Collective Bargaining

A study of the research centre Insee examines the situation of underemployment that looms in the zones in between unemployment and the relatively stable employment of direct labour. These zones cover what is known as the halo around unemployment (of inactive persons that would like to work although they are not counted in the statistics as real unemployed) and underemployed (that work less than they would like to).
French: http://www.metiseurope.eu/la-zone-grise-du-sous-emploi_fr …
Report with data: https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques …

As announced in our November Newsletter, the main trade union confederations UGT and CCOO have taken to the streets of Madrid to protest government social policy and austerity measures. With the country emerging from an economic downturn, the protesters have demanded an increase in salaries and pensions. The protest was organised under the theme ‘People and their rights first’. The march, backed by the Socialists and Podemos parties, was followed by dozens of smaller rallies across the country.
English: http://www.dw.com/en/thousands-march-in-madrid-against-labor-policies ...
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Spain-30000-March-in-Anti-Austerity ...

The representativeness of social partners provides legitimacy for their various roles in industrial relations, whether through the vehicle of social dialogue, collective bargaining or involvement in government policymaking or implementation. A Eurofound report compares the different ways in which the representativeness of social partners is defined at national, European and international levels. It shows that representativeness has various meanings across the 28 member states and Norway, with most countries featuring a combination of legal conformity and mutual recognition. The report analyses the concept of representativeness at national level by reviewing key elements such as electoral success, organisational strength in terms of membership, and the capacity to negotiate.
English: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default …

Observers expect a modification of the pay demands at the Irish Rail after Dublin Bus workers sealed pay deals in the Labour Court. Dublin Bus drivers and staff voted in October to accept a pay deal and cleared the way for a pay increase of 11.6% over 15 months. There is speculation that Irish Rail workers may feel more pressure to lower their initial claim - which is as high as 25% - because it is part of the CIE family. However, they haven't gone before the Workplace Relations Commission yet. Bus Éireann trade unions already almost halved their claim for a 21% pay increase for the troubled semi-state company's 2,600 workers.
English: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-rail-workers …
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/bus-ireann-unions-halve-pay-claim …

A report based on figures from the office Statistics Sweden and trade union Unionen has shed light on how much time workers actually spend at work, suggesting that more than one out of six Swedes on average clock up more than 6.2 hours of overtime per week. Rules for paid overtime are usually regulated in union agreements with workplaces, or in workers' individual contracts, however many don't actually write down their hours because they do not want to be seen as slow at getting the job done or not hard-working, says Unionen. In Stockholm, more than a third of those who work overtime do not get paid for it.
English: http://www.thelocal.se/jobs/article/this-is-how-much-overtime-swedes-work
Swedish: http://www.dn.se/arkiv/ekonomi/har-jobbar-de-mest-overtid/

An investigation sheds light on the practices of factories that supply products for some of the most expensive and luxury leather brands. The investigation revealed that some items are produced by workers expected to toil 10 hours a day while earning well below a living wage. It would take all their pay for three months to buy either item. The reporters tracked down a back-alley factory in the leather district where the PM’s luxury trousers are made. The Pasha Leather workshop is tucked away in a rundown district, where pay is as low as £297 a month. For the 10-hour day that is common in this garment trade, that is just £1.49 an hour. Many of those producing high-end goods for Western shoppers will spend their lives in abject poverty. A trade union spokesperson said some cannot even feed their families – and those who complain are fired on the spot.
English: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/inside-factory-theresa-mays ...

In a blog of a Magazine, several interviews are published with trade unionists active in the postal services. It is reported how trade unions at the postal services (La Poste) were constantly locked in intense negotiations with management over working conditions that have been linked to escalating levels of psychological distress among its 250,000 employees. The strong position of trade unions at La Poste has meant that workers were able to negotiate with management and ensure that workers’ rights were protected. Every phase of company restructuring has been accompanied by close consultation with the unions.
English: https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/12/france-post-office-workers-privatization/

Several thousand people protested in Warsaw over the government’s plans to impose restrictions on media coverage of parliament. The rules proposed by the head office of the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, will ban all recording of parliamentary sessions. Only five selected TV stations will be allowed to record or broadcast parliamentary sessions. The rules will also limit the number of journalists allowed in the building (maximum two accredited parliamentary reporters for each media outlet). The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has strongly condemned this latest attack on media freedom by the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS). In September, the Journalists Association (SDP) issued an appeal calling the speakers of Sejm and Senate to not implement the media restrictions in parliament.
English: http://europeanjournalists.org/blog/2016/12/18/polish-government-plans …

In October, we already reported that the Council of the EU intended to approve a proposal of the Commission which transposes a social partners’ agreement on working conditions in the fisheries sector. On 19 December, the Council of the EU formally adopted the EU Directive giving legal effect to an agreement negotiated by the European social partners to implement the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188). This Convention includes a comprehensive set of labour standards covering such issues as medical care at sea, written work agreements, mandatory crew lists, safety, health, food, accommodation, rest time and repatriation. Its provisions help prevent unacceptable forms of work, including forced labour, child labour and abuses in the recruitment and placement process. So far, ILO Convention No. 188 has been ratified by 10 countries, and both the Convention and the EU Directive will enter into force on 16 November 2017.
English: http://www.ilo.org/brussels/press/press-releases/WCMS_537359/lang--en/index.htm

The Malta Union of Midwives & Nurses (MUMN) is 'disgusted' that no response from the authorities was received after a meeting took place early November regarding social workers and ECG technicians to conclude the sectoral agreements. As such, the MUMN informed the authorities that if by 14 December an appointment was not made to conclude the agreements, an industrial action will be ordered which would include a strike from 15 December onwards. The industrial action was postponed after talks were reopened.
English: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-12-17/local-news/MUMN …