At least 2,500 European employees of General Electric (GE) Co protested in Paris on 10 April 2016 against the US industrial conglomerate's restructuring plans, which include 6,500 job losses throughout the continent. The demonstrators came from throughout Europe, with 700 from Germany and hundreds more from Italy, Poland, Belgium and France itself. A large number were from French company Alstom SA, four months after GE acquired its power and grid businesses. Other protests took place in Germany, Spain, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland, international union federation IndustriALL said. GE is most of the way through a restructuring to hone its focus on its key traditional industrial businesses, which include railway equipment and renewable energy like wind turbines, and to grow in newer sectors, such as healthcare and energy management.
English: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz .
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Trade union IG Metall wants jobs protected during talks between Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE) and India's Tata Steel (TISC.NS) about combining their European steel operations. The IG Metall's regional head in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia stated that if there is a merger, there should be no jobs lost. He also said that IG Metall would hold a day of protest in the city of Duisburg in North Rhine-Westphalia in April 2016 against plans by the European Commission to toughen carbon emission certificate rules for the steel industry.
English: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ig-metall-union-presses-thyssenkrupp .
Trade union IG BCE announced it would seek wage increases of 5 percent for the more than 550,000 workers in the chemicals sector after the economy grew at its fastest rate in four years in 2015. The country's biggest union, IG Metall, has also demanded wage increases of 5 percent for 3.8 million metals and electrics sector workers after the economy grew by 1.7 percent last year. The trade unions argue that solid wage increases would help bolster domestic spending in Europe's largest economy as the country's export engine, once a reliable growth driver, stutters amid a global economic slowdown.
English: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/german-ig-bce-union-seek .
Following a two-hour long strike, the management of automotive safety systems company Autoliv came to an agreement with the Vasas workers trade union. A strike committee was formed in March, after the trade union deemed the 2.5% wage increase by the management to be unacceptable. A strike on 31 March became successful as management later on promised a 10% wage increase for assembly line workers retroactive to 1 January 2016. Blue collar workers who carry out indirect services and administrative staff will both receive a 4% wage increase, while factory workers will receive a 5% increase. Blue collar and factory workers will also receive the previously promised 13th month wage plus HUF 78 thousand in holiday compensation.
English: http://bbj.hu/business/autoliv-workers-management-agree-on-wage-rise .
The Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic (SPCR) sees space for a growth in average wages. This was stated by the SPCR Vice-president Jan Rafaj at the seminary Convergence of Wages between Old and New EU Member States on 6 April 2016. According to employers, a change in the structure of jobs including the introduction of incentives for the creation of job opportunities with higher value added or the introduction of the initiative Industry 4.0 would be suitable ways for the growth in the average wages. According to preliminary results of a survey conducted by SPCR and the National Bank in Q1 2016, employers predict an average growth in wages by about 2% in 2016.
English: http://www.praguemonitor.com/2016 .
Public sector workers called a strike against the pension and tax reforms sought by Greece's foreign lenders. A 24-hour walkout, called by public sector union ADEDY (representing about 500,000 public sector workers and pensioners), coincided with a review by lenders of Athens's compliance with terms of an international bailout agreed in 2015. Citizens have seen their incomes and services slashed under austerity measures agreed as part of its international bailouts. European Union institutions and the International Monetary Fund are holding out for a conclusion of additional reforms by Athens before signing off on the review, which could potentially unlock further financial aid to the indebted country. The review of fiscal reforms has stalled for weeks because of disagreements between European Union institutions and the IMF on the level of fiscal adjustment Athens must pursue to cover any shortfalls.
English: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3527707/Greek-public-sector .
In March, Hugo Boss dismissed an employee who supports the Teksif trade union organising at her factory. The German-based brand has also increased pressure on two other leading union members. The objective is clear: frighten workers away from joining a union. Based on earlier disputes the Boss corporate management told IndustriALL, its affiliate Teksif and multiple third parties that it will remain neutral in the Teksif organising drive in Izmir. But at the same time intimidation, threats, harassment and dismissals continue against workers who support the union. The highly critical Fair Labour Association report published in January 2016 highlights a long list of serious violations of Turkish Law, the FLA code of conduct and Hugo Boss's own code of conduct at the Hugo Boss plant in Izmir.
English: http://www.industriall-union.org/hugo-boss-continues-to-treat-turkish-workers .
The FLA report: http://www.fairlabor.org/affiliate/hugo-boss
Nearly 50,000 junior doctors are currently fighting a new contract proposed by the conservative government. In February 2019, the Health Secretary announced that the government will be imposing the contract despite ongoing industrial action. This move led to the escalation of strike action that was approved by 98 per cent of junior doctors in a ballot late 2015. Following walkouts in January, February and March, 2016, junior doctors across England staged two 48-hour strikes in April. The disputed contract is part of the Conservative Party's healthcare reform agenda, which is intended to lead to a `seven-day National Health Service (NHS)'. To facilitate this, the new junior doctors' contract would extend core working hours to cover Saturdays 07.00 to 19.00 as well as weekdays until 22.00. To compensate for the loss of extra pay for unsociable hours, basic pay would be increased. Industry professionals say the new contract is neither safe nor fair. They are calling for more resources for the overstretched and underfunded NHS.
English: http://www.equaltimes.org/junior-doctors-in-england-fight .
A campaign called Raidepuolue (Rail Party) started in March 2016 with a public event at the Helsinki railway station. The goal of the campaign is to stimulate debate on rail transport and its future. Behind the campaign are Railway Professionals JHL and the Locomotive Drivers Union VML, which have started this action as a reaction to the governments' plans to open up domestic passenger rail transport to private competition. This could mean an end to many local rail connections. Railway Professionals JHL fears that the whole future of the rail transport could be under threat. Railway Professionals JHL is part of the trade union for the public and welfare sectors JHL comprising those JHL members who work on rail transport. The campaign will continue to the end of 2016. It will go to 18 cities with a campaign tent in front of railway stations and visits to the rail transport working places.
English: http://www.jhl.fi/portal/en/jhl_info/news .
Bank Santander is to cut up to 1,200 jobs by the end of 2016. Santander management met union representatives in Madrid to start talks that could affect as much as 5 percent of the staff in its home market. Some of the cuts would be related to the closure of 450 branches the bank announced earlier, and others would be from central offices or other branches. The management told the trade unions that it intends to lose the workers via voluntary redundancies and early retirements.
English: https://www.thespainreport.com/newsitems .