The Dublin-based Euro found institute published a report that provides policymakers and practitioners with comprehensive information on workplace practices in terms of work organisation, human resource management, direct participation and social dialogue. The report reveals that the use of outsourcing is substantial and that flexible working time arrangements are on the increase. Almost two thirds of the establishment in the survey sample use (some kind of) variable pay schemes. 67% of managers reported that employees in their establishment were covered by one or more collective wage agreements. The highest level of coverage is reported for establishments in transport (71%) and the lowest level for establishments in the other services sector (64%). Differences between countries are much more pronounced: coverage levels exceed 90% in Austria, Finland, Italy and Spain but are below 10% in Estonia and Latvia.
English: http://eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files ...
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Healthcare technicians have suspended a planned open-ended strike, after the government agreed to union demands to reopen negotiations on salary and career structures. Thus, the trade unions have achieved one of their first objectives, the resumption of the negotiations with the health ministry that broke down in July 2014. The decision of the health technicians to call an unlimited stoppage reflects deep discontent at worsening pay and conditions. Career structures and salary rates have been effectively frozen since 1999.
English: http://www.equaltimes.org/portuguese-healthcare-workers ...
Youngsters organised a protest against precarious working conditions and deterioration of workers' rights. Although the country has returned to growth, the youth unemployment rate is still extremely high, standing at around 33.6% in January 2015 (figures by Eurostat). The bailout program that forced the country to change the social welfare system and reform the labour market has led to mass layoffs and pay cuts.
English: http://www.globaltimes.cn/content ...
A series of public sector labour stoppages that spread across the country due to a labour dispute on wages came to an end as an agreement was reached. The public sector workers trade unions and public employers agreed on a two-stage pay rise of more than 4 percent for public sector workers. The trade unions had stated at the start that it was high time for an increase in public sector pay which has lagged wage increases in the private sector in recent years. With the agreement, around 800,000 state workers will see their pay rise by 2.1 percent retroactively from March and by 2.3 percent from March 2016. The deal is likely to be adopted by the 16 state governments for a further 2.2 million civil servants. Thus, over three million people will probably profit from the wage agreement.
English: http://www.euronews.com/business-newswires/2992640-german-state-workers-win ...
The Department of Education has planned casualization reforms giving teachers a contract of indefinite duration after a period of continuous employment in excess of two years, rather than three. Separately, the department confirmed that money owed under the Haddington Road agreement to about 1,500 teachers who joined the profession in 2011-2012 will be paid in the payroll on April 9th. Each teacher is due to receive about €900 in arrears after teacher unions renegotiated the entry grade from 2012 onwards.
English: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/teachers-to-get ...
Statistics Finland estimates that some 83 000 employees (4% of the workforce) aged between 15 and 64 fall into the category of workers with zero-hours contracts. A majority of those with zero-hours contracts, 57%, were women. Those who worked on zero-hours contracts were mainly young: nearly one-half were aged under 25 and 65% were aged under 30. These contracts were most common among persons aged 15 to 19 with 20% of them `employed' on zero-hours contracts.
English: http://heikkijokinen.info/en/trade-union-news-from-finland/734-83-000-employees ...
With a large majority (more than two-thirds) workers at the Dunnes stores have voted in favour of industrial action. The Mandate trade union says a national strike committee will meet to determine the type of industrial action and the date. The union has been embroiled in an ongoing row with management at the chain over pay and conditions (see our January Newsletter). Earlier on a Labour Court recommendation stated that the company had an obligation to sit down with the trade union to discuss all of the issues in dispute including: a review of Dunnes' excessive use of temporary contracts of employment; the implementation of banded hour contracts which would give workers security of hours and earnings and individual and collective representational rights for Dunnes workers. The company is making a number of claims including that it will `never meet' the union.
English: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/dunnes-stores-attempt-to-intimidate ...
http://www.newstalk.com/Dunnes-Stores-workers-strike-ballot-pay-redundancy
Trade union IG-BCE and the employers in the chemical sector concluded a sector-wide collective agreement with a 2.8% wage rise over 17 months. In addition the employers' contributions to the sector's `Demographic Fund' will increase substantially over a period of 24 months from 550 euros in 2015, up to 750 euros in 2017. The agreement will apply to 550,000 employees across 1,900 companies. IG-BCE said the funds should help older workers reduce their hours.
English: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3014927/German-chemical-industry ...
The country's main public radio broadcaster, Radio France, has been paralysed by a strike since 19 March in what is now the longest such action to affect the company in a decade. The company, which is 90 percent state funded through license fees, is in deep financial trouble. The strike is in protest against the outsourcing of jobs, and reforms to production and cleaning services, as well as Radio France's decision to fire one of its two orchestras as a cost-saving measure. The trade unions have also warned against the possibility of mass job cuts, a fear that was exacerbated after the company floated the idea of a voluntary redundancy plan for between 200 and 300 positions.
English: http://www.france24.com/en/20150327-france-public-radio-paralysed-labour-strike/
HB Grandi fish factory workers in Akranes were recently `rewarded' for record profits at the company by being treated to free popsicles. The ice cream comes at a time when workers have been fighting for wage increases, and are likely to soon go on strike. Assisted by the trade union one worker, Jónína Björg Magnúsdóttir, decided she was not going to take this sitting down, and put together a response to management in the form of a song. The protest is against the fact that there is no money for improved wages, whilst at the same time it is possible to pay 2.7 billion ISK in dividends to the owner of the company.
English: http://grapevine.is/news/2015/03/27/fish-factory-worker-fights-back-with-song/