Collective Bargaining

Further strike action has been suspended at Edinburgh College, one of Scotland's largest colleges, after a deal was reached on working conditions and pay. Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland's Further Education Lecturers' Association (EIS-FELA) went on strike in protest at their continuing low pay and the damaging changes to conditions of service that college management were proposing. Trade union EIS will put the proposal to its members in a ballot. The main controversy was about management's 3% pay offer that would still leave the lectures amongst the lowest paid lecturers in Scotland.
English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife ...

A survey conducted by TNS Gallup and commissioned by the Service Union United PAM reveals that 82% of Finnish adults are of the opinion, one way or the other, that wage dumping should be criminalised, and that employers who knowingly pay wages which are below the collectively agreed minimum rate, should be convicted of a crime and punished. Respondents in managerial positions answered yes with an 82 percentage, whilst 65% of entrepreneurs and 91% of employees answered positively.
English: http://www.jokinen.kaapeli.fi/index.php/en ...

A narrow majority of Swiss voters voted in favour of an initiative by the Swiss People's Party (SVP) calling for the re-introduction of quotas for immigrants from the EU. The trade union leadership has written an open letter that calls the result a slap in the face for the more than one million EU citizens currently living in Switzerland, and ushers in massive discrimination against all who enter the country in future. The trade union movement will continue to fight for the rights of workers - with or without a Swiss passport - and campaign against all forms of discrimination.
English: http://www.social-europe.eu/2014/02/peoples-initiative/

Condor Ferries, which runs vessels between the UK, Channel Islands and France, is accused by the unions of `social dumping': paying as little as œ2.35 per hour to Ukrainian crews that it brought on board to replace British crews - well below the UK's minimum wage. Using the excuse that they are non-domiciled in the EU those seafarers are made to work longer hours of duty, while receiving shorter leave. The Rapide ferry from the same operator is registered in the Bahamas but has a French crew. The crew of this service (between St. Helier and St. Malo) started a wildcat strike demanding better benefits. After two weeks the management stated that all workers had decided to sign up to an offer of insurances and that sailings were expected to resume. However, the trade unions have warned that the dispute is not over. They will take legal advice on how to get better pay and conditions.
English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-26277367
http://www.itfglobal.org/press-area/index.cfm/pressdetail/10129

The year 2014 will be the year of the reform of the healthcare system. The planned measures include the design of a package of basic services available for insured citizens and a minimal package for the un-insured. According to data from the National Health Insurance Agency the latter represent, out of a total 20 million citizens, 2 million citizens thus lack a public healthcare insurance.
English: http://www.balkans.com/open-news ...

Policy makers, social partners and academics discussed the findings of the 2013 Employment and Social Developments in Europe review. According to the review, a significant increase in poverty among the working age population is one of the most tangible social consequences of the economic crisis. A gradual reduction of unemployment levels may not be enough to reverse this situation if wage polarisation continues, notably due to a rise in part-time work. The chapter on the gender impact of the crisis shows that fundamental disadvantages for women remain, with diminished career opportunities, lower pay and lower prospective pensions.
English: http://ec.europa.eu/social ...
http://webcast.ec.europa.eu/eutv/portal/empl ...

The government has submitted a draft bill which, if passed, would weaken workers' rights and social protection. The major changes were inspired by a set of proposals put forward by representatives of employers' organisations. The trade unions in particular denounce the plans to revise the regulations governing relationships between employers, workers and supervisory bodies, and attempts to deregulate the labour market further. Furthermore the unions fear the acceleration of the development of temporary work agencies and increase of precarious work.
English: http://www.industriall-union.org/bulgarian-unions-react ...

The Pensioners' Federation believes that several decisions made by the government this year, including the one on opening the electricity market, will considerably lower pensioners' standard of living and drive many of them into poverty. The federation expects that at least ten percent of residents will be forced to apply for state aid if the electricity market is opened. It announced a rally against electricity market liberalisation by April 1 and urged non-governmental organization to support its efforts.
English: http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/energy ...

The Statistics Office reports that real average monthly wages have declined for the second year. The office reports average wages in 2013 were down by 1.2% in real terms and up by 0.6% nominally. The largest declines were recorded in education, administrative and support services. Wages increased most strongly in manufacturing and energy supply. The average monthly wage in 2013 was €997.01.
English: http://www.sloveniatimes.com/new-average-wages-continue-to-fall

Farmers in Northern Greece have started preparing roadblocks of crossroads and junctions and are waiting for the green light from their representatives to start actions. The farmers are angry over new tax regulations. Farmers' representatives are meeting with the Finance Minister but the talks have not been promising.
English: http://www.novinite.com/view_news ...