Collective Bargaining

The Marburger Bond doctors union found that an overwhelming share of its member suffer from stress due to excessive working hours. A survey of its 4000 members showed 59% reported frequent mental stress, 69% having too little time to treat patients and 72% said their own health was negatively affected by the job. The doctors point to excessive working hour limits, shift work and under staffing as causes of the stress.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/11788
German: https://www.marburger-bund.de/artikel/allgemein-pressemitteilungen/2015/klinik .

After a period of intensive negotiations, the trade unions PRO-GE und GPA-djp reached an agreement with the employers in 6 branches of the metal sector on 5 November. The aim of the unions was to keep up a unified result for the whole sector (with in total 180.000 workers). The minimum wage and basic wages will increase by 1.5% and the new minimum wage will amount 1.750.03 euro, as of 1 November 2015. Total duration of the agreement is 12 months. With this result, the strategy of the employers' organisation FMMI to separate and diversify the negotiations once more failed (see earlier Newsletters on this item).
German: http://www.proge.at/servlet/Content .
http://www.gpa-djp.at/cms .

Trade union JHL has said the planned labour reforms, reported in last month's newsletter, are disproportionately affecting women. The plans, which are debated currently with the social partners, include an increase in fixed term contracts and restrictions on the right to public childcare. JHL said the reforms are pushing workers with care responsibilities, which are still predominantly women, out of the labour force.
English: http://www.jhl.fi/portal/en.

The statistical office has published the 2014 employment report that can be downloaded now. It provides the number of persons working in the economy, employment status, selected categories of working persons, foreigners, disabled persons, retired persons, elements of employment changes by recruitment sources and reasons for dismissals. Growth in paid employment and a slight decrease in unemployment were observed.
English: http://stat.gov.pl/en/topics/labour-salaries/working-employed-wages-and-salaries .

A report released by Eurofound evaluates changes in collective bargaining throughout Europe. The authors find a universal trend towards decentralisation and flexibilisation. Collective agreements are negotiated more often on the lower, company level and more often give companies options to deviate from the agreement. The authors note that this trend occurs in all European countries, but has been developing at a much faster pace in Greece, Portugal, Romania and Spain. Changes in the Nordic countries and North Western Europe have been slower and executed in a more coordinated way.
English: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/report/2015/industrial-relations .

The Court of appeal ruled in a case of displacement of production (from a site in Rungis to plants in the Paris neighbourhood) that workers could not refer to the regional metal sector collective agreement to refuse displacement. The agreement provided (in article 3) the right to be notified in advance of every change of the employment relationship at the workplace and, if not accepted by the worker, had to be seen as a breach by the employer of this relationship. According to the Court the articles of the collective agreement only mean that in case of non-acceptance by the worker, the employer is free to start a formal procedure for dismissal. Besides the Court notes that the employer gave enough time to the workers to adapt to the new situation.

French: http://www.miroirsocial.com/actualite/12525/interpretation-d-une-convention ...  The Court interpretation (in French): https://www.courdecassation.fr/IMG///Note_explicative_Mme_Depommier.pdf

Over 2000 people attended a protest in Westminster's central hall to voice their disapproval of the draft Trade Union Bill, which was reported in last month's newsletter. The trade union bill, which is currently in its third and final reading in the House of Commons, would significantly restrict trade union action, including the right to strike. Trade unions are pulling together in a joint effort to fight the bill. Rallies are being organised and further protests have been announced.
English: http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events .
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/workers-join-protest-against-trade-union-bill .

Workers of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) have called a 48-hour strike, paralysing rush hour traffic in the capital. Staff walked out to protest against the use of agency labour as well as extensive bullying and intimidation during the unsuccessful talks with management.
English: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/616774/DLR-strike-tube .

Employers and trade unions GMB and Unite have concluded a National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). The deal, which will cover power stations and oil, gas and petro-chemical projects, includes a 6% pay hike and will run from 2016 through 2018.
English: https://usilive.org/constructions-workers-agree-6-pay-rise/

Media report that staff at British retailer Tesco is quitting their jobs over new holiday working hours, which would prevent them from celebrating Christmas with their families. Hungary's relation with Tesco has been troubled, with the company paying low wages and recent legislation attempting to break its hold on the market, as reported in the January newsletter. Management's latest decision to expand opening hours around the holidays has inspired a flight among its predominantly female workforce.
English: http://hungarianfreepress.com/2015/11/03/the-hungarian-tesco-rebellion/