2013 April epsucob@NEWS 05

The vpod/SSP public services union has lodged a complaint over the right to strike with the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The case involves employees of the Neunberger Hospital who took strike action at the end of 2012 in protest at the decision of the Hospital's new owner, Genolier, to end the collective agreement and worsen employment conditions. The hospital sacked the striking workers and their dismissal was upheld by the courts despite the fact that the right to strike is in the constitution and Switzerland has also signed up to the key ILO conventions 87 and 98 on the right to

Following membership ballots, public service unions have voted to reject the recently negotiated national public sector agreement - Croke Park II. The deal involved further changes to pay and conditions in response to the government's claim that it needed to cut €1 billion from the public sector pay bill. Leaders of the biggest unions, IMPACT and SIPTU, recommended the deal as the best possible under difficult circumstances but other unions, including the CPSU civil service union and the nurses and midwives (INMO) recommended rejection. In the end, there was a majority in favour of the deal in

The FSP-UGT public service federation has welcomed the announcement of a meeting of unions and the health ministry on 29 April. However, the union remains to be convinced about whether the health minister is prepared to open proper negotiations and believes that the meeting may simply be a way of meeting its formal commitment to negotiate. The FSP-UGT along with the FSC-CCOO and other unions announced they were taking legal action against the minister over the denial of the right to collective bargaining citing examples of changes being imposed without negotiation. [Read more at > FSP-UGT (ES)

The FNV Abvakabo and CNV Publieke Zaak public service unions have negotiated a new agreement covering staff employed in primary care. The agreement runs from 1 January to 31 December 2013 and includes a general pay increase of 1.75% (inflation in the year to March was 2.9%). It also clarifies responsibilities on training and that any mandatory training should be paid for by the employer and carried out in work time. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/517215-principeakkoord-cao-huisartsenzorg/] [And at > CNV Publieke Zaak (NL)->http://www.mijnvakbond.nl

Services union ver.di is submitting a case to the constitutional court challenging a ruling by the federal labour court last year on the right to strike in church-run organisations. Church-run organisations, mainly providing health and social services, employ around 1.2 million workers and claim special treatment under the law. The federal labour court ruling means that any industrial action by ver.di is open to challenge. Ver.di believes that this needs to challenged under the constitution and that the federal labour court failed to take into account provisions of the European Social Charter

Vision, the union representing mainly white-collar workers in local government, has agreed a new four-year deal which it says breaks new ground. There are general increases of at least 2.6% and 2.2% in the first two years but then in years three and four the focus will be on individual wage increases. The union believes that individual increases will allow workers to secure higher pay increases and will reduce the structural pay gap. Vision also secured improved benefits for working parents. [Read more at > Vision (SV)->https://vision.se/Din-trygghet/Avtal1/Kommun-och-landsting/Avtal-2013

The Kommunal local government union, representing mainly nurses and blue-collar workers in health, cleaning and catering is planning a campaign of industrial action beginning on 29 April. A pay increase of 6.8% over three years is on the table in line with developments in industry. However, Kommunal wants a flat-rate increase of 1740 SEK (€205) as a way of providing lower paid workers with a higher increase. Kommunal argues this is vital step in tackling the lower pay levels in sectors where women make up the majority of workers. The union is also calling for an end to split shifts and

The public service federations of CGIL, CISL and UIL have issued a joint statement calling on the government to unblock negotiations in the public sector. The unions were reacting to a report on pay and jobs from the ARAN agency that negotiates with public sector unions on behalf of the government. The report shows a 1.6% fall in public sector pay. Taking into account inflation during the 2010-2012 period this amounts to a 7.2% cut in real terms. The report also reveals that 265000 jobs have been cuts from hospitals, child care and other public services. [Read more at > FP CGIL (IT)->http:/

Over 6000 home care workers joined a demonstration in the Hague and formed the number 100000 to indicate the jobs at threat from government proposed cuts to the sector. The FNV Abvakabo trade union was very pleased at the turn out noting that this is a sector where many carers work alone and so is often a challenge to organise. The protesters delivered a petition signed by 137000 people rejecting the cuts which amount to €1.1 billion, effectively 75% of what local authorities spend on home care. [Read more at > FNV Abvakabo (NL)->http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/thuiszorgers-zeggen

Unions at the Veolia Eau water company are opposed to proposals from the company for a plan to cut 1500 jobs on the basis of voluntary redundancies or redeployments. They are also unhappy about company plans to change working time arrangements and cut holiday entitlement. The unions argue that the cuts will have an impact on services and workloads and are simply a way of boosting productivity to keep shareholders happy. [Read more at > Humanite news website (FR)->http://www.humanite.fr/social-eco/veolia-eau-veut-supprimer-1500-emplois-en-france-517935] [And at > CGT (FR)->http://www