Collective Bargaining

Members of the Narva Energia trade union, who clashed with employer Eesti Energia's Narva Power Plants over a wage offer (see January newsletter), were contemplating whether to accept the offer or leave the conciliation process and resort to industrial action. Narva Energia joined the tabled deal that was already accepted by the Independent Union of Miners and Energy Workers. After the disagreement in January, the process moved into a mediation process. The public conciliator produced a wage offer with a 9% increase. The contract that is signed by the two unions and Narva Power Plants will run until the end of 2014.
English: http://news.err.ee/economy/a10afaa0-eddb-4dc7-8f27-8c3091d4b08a

The trade union KTO does not want to approve the collective bargaining agreement agreed to with KL, the national association of local councils, last month unless KL changes its tune in the on-going negotiations with teachers. The teachers' union, Danmarks L‘rerforening (DL), is pleased that KTO has decided to step in on its behalf. The approval of the collective bargaining agreement had been expected to be just a formality after it was originally agreed upon on 16 February. The agreement included a general wage increase of 1.97% complimented with an additional 0.25% increase for employees within certain areas. The negotiations between the teachers and KL have collapsed because of a disagreement concerning the teachers' work hours. KL has threatened to lock out the country's 52,000 teachers starting April 2.
English: http://cphpost.dk/national/teacher-negotiations-see-another-twist
http://cphpost.dk/national/teachers-conflict-what-it%E2%80%99s-all-about

Employees of the country's largest chemical producer Oltchim started a protest outside the production unit in Ramnicu Valcea, as they were unhappy with their unpaid salaries and the news that they would be laid off. Over 1,000 workers are affected. Trade unions stated that the production facility in Ramnicu Valcea is working at only 6% of its capacity, and the €45 million promised as working capital never came. The money would have allowed an increase in production to 65%, which would have also kept employees working.
English: http://www.romania-insider.com/employees-of-romanias-insolvent-chemical ...

Employees of the popular Laiki bank have marched in protest of the bail-out deal that will lead to the layoff of some 2,500 people and loss of pension funds. In order to avoid a bank-run, the banks have kept their doors closed while its government negotiated a bail-out package with the IMF, ECB and European Council. Banks have already been closed for nearly two weeks but the workers' union has announced that unless their pensions are saved, they will start a strike when the banks are due to re-open.
English: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130323/cyprus-bank-staff-protest ...

Workers at telecommunications provider TeliaSonera have organised a two-day strike in protest against the company's poor personnel policies. Trade unions report TeliaSonera entertains practices of firing direct hires, making them switch jobs inside the company or re-apply for their own job. Next to that, the company has been continuously outsourcing jobs as well as hiring a large share of its workforce through temporary work agencies. The workers strike against the continuous job insecurity and the company's neglect of rights provided for in the collective agreement.
English: http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/uni.nsf/pages ...

Offices of Liman-Is, the National Port and Land Stevedores Union, were raided by security forces on 25 March. Liman-Is reports in a statement that its offices have been severely damaged. The security officers entered the building under the premise of looking for a former unionist who has not worked for Liman-Is since 1999. Liman-Is also stated the real purpose was to damage the union's reputation and perform illegal searches of the offices.
English: http://labourstartnews.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/security-forces-raid ...

The CMKOS trade union confederation has demanded an increase of the minimum wage from 8000 crowns (?310) to 9000 crowns (?349) per month. An increase in the minimum wage, last raised in 2007, has been a long time union demand. Recently, the labour minister suggested an increase of around 600 crowns, which the trade union qualified as acceptable. The government's finance minister, however, has expressed himself violently against any raise. The national average monthly salary is currently 24.514 crowns (?950). Keeping the debate alive, president Zeman has vowed to lend support to a constructive tripartite dialogue, mentioning ambitions to reach a minimum wage increase in particular.
English: http://praguemonitor.com/2013/03/04/trade-unions-want-higher ...
http://praguemonitor.com/2013/03/26/zeman-vows-attend-tripartite-negotiations

The transport union EVG concluded a collective agreement at Deutsche Bahn that could give a wage increase of 6% overall and a further 1% rise in employer contributions to occupational pension schemes. A 3% increase will be effective from 1 May 2013, followed by a further 3% rise from 1 April 2014. Rail workers will also receive a one-off social component payment for the January to April 2013 period. Earlier this month workers had held short strikes during morning rush hour in reaction to a low wage offer by the railway company in the negotiations. The unions had demanded a 6.5% wage increase.
English: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/8720

A report from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) states that employers of the private sector paid an average €31.00 per hour worked in 2012. In the report it is said that the labour cost level in Germany ranked eighth in the EU. Employers of the private sector paid 32% more per hour worked than the EU average, but 11% less than, for example, neighbour country France. Sweden recorded the highest labour costs per hour worked with €41.90 and Bulgaria the lowest with €3.70. In each year of the period from 2001 to 2010, the labour cost growth in the German private sector was below the EU average.
English: https://www.destatis.de/EN/PressServices/Press/pr/2013/03 ...

Work in the Silesia region came to a standstill as trade unions Solidarity, August 80 and OPZZ organised a regional two-hour `general strike'. Up to 100,000 transport workers, miners, steel mill and electricity plant workers walked off work, while hospital personnel protested by taking longer to register new patients. The workers are protesting against a change in the labour code toward flexibilisation, as well as against the government's health and education policies.
English: http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/131142,Silesian-workers-in-general ... http://www.thenews.pl/1/6/Artykul/131211,%E2%80%98General-strike-paralyzes-Silesia