Collective Bargaining

The employers in the machinery and metallic goods branch have announced that they want to start separate negotiations in the autumn. The trade unions PRO-GE and GPA-djp see this opting-out from the agreement for the metal and miners industry as an effort to `divide and rule'. The unions think that the move is part of a strategy to `punish' the workforce for the good results in the 2011 collective bargaining round. They organise a conference on 30 May to discuss a strategy against this exit from a long-standing social partnership.
German: http://www.proge.at/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=P01 ...

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According to the Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM) the Air Malta management has no idea what is going on within its own airline. In recent statements the management issues contradictory opinions about the future restructuring of the company, the planned dismissals and the possible application of the early retirement scheme.
English: http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=91056&cache=false
http://maltastar.com/dart/20120412-uhm-slams-air-malta-for-keeping-employees-in-the-dark

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Trade union Pro announced a Finnair technical staff strike until Friday 13 April. The employees were protesting against plans for a reduction of 280 jobs through the outsourcing of the company's engine and component services. Since the early 2000s, Finnair has already reduced its staff from roughly 2300 to around 1150 workers. Representatives from Pro stated that Finnair has reduced staff unilaterally, while refusing to negotiate with trade unions.
English: http://yle.fi/uutiset/finnair_technical_staff_walk_off_the_job/5709244
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finnair+technical+staff+to+stage+strike+until+Friday ...

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Members of the Federation of Correctional Personnel Unions (OSYE, affiliate of ADEDY confederation) started a hunger strike on 7 April to protest against the dire overpopulation in all Greek correctional facilities, the chronic understaffing and unpaid night and overtime since 2010. EPSU and PSI that back up the protest are organising solidarity messages in this fight arguing that economic considerations can never justify the ill treatment of prisoners and of staff.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/8607

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In an effort to cut costs the government has announced to reduce the number of civil servants. Half of the planned layoffs, in total 10,000 workers, is said to be gained through a large number being sent into retirement. The public administration minister furthermore added that very little new hire would take place in the upcoming years.
English: http://www.croatiantimes.com/news/General_News/2012-04-12/26367 ...

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Trade unions announced to resume public transport services on Friday 13 April after an agreement was made with interior minister Joelle Milquet regarding increased deployment of policy officers on the Brussels public transport network. Staff of the Brussels public transport company STIB launched a strike after a STIB inspector was killed on Saturday 7 April. The inspector was at the scene of a minor accident between a bus and a car when a friend of the car driver reportedly laid into him. The 56-year-old man who worked for the company for 29 years died of head injuries later in the day. Unions have been demanding stepped-up security on transport routes for years, citing an increasing number of violent acts committed by the public. Despite the Wednesday agreement, the strike continued on Thursday in order to give employees the possibility to attend the funeral of the colleague that died from injuries.
English: http://en.europeonline-magazine.eu/brussels-public-transport-strike-set-to-end ...

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French multinational company EDF has announced a 15% reduction in staff in its Hungarian subsidiary BERT. Trade Union CGT-FNME has announced it will fight against the lay-offs, which come in the context of a 3 billion euro profit for EDF globally, and active recruitment of new personnel in other parts of the company.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/8608

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Since the country's premier electricity utility the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) announced a large pay-roll cost problem requiring the reduction of the pay-roll cost by 140 million euro by 2015, the ESB Group of Unions and ESB have been involved in negotiations. On 11 April the ESB group of unions members voted in favour of a social plan which protects the basic pay rates and includes a voluntary redundancy package that will assist in reducing the semi-state company's 6,300 strong workforce by 1,000. Around 700 voluntary redundancies are foreseen; the remainder of the job reductions will be reached through natural attrition.
English: http://www.siptu.ie/media/pressreleases2012/othernews/fullstory,15767,en.html

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The fifth round of collective agreement negotiations in the haulage sector ended on 11 April, after employers' representatives broke off the talks claiming union demands were too rigid and far going. Some small agreements had been reached, including stricter inspection against unequal payment, but no wage offer had yet been made by the employers' organisation. After meetings with legal counsel, negotiations are expected to be resumed in the beginning of May.
Dutch: http://www.fnvbondgenoten.nl/mijnbranche/branches/transport_en_logistiek ...

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Iron and steel workers marched from Florange (eastern France) to the capital Paris to protest against the job cuts and a drop in state financial support for the steel industry. Initially the Florange Steel factory was 100% owned by French companies, and then sold to steel giant Arcelor Mittal. The march came amid a complete breakdown of talks between the workers and the French Presidency who has accused labour unions of exaggerating the loss of jobs. President Sarkozy had announced Arcelor Mittal will invest EUR 17 million to keep the factory working.
English: http://www.steelguru.com/international_news/Job_cuts_infuriates_steel_workers ...

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