010 April epsucob@NEWS 08
Unions divided over public service agreement
Public sector unions are divided over their response to the draft public service agreement that was drawn up to end industrial action over pay, pensions and jobs. The core of the agreement was the idea that public sector pay cuts would gradually be reversed if efficiency savings were made. The CPSU and Impact public sector unions argue that the agreement does not deliver real guarantees in terms of pay and pensions for their members and so they are recommending that their members vote against the deal in forthcoming ballots. The SIPTU general union has called for some clarification of the
Public sector confederation plans further strike action
The ADEDY civil service confederation has called a national strike on 22 April as part of its continuing campaign against government imposed cuts to the pay and conditions of public sector unions. The union argues strongly that its members should not pay for the crisis and also criticises the European Union for the way it has intervened in the Greek situation. Read more at > ADEDY (EL)
Union sets out collective bargaining guidelines in waste sector
The waste sector of the ver.di services union has agreed a set of collective bargaining guidelines to provide a framework for its negotiations in the industry. The union argues that in the past it has had to react to continuing pressure from the employers to cut jobs and keep wages low. Instead of reacting to events, the union wants to develop a more strategic approach to its collective bargaining work in a sector characterised by intense wage competition a trend for employers to pull out of the private sector industry agreement. The 11 guidelines include maintaining the industry agreement
Union maintains campaign over childcare regulations
Following strike action on 8 April, the CGT local and regional government federation is continuing its campaign against new regulations on childcare. The union argues that the changes will reduce the level of trained staff required at a crèche, a matter of concern not just for the workers in the sector but also for parents. The union is preparing for further strike action on 6 May and a national demonstration on 29 May and is also urging local councils to protest against the new regulations and to refuse to implement them. The CFDT is also campaigning against the changes and has attacked
New agreement for childcare sector should be signed soon
The Abvakabo public services union is confident that a new collective agreement for the childcare sector will be signed soon. The agreement will last from 1 May 2010 to 31 December 2011. The basic pay increases will be 1.25% from 1 May 2010 and 1.0% from 1 May 2011. It is possible that the agreement will also include a new personal budget system that will allow individual employees to select the types of benefits they want. Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)
Union plans action over childcare workers' pay and conditions
The VPÖD/SSP public services union is considering what action it can take to improve the pay and conditions of childcare workers. It argues that the responsibilities and physical strains of the job are not properly recognised. The union notes the success of ver.di last year in its campaign to win higher pay and improved working conditions for childcare workers and meetings at the end of April in Zürich and Bern will discuss strategy with contributions from colleagues in ver.di. [Read more at > VPOD (DE)->http://www.vpod.ch/aktuell/nachrichten/ansicht/article/kitas-unsere-arbeit-ist-mehr-wert
Hospitals accused of using nurses as cleaners
The FOA public services union has expressed concern about a survey showing that one in four nurses are spending time cleaning beds. The union believes that hospitals are trying to reduce costs by cutting jobs and they believe that service assistants are more dispensable than nurses. However, the union points out that service assistants are specifically trained for cleaning tasks and nurses are not. FOA argues that hospital cleaning is a vital job that requires proper training in order to ensure effective infection control and patient safety. [Read more at > FOA (DK)->http://www.foa.dk/Forbund
Union protests over precarious employment at institution for the blind
On 14 April the FSC-CCOO services federation co-ordinated demonstrations outside 25 centres around the country run by the ONCE institution for blind people. The federation was again raising questions about how the institution is run, its attitude to trade unions and the increase in precarious employment practices. The union hopes that an initial meeting with management will be followed up soon with negotiations on the key issues. Read more at > FSC-CCOO (ES)
Demonstrations planned in non-profit sector
Unions organising workers in the non-profit sector are planning demonstrations in Brussels, Liege and Charleroi in protest at the fact that the neither the French community government nor the Wallonia regional government have budgeted for pay increases. The non-profit sector covers a range of health and social services including childcare and housing. Unions have put forward a range of key demands some of which they have been pursuing for several years. Among other things they want the difficulty of their professions recognised and salaries brought in line with those in the health sector at
Municipal union pulls out of ineffective agreement
The SKTF municipal union has announced that it is pulling out of an agreement because its members are not getting the pay increases that have been negotiated. The union has signed three agreements in the private health sector, two of which expire this year. The third agreement should run until 2011 but SKTF has found that around 30% of its members in health companies have not had pay increases that are due to them. The union accuses the Almega employers’ organization of failing to monitor implementation of the agreement. [Read more at > SKTF (SE)->https://www.sktf.se/Templates/Page____35669
Prison and justice workers mobilised over working conditions
The FP CGIL public service federation is calling prison workers, along with those working in the juvenile justice system and legal archives, to demonstrate on 24 April. The union argues that the government has a contradictory justice policy that will not work because it fails to address the inadequate levels of staffing in the three services. FP CGIL also points out that a recent decree will make matters worse by requiring cuts of 10%. Read more at > FP CGIL (IT)
Private sector deal welcomed by unions
A basic hourly increase of NOK 1 (worth NOK 1950 annually €245) and NOK 0.5 per hour per employee allocated to an equal pay pot are the key elements of the latest agreement negotiated between the Spekter employers’ organizations and unions in the LO and YS confederations. Spekter covers around 190 firms with 180,000 employees in a range of sectors but mainly health, transport and energy. Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
Unions condemn imposition of local government pay freeze
Local government trade unions have attacked the LGA employers’ organisation for imposing a pay freeze for the next 12 months without engaging in proper negotiations. The LGA is controlled by Conservative Party run councils and the GMB union has welcomed the call by Labour Party run authorities for the LGA to open negotiations. The Unite union is running a campaign against the freeze and threats to local government workers’ pensions. [Read more at > UNISON (EN)->http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=1817 ] [And at Unite (EN)->http://www.unitetheunion.com/news__events
Federation attacks plans to privatise firefighting
The FSP-UGT public service federation has attacked the autonomous regional government of Galicia for proposing to privatise the fire service. The union argues that the plans are simply based on cost-cutting and that the regional government wants to take on firefighters on poorer pay and conditions. The federation says that the government wants to be able to recruit new firefighters more quickly and so presumably without the level of training they currently receive. Read more at > FSP-UGT (ES)
ETUC committee debates minimum wages and crisis in Ireland
The latest meeting of the ETUC collective bargaining committee on 13 April discussed developments in minimum wages across Europe. The debate was in the light of a resolution passed by the Belgian parliament calling on the Belgian government to use its EU presidency to put forward a European minimum wage policy. The committee also discussed the financial and economic crisis in Ireland and the latest news on attempts by the unions to protect the pay and conditions of public sector workers. Read more at > EPSU (EN)
Pensions and collective bargaining autonomy
The European Union’s top legal official, the Advocate General, has recommended that a case brought by the European Commission against the German government over pensions and collective bargaining autonomy should be dismissed. The full details of the recommendation have yet to be evaluated. The issue was whether the social partners in German local government were free to choose the pension provider for the sector. The Danish and Swedish governments gave evidence in the case as they were concerned to protect the autonomy of collective bargaining. Although the recommendation was for dismissal the
EPSU criticises Commission Communication on working time
EPSU has circulated an initial response to the European Commission’s Communication on working time to all affiliates. The federation wants to get feedback from affiliates as it draws up its formal response to the Communication. EPSU is particularly concerned that the Commission is trying to shift the focus from health and safety as the central aim of the Working Time Directive and emphasises that the issue of safety goes beyond workers themselves and in the public services involves the question of safety for patients and many others who rely on health, social and emergency services. The
New source of international labour news
Radio Labour is provides a new source of news on international labour movement developments. Its latest bulletins include a report on demonstrations by public service trade unions in the UK. The website allows you to download the news broadcasts and well as the scripts of each item. Read more at > Radio Labour (EN)