After almost three years of talks, a deal on pay and working conditions for supermarket staff was reached. The agreement will give the sector's 260,000 workers, including many part-timers, a 5% rise over four years. The agreement is backdated from April 2013 and applicable till March 2017. Another part of the deal is to bring back the age for a full adult wage from 23 to 22 years of age. The extra allowances for evening and Saturday work will disappear. The agreement was concluded between the CNV trade union and the employers, without the involvement of the FNV trade union that pulled out of the talks because of the loss of the allowances for irregular working hours. The CNV union wants to ballot the deal for approval to as many supermarket workers as possible, not just union members.
English: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/12/supermarket-pay-deal-reached .
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New data on unemployment and wages reveal that the country is still in a vulnerable economic situation. The average gross salaries and wages paid in the period January-November 2015, compared to the average gross salaries and wages paid in the period January-November 2014, decreased by 0.8% in nominal terms and by 2.2% decreased in real terms. The average net salaries and wages paid in the period January-November 2015, compared to the average net salaries and wages paid in the period January-November 2014, decreased by 0.5% in nominal terms and by 1.9% decreased in real terms. The unemployment rate was at 16.7% at the end of the third quarter of 2014, a 1.4% decrease in comparison with the same period last year. The director of the National Employment Service (NES) has stated that the aim is to reduce the unemployment rate to below 15%.
English: http://webrzs.stat.gov.rs/WebSite/repository/documents .
http://www.staffingindustry.com/eng/Research-Publications/Daily-News/Serbia .
The social partners reached an agreement for the development of a framework that regulates night work for webshops. The agreement between employers and trade unions provides a general global framework, wherein each company is still free to negotiate its own conditions and logistics around night work. The details of the requested adjustment, which arose in the spring of 2015, have now been concluded. The signed agreement defines the subjects which must be discussed as part of a company agreement or workplace rule to regulate night work. The agreement should give e-commerce a big boost.
English: http://www.xpats.com/new-regulation-around-night-work-belgian-web-shops
The listed shipper AS Tallink Grupp and its subsidiaries OU Hansaliin and OU Laevateenindus signed a collective agreement and pay deal with the Estonian Seamen's Independent Union (EMSA) for 2016 that will increase the payroll of ship crew members by 5.3% in 2016. The collective agreement, valid until the end of 2016, will better specify the planning of work time and free time and the organisation of the remuneration payment. Management and unions said that the parties reached a compromise suitable for both sides.
English: http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport .
A detailed article looks at the average wage in Northern Ireland as the national living wage in the UK will rise to £7.20 an hour for workers in April 2016 and tries to find if the wages in the North really are that low. While the average weekly salaries have increased by 5.4% compared to 2014, it seems monthly expenditures are still causing people financial struggles. Over half of the respondents in a survey said their monthly salary is not enough for them to suitably live on.
English: http://insideireland.ie/2015/12/23/features-average-wages-in-northern-ireland .
The government approved the increase of the minimum monthly wage to BGN 420 (215 euro), starting 1 January 2016. The minimum hourly working wage becomes BGN 2.5. The increase should motivate job seekers and ensure that people receiving the minimum wage and their families are able to better satisfy their needs. The increase is also expected to decrease the number of working poor.
English: http://www.novinite.com/articles/172365/Bulgarian+Cabinet+Approves+Increase .
The government reached an agreement with three employer associations and two trade unions on the monthly minimum wages for skilled and unskilled workers. The monthly minimum wage for unskilled workers will rise in 2016 to gross 111,000 forints (353.6 euro) and skilled workers will get 129,000 forints (411 euro). The minimum wages will be confirmed in a government decree before the end of 2015. Calculating with projected inflation of 1.6% and a personal income tax rate of 15% in 2016, the minimum wage will rise in real terms by 5.6% for unskilled workers and by 5.7% for skilled workers in 2015. Trade union confederation MaSzSz, also a member of the broad forum of representatives from the private sector and the government responsible for wage talks, did not sign the agreement.
English: http://hungarytoday.hu/news/minimum-gross-wage-hungary .
The government signed a collective agreement for state employees with representatives of trade unions. The agreement is the first of its kind and should improve working conditions for civil servants. The collective agreement between the government and the trade unions governs the rights and obligations of both parties. It concerns more than 69,000 state employees, including employees of the financial authorities, Social Security Administration, labour offices and other central government bodies. The agreement is effective from 1 January 2016 and valid until 31 December 2016.
English: http://www.praguepost.com/czech-news/51280-state-employees-reach-historic .
Trade union KOVO is trying to join forces with US labour unions to negotiate conditions of the expected lay-offs at the U.S. Steel plant in Kosice. U.S. Steel announced it would lay off 15% of its work force, equalling 1500 jobs. U.S. Steel bought the Kosice plant 15 years ago, committing to uphold staffing levels for the first ten years. KOVO representatives said the union feels responsible for saving jobs as well as upholding working conditions and said it would enter talks over the lay-offs. A first result is a deal on a shortened the working week to only four days. For the fifth day, employees will receive 60 percent of their wage.
English: http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20068369/u-s-steel-shortens-working-week.html
http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20065981/trade-unions-seek-agreement-in-u-s-steel-kosice.html
After bargaining between the trade unions and business representatives ended in failure the government announced it would decree a minimum wage increase. The minimum wage was frozen at 485 euro until late 2014, before the centre-right coalition raised it to its current level of 505 euro. The decision is now to lift the monthly minimum wage to 530 euro on 1 January 2016. The government is willing to discuss ways to help companies absorb the increase.
English: http://www.dw.com/en/portugal-set-to-increase-minimum-wage .