Collective Bargaining

After eleven bargaining rounds and under pressure of warning strikes, as reported in our January newsletter, Coca Cola and trade union NGG have agreed on a new collective agreement. The collective agreement includes a 3.5% wage increase in 2013, another 3% in 2014 and €100 increase in trainee allowances. The agreement also includes deals on the preconditions for working on Saturdays, as well as employment contracts. There will be no forced redundancies during the period of the collective agreement, 40% of trainee course participants will be hired on permanent contracts and 60% on annual contracts, and temporary workers will receive equal pay after twelve months.
English: http://cms.iuf.org/?q=node/2406
http://cms.iuf.org/sites/cms.iuf.org/files ...

Metallurgical company Liepajas metalurgs seems to be on the verge of insolvency due to insufficient current assets. The company is working on the optimisation of production and administration costs and reviewing the work schedule. Approximately 150 out of 2,300 workers could be laid off, along with salary cuts being introduced.
English: http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/32826/

Metro workers in Madrid have announced a series of strikes to protest the impossible choice they have been given. The municipality has asked workers to choose between a 10% wage cut across the board or accepting 720 redundancies. Trade unions have reacted they accept a plan for early retirement at 58, but do not accept the wage cuts or the forced redundancies. Strikes will be organised on several day, including the bank holiday of San Isidro (15 May) and a day of the football match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. The strikes will take place during the afternoon rush-hour.
English: http://www.nzweek.com/world/madrid-metro-workers-to-strike-on-wage-job-cuts ...

Seamen went on strike on 16 April to protest a labour law reform which will significantly weaken collective bargaining rights. The seamen held a 24-hour strike on the day the law was debated in the national Parliament. Railway employees and port workers have joined the strike.
English: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/apr/16/greek-ferry-seamen-launch ... http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi ...

Workers at Unilever who went on strike last month to protest against the company's plans to outsource the facility management services employees to Sodexo (see March newsletter) have closed an agreement with Unilever. The workers demanded a transfer of working conditions to their new employer, which Unilever initially refused. After six weeks of strike, Unilever agreed to enter negotiations. On 12 May, the striking workers accepted a deal, which includes improved pension compensation for transferred employees serving up to ten years with Sodexo, a three year job guarantee and a safeguard against split shifts.
English: http://cms.iuf.org/?q=node/2401

Dock workers block port to force compliance with collective agreement
April 12, 2o12
Unionised dock workers blocked the port of Drammen to keep a vessel being unloaded by unregistered dockers. The Norwegian-owned ship was carrying goods from Estonia under the Barbados flag, attempting to have it unloaded by unregistered Polish workers. The port's collective agreement states that all ships must be unloaded by registered dockers, but talks to achieve compliance this point have failed to yield results. In reaction, unionised workers have forced compliance by blocking access for unregistered workers. Three hours after the start of the blockade, the Port Authority sent in registered workers to unload the ship.
English: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm ...

Workers at publicly owned water company Aguas de Portugal (AdP) are protesting against the announced privatisation of its services. Trade union spokespersons have argued water supply, sewerage and waste services are services of general interests that must not be left to the market. The workers furthermore protest against AdP's attempts to repudiate its collective agreement in order to be more attractive to investors.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/9434

Trade unions have organised a protest in front of the Parliament after it became clear that the fund helping factories to put workers on part-time or temporary unemployment benefits to avoid their layoff, will run out of money by June. The unions demand a cash injection of one billion euros into the fund in order to avoid massive layoffs that would further hurt the country's troubled economy. Thousands of people turned up to support the demand.
English: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/14/italy-vote-labour ...

In the first two months of 2013 around 5,500 sole proprietors, working on the basis of so-called trade licences, delisted from the business register. The drop came after an even more considerable decrease in December 2012, when 8,000 people delisted, while about 1,000 new trade licenses were registered. The labour ministry expressed satisfaction and explained that one of the reasons for raising payroll taxes for self-employed people, a measure which came into force in January 2013, was to force some of them to cease operating as sole traders.
English: http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/49713/3/self_employment_continues ...

A report on key macroeconomic indicators provided by the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) states that nearly half of all registered businesses (46%) don't have even one single employee in addition to the owner. The data further shows that due to the economic crisis and the bad business climate, 350 000 job positions have been closed, along with another 112 000 self-employed people who are out of work.
English: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=149488

Trade unions, IF Metall Union, Unionen, Sveriges Ingenj”rer s and employer organisation Teknikf”retagens have concluded a new collective agreement for the industrial sector. The agreement contains a 6.5% wage increase over three years, additional parental rights, overtime requirements and more flexibility in working time arrangements. The parental insurance will cover 10% of the wage loss during parental leave; the period is increased from 5 to 6 months. The agreement runs until March 2016 and covers 500,000 workers.
English: http://www.staffingindustry.com/eng/Research-Publications/Daily-News/Sweden ...
http://www.industriall-union.org/national-industry-agreements-reached-in-sweden