A Eurofound report explores gender differences across several dimensions of working conditions, examining relevant country differences, analysing the different occupational groups of both men and women, and comparing the public and private sectors. Despite much legislative progress in gender equality over the past 40 years, discrimination by gender is still evident in the differences in access to the labour market and varied employment patterns and associated working conditions, reflective of persistent gender segregation. In relation to the current crisis, it is clear that pressures on jobs and pay are very much concentrated on the public sector, where many women are employed.
English: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2013/49/en/1/EF1349EN.pdf
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2013/491/en/1/EF13491EN.pdf
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Two men employed by a subcontractor on a steel plant of SSAB to empty a cistern of tar as part of maintenance work carried out every six years tragically fell into the cistern of tar and were later found dead. According to the metal workers trade union IF Metall this is due to more lax health and safety measures, adding that SSAB's reliance on third-party labour has to be questioned. The management stated that there was no link between the two victims' employment status and the accident.
English: http://www.industriall-union.org/fatal-accident-at-swedish-steel-plant
Workers at the French owned home improvement store Leroy Merlin had gone on strike for 16 days after employers left the bargaining table. Trade union Sosyal-Is had been negotiating with management over wage increases and benefits for transportation and food. The workers demanded a hike in wages as well as more benefits, amounting to a 15% increase in pay. Leroy Merlin made an offer of a 4.5% increase in exchange for worse working conditions. The strike resulted in the acceptation of all trade union demands by Leroy Merlin, and a collective agreement for three years was concluded.
English: http://www.uniglobalunion.org/news/uni-commerce-congratulates-workers ...
In recent weeks several collective agreements in the metal sector were concluded. The Metal & Technical branches reached an agreement for the period 1 May 2013 to 28 February 2015. The pay deal includes an average increase of the wages over a period of 22 months of 3.5%. Apprentices that have finalised their vocational training receive an extra increase of 3% from 1 January 2014 on, this in order to make the branches more attractive for young workers. Later on this month the Metalektro branches reached an agreement. Wages will be increased with 2.35% from 1 December 2013, with 1.5% from 1 August 2014 and 0.35% from 1 January 2015. Young workers receive an extra increase of 3% from 1 January 2015. The bargaining partners have agreed to campaign against unfair competition and cross-border social dumping.
English: http://www.cnvvakmensen.nl/fileadmin/bestanden/caos/metaal-elektro ...
Dutch: http://www.nrc.nl/carriere/2013/10/22/akkoord-over-cao-voor-grootmetaal/
http://www.flexnieuws.nl/2013/10/11/principeakkoord-cao-metaal-techniek-2013-2015 ...
Public services trade union FOA has developed a tool to shed light on the costs that employers can suffer from not dealing with health and safety issues. The tool shows for a work place how many costs can be avoided by proper health and safety protocols. The issues addressed include hard physical work, stress, working alone, noise, violence and so on.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/9828
Danish: http://www.foa.dk/Forbund/Presse ...
The European federation of public service unions (EPSU) has gathered reports on the rise of zero hours contracts throughout Europe. EPSU reports that over a million UK workers and 7% of Spanish, Finish, Dutch and Swiss workers are on zero hours contracts. Zero hours contracts are labour contracts that do not include a clause on guaranteed working hours, making it possible for employers to end or pause the employment relationship by simply reducing the number of hours to zero.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/9824
A demonstration in Rome brought together various groups including migrant rights advocates, campaigners for affordable housing and protesters against a new high-speed rail link in the Alps. Some of the protesters had camped out overnight on Piazza San Giovanni square following a trade union demonstration and transport strike. Organisers said that about 70,000 people had taken part, though police put the number at closer to 50,000.
English: http://www.dw.de/austerity-protests-draw-tens-of-thousands-in-italy-portugal ...
Negotiations between ArcelorMittal and trade unions LCGB and OGBL that went into conciliation this summer (see July/August newsletter) have still not yielded any results. The conciliation process was scheduled to be finalised by 21 November, at which point "failed" negotiations can be declared, opening the door for industrial action. In the third meeting, trade unions have allowed ArcelorMittal to bring in new proposals, but also warned that the deal could not be finalised before 21 November as foreseen. Unions have requested an extension of the terms of the current collective agreement in order to continue bargaining, which ArcelorMittal has denied until now.
English: http://www.wort.lu/en/view/arcelormittal-and-unions-fail-to-strike-deal ...
Workers at the Croatian shipyard of Brodosplit in Adriatic port of Split went on strike. The 4,000-strong workforce is unhappy with the government plans for the privatisation of the country's shipyards and protests also the fact that wage payment has been delayed. Unions have backed the strike and workers have demanded talks with the company president. A few days after the strike workers blocked all entrances to the shipyard, expressing dissatisfaction with the fact that disciplinary proceedings had been launched against those who took part in the protests.
English: http://dalje.com/en-economy/protesting-brodosplit-workers-block-all-entrances ...
http://www.croatiantimes.com/news/Business/2013-10-16/34676/A_strike_launched ...
http://www.turkishmaritime.com.tr/news_print.php?id=1434
The trade union of tour guides - `Solidarity' - held a protest action outside the Royal Palace in the heart of Vilnius. The tour guides say they are discriminated because Lithuanian citizens who want to work as tour guides are required to have a university degree, complete a special course and pass an examination of the Lithuanian history and conducting tours, whilst none of this is mandatory for other EU citizens.
English: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/53997/lithuanian-tour-guides-protest ...