Trade union CGSP/ACOD organised a public-sector workers’ strike in the French-speaking region. The union protested against the federal government’s policies and budget cuts. The union said it was a warning to the current government, which has a majority on the right and thinks public services are not important. The sector is under-funded and workers have to defend not only their jobs but also the services they provide.
Read on: in English …
[close]Even after a record inflow of migrants over the past three years that boosted the country’s population to above 10 million, businesses are having hard times finding skilled workers. The central bank stated that unemployment is at about the same level as before the global financial crisis while the number of job openings and job vacancies has doubled in that period. The labour shortage may also be good news for the central Riksbank, which is counting on faster wage increases to boost inflation. According to the National Institute of Economic Research, pay growth has been anaemic for years, holding at below 3% since 2012.
Read on: in English …
[close]Workers at the troubled Ilva steel plant held a 24-hour-strike over plans to cut 4,000 jobs as part of its restructuring under a takeover by led by Indian steel multinational ArcelorMittal. Union members held a sit-in at Ilva's site in Taranto, Puglia, where 3,300 job losses are planned and also protested at Ilva's plant in Genoa where a further 600 jobs would go. The Am Investco takeover consortium intends to re-hire almost 10,000 out of 14,000 Ilva workers, according to a letter sent to unions ahead of government-mediated talks slated in Rome on 9 October 2017. The trade unions and the government want Am Investco to guarantee it will maintain Ilva employees' existing salaries, jobs and contractual benefits while the consortium has said it wants to re-negotiate these.
Read on: in English (1) … in English (2) …
[close]The country’s president started preparatory talks with the social partners, after having consulted the political parties. The meetings are normally organised on a regular basis, but this time they are taking place before the submission to parliament of the state budget bill for 2018. At the end of last month, the president warned against the temptations of ever shorter electoral cycles and called for priority to be given to sustainable economic development and debt reduction. He also called in favour of good industrial relations.
Read on: in English …
[close]Public sector unions said they considered to strike after talks about pay rises with the finance minister broke down. Unions were hoping to arrive at a consensual arrangement on the basis of the basic provision of the framework agreement linking nominal GDP with the sum of the demands. However, the finance minister’s approach concerning the said provision did not help continue the dialogue and a deadlock emerged. The framework agreement, unions said, affects some 24,000 workers and pensioners. In a written statement following the meeting, the minister said granting pay rises on the eve of the elections would signal a return to the bad practices of the past.
Read on: in English …
Czechia
[close]The International Federation of Journalists published the results of a survey with several European respondents. Strong unions, supported by proper and implemented legislation and rights to collective bargaining are of great importance for journalists to secure fair and decent working conditions. There are still complications to overcome in order to achieve decent working conditions, such as a lack of collective bargaining and social rights, low wages and the denial of rights for freelancers. Respondents emphasise the advantages of union membership and collective action, when trying to overcome these challenges. The IFJ calls for a global commitment to respect the rights and freedom of association, collective bargaining and fair working conditions. It is necessary to ensure independent journalism and press freedom.
Read on: in English …
[close]An article on Equaltimes reveals that there is a serious threat of a brain drain, notably in the care and medical sectors. Doctor are waiting for the ‘right moment’ to leave the country in search of better pay and working conditions. Since the country joined the EU in 2013, the National Medical Council has received more than 1300 requests for certificates to work abroad. At least 550 doctors have left the country, many fed up with dead-end jobs, forced overtime and abusive patients. Among junior doctors who decide to leave, many do so before starting the specialty training, leaving behind an ageing sector in dire straits.
Read on: in English …
[close]The Firefighters' Trade Union staged a protest rally in front of the Government Palace on 5 October 2017 as part of the continuing pay rise dispute with the government which the union indicated could escalate into a strike. The workers demand fair pay, for fair work. Firefighters are classified under 31 different workplace designations. Beginner firefighters start in the 17th pay grade, which is virtually the minimum wage, while top-level commanders are classified in the 48th pay grade. The government came up with proposals that only led to improvements for some categories.
Read on: in English …
[close]At the 50th anniversary of the Technical Calculation Committee for Wage Settlements (TBU), the country’s coordinated wage formation was discussed. The basis for the collective bargaining model is a shared understanding of reality before the parties begin wage negotiations. The result has been few conflicts and narrow pay gaps. The TBU discusses the ‘real financial situation’ and identifies the room for manoeuvre ahead of wage negotiations, in light of competitiveness and a just division of incomes.
Read on: in English …
[close]The OECD published an updated version of its 2012 report Closing the Gender Gap Now. In the new report, The Pursuit of Gender Equality: An Uphill Battle, the organisation signals that very little progress has been made since 2012. Gender gaps persist in all areas of social and economic life across countries, and the size of these gaps has often changed little in recent years. When women do work, they are more likely to do it on a part-time basis, are less likely to advance to management positions, are more likely to face discrimination, and earn less than men. The median female worker earns almost 15% less than her male counterpart, on average, across the OECD – a rate that has barely changed since 2010. Together with the full report, the OECD has made available individual country reports for France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and the UK.
Read on: in English …
[close]