Employers have made a disappointing offer in the opening of negotiations covering maternity nurses with an increase of only 2.75% for 2020 on the table, along with a change to mileage allowances. In contrast, the union side has a much more ambitious range of demands including a 5% wage increase for 2020, reimbursement of all travel time, waiting shifts paid as contract hours, an increase of the end-of-year bonus from 6.2% to 8.33% and reimbursement of all training costs.
Disappointing start to negotiations for maternity nurses
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Negotiations get off to disappointing start
Public services union ver.di reports that the first exchange with employers in the negotiations covering 2.3 million federal and municipal workers was a disappointment. The union has set out a series of key demands with the main one being a 4.8% pay rise with a minimum increase of EUR 150 a month. While the employers responded with some positive words about the efforts of public service workers during the pandemic they didn't come up with a pay offer. In fact, they underlined the challenges facing public finances and called for a long-term deal rather than the 12-month agreement demanded by
ETUC disappointed by delay in maternity rights changes
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Unions cut short maternity care sector negotiations
The FNV trade union and other unions involved in negotations for the maternity care sector cut short the latest round of talks in protest at the employers' failure to come up with a reasonable offer. The unions argue that the employers' offer actually represents a deterioration for workers and that it will do nothing to address the urgent recruitment situation resulting from an ageing workforce and workers leaving the sector, particularly for other parts of the health service where pay and conditions are better. The unions are looking for a serious offer from the employers before negotiations