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 | Further social care strikes likely as arbitration is rejected |
Childcare and other social care workers hoping for a revaluation of their jobs have overwhelmingly rejected the results of arbitration. Members of ver.di voted by 69% against the arbitration outcome, with a similar majority in the GEW education union and only slightly lower (60%) in the DBB civil servants’ union. Following the vote the unions met with the VKA employers’ organisation which failed to come up with a revised offer. Ver.di had to correct some of the claims made by the VKA about what was on offer. Ver.di pointed out that most childcare workers, for example, would only get an extra €30 a month from the deal. The union also criticised the employers for lumping together the general pay increase for public sector workers negotiated earlier this year with the specific increases on offer in the current negotiations. With no new offer and a very high vote against the arbitration proposal, further strikes are likely with ver.di indicating that they will start up again after the summer beginning in Bavaria andv Baden-Württemburg. Read more at > ver.di (DE)
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| Unfreezing of pay is only a start for trade unions |
The government has confirmed that public sector pay will rise by 1% in 2016 but this, for the unions, is only one step in a list of measures they want to see to reverse the impact of austerity. Firstly, there is still a question of re-establishing proper collective bargaining and not having unilateral decisions from the government. Then come a number of important pay and conditions questions relating to loss of purchasing power since 2010, loss of the additional payment in 2012, repayment of which is not guaranteed for all public sector workers and further the question of a return to the 35-hour week. In terms of employment, the government has announced that more departments will move back to a 100% replacement rate, including social services, the prisons and labour market staff. Read more at > FES-CCOO (ES) And at > FSP-UGT (ES)
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| Government faces protests from pensioners and trade unions |
Low pensions and an anti-trade union labour law are creating widespread opposition against the government of the Bosnian federation. Following last month’s protest against the new labour code, unions wrote to the government calling on it to amend the legislation or face further demonstrations. Similar protests are in prospect now in the Srpska Republic where the government is planning to introduce labour legislation along the same lines as that of the Federation. Read more at > Balkan Insight news website (EN)
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| Unions argue that civil servants’ pay is vital element of reforms |
The FPU trade union confederation and SEEU state workers’ union have written to the President calling for the unions to have a clear role in proposed administrative reform and the pay of local and national civil servants. The union points out that state workers are vital to ensuring that the planned reforms are implemented effectively but they have faced a significant real terms cut in pay. Salaries haven’t been reviewed for eight years and high inflation has taken its toll on purchasing power. One key target for the unions is to set a minimum civil service salary at twice the national minimum wage.
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| National Gallery staff in all out strike |
At the beginning of last week (10 August) workers at the National Gallery in central London began an all-out strike against the privatisation of visitor services. The union has been calling for negotiations to avoid the privatisation and had hoped to have talks with the Gallery’s new director before he took office. The union is also campaigning for the reinstatement of a leading shop steward, illegally sacked, the union believes for her trade union activity. Read more at > PCS
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| Unions campaign to get local authorities to reject temporary worker law |
Public sector unions are campaigning to get local authorities to agree not to take advantage of the new Work Environment Act which relaxes rules on the use of temporary contracts. So far over 40 local authorities have made the commitment and it has also become an issue in local elections with social democratic and other parties saying they will also ignore the new law if they win power. Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
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| Prison union protests over pay and staffing |
On 13 August the SNLP prison workers’ union organised a protest in front of the national prison service over the failure of the government to pay eight months of wage arrears and respond to other demands including: improving staffing levels by hiring 1,000 more people; compensation for overtime with time off from work or extra salary pay; and imposing sanctions on officials who do not abide by the law on staffing. The government doesn’t respect the collective agreement or the process of social dialogue. Out of a list of 75 issues raised by the unions only five have been partially dealt with over the last 6 months. Depending on the government’s reaction, the union will continue the protest actions for an undetermined period of time. All prison workers will be wearing black ribbons around their arms to symbolise the loss of professional dignity. Read more at > SNLP (RO
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| Unions secure regional agreement covering private health |
The CCOO and UGT trade unions have managed to negotiate a collective agreement covering private health care in the Leon province despite initial attempts by the employers to reduce workers’ pay and conditions. The agreement runs until 31 December 2016 and includes a 0.5% pay increase this year and 0.8% next year. Working time is being reduced with a 25 hours cut over the year to 1800 hours. Read more at > CCOO (ES)
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| €1700 is next minimum wage target |
With very high levels of collective bargaining coverage, trade unions in Austria have been able to negotiate improved minimum wages without needing any legal minimum wage. In recent years unions have been campaigning to increase minimum wages with a target of €1500 a month. This was achieved in the retail sector earlier this year and now unions like the GPA-djp services union are looking at the next step in the campaign - a target of at least €1700 for minimum wages in all collective agreements. Read more at > GPA-djp (DE)
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| Union attacks Federal budget cuts |
The Federal negotiating committee, of which the VPOD public services union is a member, has strongly criticised the proposed Federal budget which will impact on the pay of Federal government workers. The committee has rejected the budget and called for negotiations. One of the main changes is the increased role for performance-related pay in salaries, with union concern that the changes will increased the pay gap in the public sector between the high and low paid and the old and young. The unions are also concerned that pensions changes will hit the lower paid, making it more difficult for them to take early retirement, even when early retirement the result of restructuring rather than personal choice. Read more at > VPOD (DE)
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| Unions react to regional government restructuring |
On 7 August the Notre law on regional and departmental government reorganisation reached the statute books. The law will mean some big changes across France, including mergers to create larger regions. The legislation will have a major impact on many local and regional government workers and the CFDT confederation has called for a clear commitment for social dialogue throughout the reorganisation process. The CGT has criticised the proposed changes, seeing them as part of a strategy of austerity to reduce resources for public services. FO has also expressed concern about the prospect of some 40000 jobs being cut or relocated. Read more at > CFDT (FR) And at > CGT (FR) And at > FO (FR)
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| Union refuses to sign deal with government |
The FNV has refused to sign an agreement with the government covering a broad range of public sector workers. The union has challenged the government to clarify what the deal would mean for pensions in particular. While the government claims it is offering a 5.05% pay increase, the FNV argues that part of this money comes from reduced pensions and so is in fact worth only 2.85% with a €500 lump sum. The union will continue to campaign for a better deal and for collective agreements covering civil servants and other public sector workers. It also wants a commitment for more permanent rather than temporary jobs across the public services. Read more at > FNV (NL)
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| Confederations set out key issues for cross-sector negotiations |
The three confederations, AKAVA, STTK and SAK, have been given until 21 August to come up with proposals for negotiations with the government which is particularly calling for measures to boost competitiveness. The unions are ready to negotiate but have made it clear that a deal cannot be reached if employees alone have to shoulder all the burden. The confederations want to see measures on training and better handling of lay-offs and the position of employees in companies. Read more at > Trade Union News (EN)
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