After four years of negotiations, Switzerland has become the second European country to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with China. The trade unions, together with several NGO's, committed the negotiating party to the inclusion of a `durability chapter' in this FTA, which emphasises human rights and labour rights as well as environmental standards. Regarding ILO core standards, both countries commit to respecting those that have been ratified. This is highly problematic as China has ratified only 4 (excluding the standards protecting freedom of association and prohibiting forced labour). Nevertheless, the agreement contains a reference to both parties' obligations arising from membership of the ILO and from the major ILO declarations on labour rights and social justice, observing all 8 core standards.
English: http://column.global-labour-university.org/2014/10/switzerland-china-free-trade ...
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The public sector trade union ADEDY has called a walk out in Attica. ADEDY called for all public sector employees to attend a demonstration outside the State Council in Athens. The local government trade union POE-OTA announced it will participate in the strike actions. The State Council Assembly is set to convene and decide upon the appeals launched by ADEDY and the Thessaly-Central Greece employee union of decentralised administration against the public sector staff reviews. According to the appeal, the relevant legislation conflict with constitutional provisions of equality, impartiality, meritocracy and transparency.
English: http://www.tovima.gr/en/article ...
Members of the incoming government have stated that the country's costly unemployment benefit system needs further reforms. The unemployment rate is stuck above 10% despite billions of euro spent on subsidised jobs, and the country is under pressure of the EU partners to show it can implement reform. The statements suggest reducing the amount paid out as well as the length of time allowances are paid out for, with the aim of encouraging people back into work. Other suggestions include family allowances, child benefit and parental leave. But, the system is managed by trade unions and employers through agreements, so any reform will have to be negotiated by those two groups, which will no doubt be fraught.
English: http://www.thelocal.fr/20141010/frances-welfare-state-set-to-get-stingier
http://www.france24.com/en/20141013-france-macron-unemployment-benefits-reform ...
Pensioners have marched through Athens to protest against austerity measures in Greece which include plans to cut pensions and raise taxes. The conservative-led coalition government called a vote of confidence in parliament, where it gained a narrow majority.
English: http://www.euronews.com/2014/10/03/pensioners-challenge-greece-coalition ...
Coal mining company OKD will dismiss 300 people at the end of 2014, mainly from offices and surface facilities. OKD had more than 12,000 workers in 2013. It now employs around 11,000 people. Most of the 300 workers will retire or use pre-retirement provisions. They will receive severance pay of six monthly wages. The trade unions stated that it is obvious that a drop in volume of mined coal affects staff numbers.
English: http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/czech-miner-okd-to-lay-off-300-staff ...
The teachers' union Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö (OAJ) started a campaign to save education. The OAJ is reminding people that investment in education and teachers is needed and that education has to be developed through long-term programmes. Part of the campaign is to contact local politicians and decision-makers.
English: http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/news_details/3269
The police trade unions are considering protest actions at Zaventem Airport in the run-up to the forthcoming half-term holiday in November. The officers are looking at plans to close the airport in connection with a conflict about the age of retirement. The coalition agreement does not mention any exception to the new 67 year retirement age for police officers. Therefore, many police officers will have to work 6 years longer than they envisaged. The trade unions think that also the staff bonuses are under threat.
English: http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/News/141013_belgium-brussels-airport ...
For the third year in a row, Denmark topped an Australian study comparing the pension systems of 25 different countries. In the Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index (MMGPI) that looked at the pension systems of 25 countries it was the only nation to receive an `A' grade, signifying `a first class and robust retirement income system that delivers good benefits, is sustainable and has a high level of integrity'. The retirement income system comprises a public basic pension scheme, a means-tested supplementary pension benefit, a fully funded contributions scheme and mandatory occupational schemes.
English: http://www.globalpensionindex.com/wp-content/uploads ...
Trade unions are calling attention to the large gender pay gap through the Women's Last Work Day campaign. While the country has been praised for its gender equality, the pay gap remains at 17% and even 24% among white collar workers. The gender pay gap is the difference between the average salary of men and that of women. Arguing that women work a large part of the year for free because they only receive a proportion of the average male wage, the campaign marks the day that women should stop working.
English: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Danish+women+protest+cent ...
During a conference organised by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation together with Political Capital Policy Research and Consulting Institute, numerous sociologists, social workers and politicians tried to find the answers to the most urgent questions of homeless and low paid. Since the political turn there is virtually no social housing, so whoever gets in trouble paying the rent or the instalments of the loan does not really have alternatives. There are many people in Budapest today who are employed but they still have to make a choice: food or rent?
English: http://budapesttimes.hu/2014/10/11/winter-means-death-on-streets-again/