A team of investigative journalists working with the private television channel RTL uncovered the gross exploitation of foreign chambermaids in Berlin hotels Kempinski and Waldorf Astoria. The journalists, who worked as chambermaids undercover for 8 months and used hidden cameras to report their story, were confronted with blatant social abuse. The journalists found that the hotels comply with the minimum wage in name only. While the hourly minimum wage they award is legal, the hotels require maids to clean two to three rooms per hour. All those who do not manage to do so, which according to the workers comes down to everybody, had to work unpaid overtime. Taking into account real hours instead of contract hours, the maids received only half the minimum wage. Additionally, room deductions and €20 deductions were used as punishments by management for any mistake made by the chambermaids.
English: http://www.iuf.org/w/sites/default/files/3222_Kempinski_and_Waldorf_Astoria ...
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Parliament approved amendments to the labour code that will require interns to receive a written labour contract and to be paid. In the new code, internships are defined as supervised work, must be paid at no less than the minimum wage and should be agreed in a written contract of no less than 6 months and no more than a year. The new legislation also obliges employers to pay insurance for the interns working in their offices. While trade unions have welcomed the changes in legislation, employer and business representatives have warned the new rules will mean that internships will disappear.
English: http://www.novinite.com/articles/158902/
The miners of the Trbovlje Hrastnik mine suspended a strike after four days, having received firm assurances that their remaining demands will be met. Talks will continue at a negotiating table. The workers wanted clear answers on how the mine will operate in the coming two years. Their demands included assurance on how money will be secured for wages in the coming months and for severance pay for the 135 miners made redundant and the ones to be laid off next year.
English: http://www.sloveniatimes.com/rth-miners-get-written-assurances-suspend-strike
The High Court has granted injunctions by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and Ryanair, blocking a SIPTU aviation strike to take place on 14 March. As previously reported in this newsletter, the aviation workers, DAA, Ryanair and Aerlingus have been in an industrial conflict over a deficit in the aviation pension schemes. When new negotiations failed, SIPTU balloted its members and announced more industrial actions. The DAA and Ryanair then sought injunctions on the basis of an expert panel currently studying the case and the strike being disproportional because of its having been scheduled for one of the busiest weekends in the year. The court ruled that there are questions about the validity of the ballot and strike action because it was not restricted to members of the pension fund and moved to block the strike. Following the ruling, SIPTU confirmed it would cancel the strike action. The DAA and Ryanair have welcomed the decision, but Aerlingus said that damages had already been incurred and that it would sue SIPTU for compensation.
English: http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0314/602264-aer-lingus-sues-siptu-for-damages/
http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0312/601718-siptu-ruling/
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/daa-and-ryanair-seek-injunctions ...
A narrow majority of the voters tends to approve an initiative to establish a minimum wage of 4,000 francs (3,280 euro) a month, according to the results of a survey. The poll found that 52% of respondents approved the minimum wage proposal, set to be decided in a May 18th referendum. Support for the minimum pay, equivalent to 18 euro an hour, was stronger (59%) in the French-speaking regions than in German-speaking regions. The trade union confederation SGB, which launched the minimum wage proposal, argues that 330,000 workers earn less than 4,000 francs a month, an amount judged to be insufficient to cope with the country's high cost of living. The proposal is opposed by the government and both houses of parliament.
English: http://www.thelocal.ch/20140316/voters-back-swiss-minimum-wage-initiative-poll
Recent statistics reveal that women encounter major difficulties in returning to the labour market after maternity leave. Only 50% of women who take up maternity leave return to their old work places and the country has one of the highest unemployment rates of young mothers in Europe. Researchers note that women spend twice as long on maternity leave now, compared to the 1980s. Researchers have blamed the poor re-integration on a lack of part-time jobs and the ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has instated employer incentives for firms that employ women who have been on maternity leave.
English: http://www.radio.cz/en/section/business/many-czech-mums-have-serious-problem ...
Pharmacists around the country have gone on strike over government plans to allow supermarkets to sell non-prescription drugs. The plans, which would increase competition for already struggling pharmacists, are inspired by requests from the country's donors and meant to bring down prices.
English: http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/2014/03/greek-pharmacists-strike ...
Nurses serving dermatology outpatients of Boffa hospital have announced a strike over Sunday shifts. The nurses will report to their shift manager, but will refuse to offer any services to outpatients. Nurses' union MUMN said the hospital's strategic management section had made the decision to no longer serve outpatients on Sundays without consulting the trade union. The nurses say that ending Sunday services will affect the quality of the care. The loss of the Sunday shift also has consequences on nurses' salaries due to the loss of the Sunday allowance.
English: http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/lifestyle/health/36636/nurses_union_announces ...
Activists, who organised a march on International Women's Day, said the new labour bill will have devastating effects on women's working conditions. The protesters demanded a working week of up to 40 hours and eight hours overtime, fixed-time employment contracts for no longer than two years, limiting the number of fixed-term employment contracts per company and reinstatement of women in the same job after maternity leave. The activists also protested against the government's intentions to cut back on educational spending, pointing out that this will disproportionally affect women.
English: http://dalje.com/en-croatia/activists-march-through-central-zagreb ...
Port workers have called off a strike in favour of further negotiations with the Cyprus Port Authority (CPA). The workers and CPA entered a conflict when they authority announced it would abolish overtime payments in line with the rest of the public sector. Port workers have argued that they constitute a special case, because their overtime is not voluntary, as ships must be offloaded whenever they arrive and in whichever weather conditions. While the port workers have been implementing overtime bans and warning strikes over the last weeks, an all-out strike was averted as the CPA tabled new proposals. Trade unions have confirmed that industrial actions will be suspended as the parties return to the negotiation table.
English: http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/03/07/port-to-operate-as-normal-this-weekend ...