A set of unemployment laws and a new labour contract cleared the houses of parliament this spring, which will drastically change industrial relations. Changes are focused on family policies and dismissal. In order to comply with EU legislation, the parental leave regulations bring the allowed parental leave up from 3 to 4 months and includes agency workers in its scope, giving them the right to flexible working hours after parental leave as well. Rates of maternity, paternity and adoption pay were increased from 135.45 (?159.19) to 136.78 (?160.77) per week. On the issue of dismissals and redundancies, a range of measures has made it cheaper and easier to fire employees. The statutory minimum redundancy consultation period for cases affecting more than 100 employees was shortened, the possibilities for workers to bring claims against unfair dismissal have been limited, protection for whistle-blowers reduced, a cap of 12 months' pay on dismissal compensation was introduced and the Agricultural Wages Board, which set minimum wages in agriculture, has been abolished. From 29 July, fees will be introduced for employment tribunal claims: a 160 (?188) issue fee plus a 230 (?270) hearing fee for claims regarding breaches of collective laws, such as unlawful deduction of wages, and a 250 (?294) issue fee plus a 950 (?1,117) hearing fee for cases such as unfair dismissal, discrimination, equal pay and whistleblowing. From 1 September, employers will be able to hire personnel under an `employee shareholder contract', in which shares, exempt from capital gain tax, of between 2,000 (?2,351) and 50,000 (?58,794) of value, are given to employees in exchange for weaker protection against dismissal and redress. Under the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act, changes are expected to enhance the powers of the advisory, conciliation and arbitration service.
English: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2013/05/articles ...
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Public transport came to a virtual standstill as the two main unions mounted a one-day strike against austerity measures which have resulted in record unemployment and the worst economic slump since the 1970s. The fourth general strike in two years must pressure the government to boost growth and ease the relentless belt-tightening which led to the sharpest tax hikes in living memory.
English: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/27/portugal-strike ...
http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/more-sectors-join-27-june-general-strike ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/31/portugal-strike ...
http://news.yahoo.com/portuguese-unions-set-stage-broad-anti-austerity-strike ...
http://theportugalnews.com/news/appeal-for-all-out-for-the-general-strike/28710
The 300 workers of Paris's renowned tourist attraction, the Eiffel tower, walked off the job in a dispute over pay and working conditions. Management and the trade unions are in negotiations over salary raises, company profit-sharing policy and other issues. The protest falls right in the middle of the tourist season. The latest news is that an agreement to end the strike had been reached with the workers' representatives.
English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23058103 http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/27/travel/eiffel-tower-reopen ...
More than 2,700 schools in the north-west are facing disruption as teachers take part in a one-day strike. The action is in protest at the introduction of more performance-related pay, changes to teachers' pensions with higher contributions, and later retirement and increased workload. The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the NASUWT say the strike is affecting 2,765 schools in 22 council areas. The two unions warned of more regional strikes and a national one-day walkout in the autumn. They said that teachers are not prepared to accept government attacks on their pay, pensions and conditions and are asking the government to enter meaningful talks about the dispute.
English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-23063740
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/jun/27/teachers-strike-one-day-walkout
Following a decade-long campaign by former residents of the Catholic-run Magdalene laundries hundred former residents will receive payments of at least 34.5 million euros to compensate them for their years of unpaid labour and public shame, the government announced. Activists representing the so-called `Maggies' had demanded justice and state compensation since 2002, when a previous government launched a compensation fund for people who had suffered abuse in Catholic-run orphanages and workhouses for children but declared former Magdalene residents ineligible - contending that the laundries were privately run institutions with negligible state involvement.
English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23064112
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57591116/ireland-to-pay-$45-million ...
A group of female classroom assistants and nursery workers have won an important stage in their fight for equal pay as they received the backing of the UK Supreme Court to take their claim back to an employment tribunal. The decision in their favour could have far-reaching implications. The 251 employees of Dumfries and Galloway Council had argued that they were entitled to pay that was equal to the money received by men working at a similar level. They wanted equality with men in positions such as leisure attendants, groundsmen and road workers. The male employees have been earning 30% bonuses to which the women have not been entitled. UNISON, the trade union representing the women was delighted that the Supreme Court ruled in favour of its women members.
English: http://news.sky.com/story/1108285/dumfries-female-workers-win-at-supreme-court
Trade union Unite has decided to recommend its 6,000 public service members to reject the Haddington Road Agreement on pay and conditions. The agreement is the follow-up of the earlier rejected Croke Park II deal and aims at reducing the State payroll bill. It brings the number of unions who have confirmed their continuing opposition to the proposals to four. After members voted overwhelmingly to reject the deal in a ballot Unite has to decide how best to proceed in the interests of members in light of the Government's legislation to impose pay cuts. Most other ballots have led to results that imply public service workers to be covered by its provisions. The Civil Public and Services Union, which represents lower paid civil servants, voted to accept the Haddington Road Agreement on public sector pay and conditions. Despite the CPSU executive recommending rejection of the HRA, members voted by 54.6% to 45.3% to accept the proposals.
English: http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0626/459004-haddington-road-agreement/
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/vast-bulk-of-public-service-staff-now-signed-up ...
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0624 ...
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0531 ...
All 26 road construction companies went on a general strike on company grounds, which will continue until they receive an official response to their demands from the government. The trade union claims the state owes road construction companies around 78.6 million euro.
English: http://inserbia.info/news/2013/06/all-construction-companies-in-serbia-go-on-strike/
Employers' organisation Confindustria and the three major trade union confederations, Cgil, Cisl and Uil have reached an agreement on representation and representativeness for national industry-wide agreements. The parties agreed on a protocol which outlines the number of representatives of each union and employer organisation in collective negotiations as well as the procedure to validate the agreements. The protocol is hoped to improve relations between the social partners, as also between different unions, who have increasingly taken up practices of signing separate agreement with employers.
English: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2013/06/articles/it ...
Socialist and liberal trades unions have organised a day of action against public sector cuts. The workers are protesting against intended changes in civil servant contracts, from tenure contracts to regular contracts. The civil servants fear the change of contract status will bring a large number of layoffs and will make public sector employees more vulnerable to changes in the political colour of the municipal, regional and national governments. The action disrupted services in municipalities and regions throughout the country, including a number of prisons.
English: http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Economy ...
French: http://www.slfp.eu/publications/press/les-syndicats-du-secteur-public ...