Confederations set out key issues for cross-sector negotiations

During the second round of negotiations in central government the trade unions raised a number of issues that they want to see addressed. This includes the need to carry out a detailed review of the measures on worker and trade union participation introduced in the last national collective agreement (2016-2018) and to ensure their full effectiveness and enforceability to strengthen the involvement of employees and their representatives in organisational matters that impact on the employment relationship. This includes, for example, the workings of the joint innovation committee that will deal

The FNV trade union confederation has set out its key bargaining policies for 2014. Among the main issues are a 3% pay increase, action to protect purchasing power, flat-rate rises to benefit the low paid and continuing campaigning to secure equal pay for equal work. The confederation is concerned about the spread of precarious employment and argues that employers need to comply with negotiated agreements and not to undermine them by employing agency labour. The FNV also calls for action to protect and improve the quality of work in the face of continuing pressure from restructuring and to cut

The CCOO and UGT unions in the public sector met with the finance ministry on 19 February to underline their demands for a new agreement on public employment that would include a target of reducing temporary employment to 8% of total employment over the next three years and to end the restriction on replacing employees who leave which has had major implications not just for workers but also the quality of services. The unions are also looking for an above-inflation pay rise and a restoration of the 5% salary cut from 2010. They also want to see a return to the 35-hour week across the public