Collective Bargaining News

Ireland -Coalition split over public sector wage increases -February 1, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:24:04Z

In the government coalition there is a clear split visible over the issue of €1,000-a-year pay increases for public sector workers, notably aimed for teachers, nurses and guards and most civil servants. Health Minister and Fine Gael deputy leader, James Reilly, told a newspaper that the government must seriously consider getting rid of the pay hikes - days after Public Spending Minister, Labour Party's Brendan Howlin, defended them in parliament. Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Eamon Gilmore has consistently said increments are part of the Croke Park deal.

English: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/coalition-split-over-payment ...

This article was published in the Collective Bargaining Newsletter. It aims to facilitate information exchange between trade unions and to support the work of ETUC's collective bargaining committee. For more information, please contact the editor Maarten van Klaveren, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) M.vanKlaveren@uva.nl or the communications officer of the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net. © ETUI aisbl, Brussels 2012.

Greece -Unions and employers both resist further wage reduction -February 1, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:22:37Z

Both employers and trade unions seem unified in their resistance to the pressure of the Papademos government for a further reduction of private sector wages. In their talks of Wednesday 25 January, both parties agreed that the current minimum wage of €751 monthly and the two extra monthly salaries that many private sector workers receive each year should not be reduced or scrapped. Yiannis Panagopoulos, president of the private sector union confederation GSEE, criticized the government for suggesting that it might force a law through Parliament that adjusts salaries if it is not happy with the outcome of union and employer talks. Meanwhile, in a press interview Poul Thomsen, head of the delegation to Greece of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), indicated that the 13th and 14th salaries need not be cut if authorities would lower the minimum wage and move ahead with closing down state-backed entities, leading to job cuts in the broader civil service (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November and December 2011).

English: http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_25/01/2012_424189;
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_16344_31/01/2012_425373

Finland -Important legal victory on fixed-term contracts -February 1, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:22:32Z

The JHL public services union has won a landmark ruling on the use of fixed-term contracts. The worker concerned had had eight consecutive fixed-term contracts over a period of six years and the employer had tried to argue that this was permissible because the job was related to dealing with annual applications to the European Union’s structural funds. On 24 January, the High Court rejected the employers’ argument and awarded compensation to the employee. The Court ruled that if there is not a motivated and objective reason for a job being temporary, it is permanent. The fact that a work agency client company assignment is time-limited is not a sufficient reason. The High Court decision clearly improves the status of agency labour, says Katarina Murto, a bargaining expert at the union confederation SAK.

English: http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?c=28676&l=2;
http://www.epsu.org/cob/456; http://www.artto.kaapeli.fi/unions/T2012/p05

Cyprus -Efforts ongoing to avoid wider strike action -January 31, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:17:48Z

By the end of January, Labour Minister Sotiroulla Charalambous had intensive meetings with both the unions and the employers’ federation in an effort to avert widespread strikes. Her initiative was conducted amid an ongoing 24-hour strike by porters and dock workers at the Limassol and Larnaca ports. Construction workers and employees of soft drink companies have also announced 24-hour warning strikes for early February. The suggestion of the OEV employers' federation for a unilateral two-year wage freeze and other cutbacks in the private sector was met by staunch disapproval of the unions. The minister, a former union official herself, is expected to play a key role in mediating a deal between the two sides.

English: http://www.cyprus-mail.com/strikes/looming-threat-wider-strike-action ...;
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/ports-be-paralysed-new-strike/20120125

Netherlands -Cleaners actions continue -January 30, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:15:51Z

Backed by the FNV Bondgenoten union, thousands of cleaners continue their strike combined with actions in various Dutch cities. According to their spokespersons, employers and principals have yet not adequately responded on the issues that keep parties from reaching an agreement for 150,000 employed such as sick pay, enough time to do the job properly, and more respect and appreciation on the job. On 13 January, 2,500 cleaners took part in a “March for Respect” in The Hague. A temporary suspension of the actions and a lowering of pay demand from 5 to 2.5% did not result in any change in the position of the OSB employers' association. In reaction the cleaners and their union have decided to new actions, including marches in Utrecht and Groningen. Meanwhile, and though the OSB says this does not contribute to a solution of the conflict, some principals have announced to lower work pressure for cleaners, notably Dutch Railways (NS), the Rotterdam Polytechnic and the Rotterdam municipality (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 December 2011).

English: http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/uni.nsf/pages/homepageEn?Opend … ;
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/220846.html

Dutch: De Volkskrant, 23 and 26 January 2011; http://www.fnvbondgenoten.nl/nieuws/nieuwsarchief/2012/januari...

Hungary -Malev union forms strike committee -January 30, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:14:39Z

Talks between management and the Air Transport Association Union (LESZ) at Malev Ground Handling (a unit of national carrier Malev Hungarian Airlines) on a collective contract have been broken off and the union has formed a strike committee, said LESZ chairman Attila Csorba. The contract ended 31 December 2011, but the union wants to extend it with some changes for another three years, according to Csorba. He said the union’s demands would not raise payroll costs. According to Malev the only issue concerning the collective contract was the length of time for which it should be extended. LESZ is demanding a 10% pay increase and a 5% rise in headcount, the airline said. The first round of strike talks is to take place soon, parties expected.

English: Máté Komiljovics, union correspondent

Hungary -Public transport unions plan demonstration -January 30, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:13:42Z

Unions at Budapest public transport company BKV have announced that on 7 February they will hold a demonstration in front of the company's headquarters. The demonstration is intended to call attention to the management's failure to consult employees on collective contracts and wages, the organisers said. Attila Gulyas, chairman of the local union said it was detestable that the central and municipal governments were keeping BKV on the brink of bankruptcy, which means that the standard of services is going down.

English: Máté Komiljovics, union correspondent

Belgium -National strike grips country when EU leaders meet -January 30, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:12:17Z

A united trade union front, including the FGTB-ABVV, CSC-ACV and ACLVB confederations, staged a nationwide general strike against austerity measures and in favour of protecting jobs on Monday 30 January, not accidentally the day EU leaders met in Brussels.^.In the light of European austerity policies and a disappointing economic growth policy, the union front fears that in Belgium working people and people receiving social security benefits will be the target of further austerity measures in addition to those already decided by the government. In spite of polls saying that only a minority of Belgians supported the strike, it was widespread and clearly the largest in two decades. The railway network closed, buses and trams sat in depots, schools and shops shut and production stopped at the factories of many companies including carmakers Audi and Volvo, Coca Cola, and imaging group Agfa-Gevaert. High-speed international trains, such as the Eurostar to/from London and Thalys to/from Paris, were not running into or out of the country as of late on Sunday. At Europe's second busiest port, Antwerp, all container and some bulk cargo terminals were shut (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 November and December 2011).

English:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/30/uk-belgium-strike ...;
http://www.euronews.net/2012/01/30/unions-want-to-reverse-austerity …

Dutch: http://www.dealternatieven.be/

French: http://www.csc-en-ligne.be/

Netherlands -Teachers' strike widespread -January 28, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:10:39Z

Nearly 22,000 secondary school teachers joined in a successful strike called by the FNV-affiliated teachers’ union, the Algemene Onderwijsbond (AOb), on 26 January. About 200 schools closed. This strike opposed the latest government Bill imposing new additional classroom hours for students, and curtailing teachers' holidays by one week. Basically, those on strike protested the growing workload of secondary school teachers, the continuous changes in legislation and regulation, and the lack of respect and recognition from the side of the authorities.

English: http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/news_details/2067

Dutch: NRC-Handelsblad 25, 26 and 27 January 2011

Italy -Further strikes envisaged against planned reforms -January 28, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:09:28Z

On Tuesday 24 January, nationwide strike action and traffic blocks of truck drivers, among which many self-employed, have disrupted traffic and industrial supply. Five Fiat car factories had to close temporarily. The truckers' actions are opposing a new government tax that has increased fuel prices. Their organisations have announced further strikes in February, as have done doctors, lawyers, pharmacists and other professional groups in protest of various aspects of the reforms planned by the Monti government. The main union confederations obviously take a cautious stand regarding the social unrest. Raffaele Bonanni, leader of the CISL confederation, said, concerning the truckers: “There needs to be a solution that gives hope to the workers. They do an exhausting job and they are undercut by truck drivers from other countries.”

English: http://www.agi.it/english-version/business/elenco-notizie/20120128 ...;
http://news.ph.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5801867

Belgium -Dock workers strike to protect professional status -January 27, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:07:45Z

A particular role in the Belgian national strike was played by the dock workers. They had a walk-out for 24 hours not only in protest of the austerity policies but also in defense of their professional status. At Europe's second busiest port, Antwerp, all container and some bulk cargo terminals were shut, with shipping traffic suffering delays due to suspended port services. Under Belgian law only workers who are registered can carry out dockers’ work but plans have now been announced to “modernise” the organisation of labour in ports. When pressed, the government has failed to define exactly what is meant by this and unions are concerned that the status of dockers and the legal protection of their jobs could be undermined. In addition, there is widespread feeling amongst union reps that meetings with employers over the terms of collective agreements for dock workers have not resulted in satisfactory outcomes.

English: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/30/uk-belgium ...;
http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/6959

Germany -Union reaches 3.5percent pay increase at Lufthansa -January 26, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:06:09Z

The ver.di services union has reached a negotiation result at Lufthansa for about 33,000 employed, after the employer improved its offer. The union's bargaining committee has agreed with the outcomes. The agreement includes a pay hike of 3.5%, starting 1 Januari 2012 and expiring 31 January 2013, for ground services, Lufthansa Systems, Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Cargo. At Lufthansa Service Gesellschaft (LSG) an employment guarantee and a lump-sum payment of €250 was agreed, with at least €100 for part-time workers. A number of additional payments have also been increased with 5%. Ver.di board member Christine Behle regarded the result as positive, also as the time schedules for the various agreements in the company are harmonised.

German: http://www.verdi.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/++co++ba4 …

United Kingdom -Union signs agreement with local council on pay equality -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:04:42Z

The GMB general union has signed a collective agreement with the Dudley Council in the West Midlands region of England that addresses previous problems of gender pay inequality in the pay and grading structure, after GMB members voted to accept it. The negotiations were lenghty, but the agreement was necessary to bring pay in the Council in line with equality legislation.

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456 ;
http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/dudley_council_new_agreement.aspx

United Kingdom -Unions continue protest over local pay cuts -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:03:24Z

Over one year after their dispute began, the Unite and UNISON trade unions are maintaining their industrial action campaign in protest at pay cuts imposed by Southampton City Council. At a recent meeting the unions agreed to continue action short of a strike, to organise a lobby of the council on 15 February and to plan for a major demonstration and strike action in April (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 May, June, July-August, September and October 2011).

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456 ;
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7539 ;
http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news ...

United Kingdom -Unilever workers in defense of pensions, also in Davos -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T12:02:12Z

Workers from Unilever's Port Sunlight UK site will be puncturing corporate power's party bubble when they turn up at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to protest against their employer's grab on the their pensions. Unilever is planning changes that will see the UK workforce between 20 and 40% worse off following the decision by the company to cut their pensions. Thousands of workers across the multinational's twelve UK sites have been on strike since December 2011 in protest at these plans. Despite repeated appeals and the offer of talks at the conciliation service, ACAS, Unilever has steadfastly refused to meet with the unions to talk about a fairer settlement. The company's CEO, Paul Polman, is one of the co-chairs of this year's WEF.

English: http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/unilever_workers ...

Switzerland -Public service union backs minimum wage initiative -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T11:29:26Z

The VPÖD-SSP public services union has leant its support to the initiative by the SGB/USS confederation to submit a petition with 110,000 signatures to the government and regions (cantons) to introduce a national minimum wage. The target wage is 22 CHF (€18) an hour (or 4,000 CHF (€3300) per month based on a 42-hour week). An estimated 400,000 workers currently earn less than this and three quarters of them are women. Unions in the public sector have already secured 4,000 CHF as a minimum wage, although this is under threat from privatisation. Only action by VPÖD-SSP ensured that the minimum would be applied following privatisation of cleaning in Geneva where the employers had wanted to introduce a minimum of only 17 CHF (€14) an hour.

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456

German: http://www.vpod.ch/aktuell/nachrichten/ansicht ...

French: http://www.ssp-vpod.ch/actualites/nouvelles/ansicht ...

Spain -Public sector unions mobilise against regional government attacks -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T11:18:24Z

While the national government has announced another year of pay freezes across the public sector, regional governments are planning their own range of cuts to pay and conditions and services. Public sector unions are planning a series of demonstrations and strikes in response to these attacks. In Valencia unions are planning legal action as well as demonstrations against the regional government’s planned savings of more than €1 billion. In the Basque region unions have tried to negotiate but the government is insistent on imposing a range of measures that will reduce rights to partial and early retirement. In Castilla –La Mancha unions have united in a campaign agains the cuts that will include local mobilisations around the time of the budget vote, a demonstration in Toledo on 11 February and a strike on 29 February.

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456

Spain -Central agreement reached on wage moderation -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T11:17:12Z

On Wednesday 25 January, the two major trade union confederations, CCOO and UGT, agreed the so-called Second Agreement for Collective Use and Negotiation with the two employers’ associations, CEOE and CEPYME. This central agreement comprises wage increases up to 0.5% for 2012, 0.6% for 2013 and between o.6% and 1.5% for 2014, with updates. The agreement enlarges, in addition, internal flexibility for companies, extends assumptions on the conditions in which the company owners can claim not to abide by the agreement, and determines the structure of collective negotiations. Among the reasons that could allow derogations from the agreement is a company’s persistent reduction of turnover, or the fact that the company’s economic perspective can be negatively affected by its application. This pact is what Spain needs at the moment, Candido Mendez, UGT Secretary General, said in a press conference, recognizing that a wage reduction is imminent.

English: http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content …

Portugal -Unions mobilise for 11 February demonstration -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T11:02:19Z

Jointly with other unions affiliates to the GCTP-IN confederation, the STAL public service union is mobilising support for a national demonstration called by the confederation on 11 February. The demonstration is in protest at the austerity measures being imposed by the troika of European Commission, European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Workers in the public sector have seen their pay cut while more broadly workers are facing longer hours and shorter holidays (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 November and December 2011).

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456

Portuguese: http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com_content ...

Poland -Confederations withdraw from social dialogue -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T11:00:55Z

In an unprecedented move the three trade union confederations (Solidarnosc, NPZZ and Forum) have agreed to withdraw from tripartite social dialogue working groups and to challenge the Prime Minister on the government’s failure to comply with legislation on social dialogue and convene regular meetings of the tripartite commission. The unions argue that the government has a constitutional duty to take part in the social dialogue and not just in the working groups that have no decision-making role.

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456

Polish: http://www.solidarnosc.org.pl/pl/aktualnosci/sielanka-sie-skonczyla.html

Norway -Unions demonstrate against Agency Workers Directive -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T10:00:33Z

The Fagforbundet municipal workers union, EL&IT energy union and the large private sector union Fellesforbundet were among those supporting a day of action in protest at the proposed introduction of the European Agency Workers Directive into Norway. Over 150,000 workers came out on the streets on this behalf. Although not a member of the European Union, Norway does implement most EU directives, but on this occasion unions are concerned that the directive might provide a opening to create a two-tier system, with agency workers on inferior terms and conditions. While welcoming the part of the directive concerning equal treatment of temporary and permanent workers, the unions are particularly worried that implementation of the directive will remove several restrictions in collective agreements currently obliging employers to agree on any kinds of temporary contracts with the unions.

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456 ; http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?c=28637&l=2

Norwegian: http://www.fagforbundet.no/forsida/?article_id=70743

Netherlands -Negotiations with local authorities focus on job security -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T09:59:08Z

FNV Abvakabo and other public service unions will restart negotiations with local government employers on 1 February, with a main focus on job security. The unions want a good agreement to protect municipal employees affected by restructuring. They are also looking to protect purchasing power and decent work. The municipal agreement effectively expired eight months ago. The unions will be looking for some positive responses from the employers on 1 February, or more actions may follow (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 March, May, November and December 2011).

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456

Dutch: http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/onderhandelingen ...

Italy -Massive support for private waste strike -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T09:57:45Z

The four trade unions organising in the private waste sector (FP-CGIL, FIT CISL, UILTRASPORTI and FIADEL) have congratulated their members on the very high levels of support for the strike across the country. The unions estimate that nearly nine in 10 workers joined the action that took place on 16 and 17 January, mainly in protest at the employers’ refusal to re-negotiate a sector-level agreement (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 November and December 2011).

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456

Italian: http://www.fpcgil.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/21021

Italy -Post-accident agreement for Costa Concordia crew -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T09:56:40Z

The inspectorate of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) in Italy has helped to secure an agreement that will help crew members who survived the tragic demise of the Costa Concordia in the immediate aftermath of the accident. The ITF team took on the task of liaising with ITF unions in crew members’ home countries and acting as a link with the company. They also visited crew in hotels so that they could relay their needs to the company. Following the inspectorate’s intervention, the entire multinational crew on board the Costa Concordia received a letter from the company agreeing to provide them with a number of benefits, such as: pocket money for initial expenditure; a consolidated salary payment up until the end of the period specified in their employment contract, with a minimum of two months’ basic wages and cover of up to USD3,570 (€2,842) for the loss of personal effects.

English: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/6937

Ireland -Union protects in-house cleaning at hospitals -January 25, 2012

Amitesh — 2012-02-04T09:55:16Z

The SIPTU general union has prevented the outsourcing of cleaning at two hospitals following the threat of industrial action. The union had challenged the plans of the Health Service (HSE) management to privatise the cleaning without consultation. The Croke Park national agreement on public sector pay and restructuring requires consultation with trade unions over any planned outsourcing. The unions have proposed an alternative that involves extra hours of work for home helps. SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “This is a very important agreement for health service staff and ends an attempt by HSE management to breech the terms of the Croke Park Agreement.”

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/456 ;
http://www.siptu.ie/media/pressreleases2012/othernews/fullstory,15397,en.html