Collective Bargaining

Trade union protests against the government's austerity measures continued with a general strike, the seventh in 2010, on 15 December. The most recent proposals from the government include caps on salaries in state-owned companies as well as changes in the employment law as to allow private sector employers to ignore collective agreements (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 3 September, October and November 2010).
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11998632
Greek: http://www.adedy.gr/adedy/site/home/ws.csp

The CMKOS trade union confederation has reported solid support for the strike in the public sector organised on 8 December. Nearly 150,000 employees of health services, education, state administration, cultural facilities and other public services took part directly. The action was in protest against government plans to cut the public sector pay bill by 10% in 2011. Other plans include public sector pay reform that could mean further cuts in pay, although implementation of the new scheme may not happen in 2011. CMKOS also reports a majority of public opinion in favour of the public sector strike action. Low pay in the health sector has also led to a campaign by doctors, with many resigning in protest at the government's failure to maintain pay and funding (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 3 November 2010).
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393; http://www.cmkos.cz/homepage/2791-3; http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/total-of-3513-czech-hospital-doctors ...

A pay claim of €50 plus 3% has been put forward by ver.di's collective bargaining committee for regional government. The agreement covers 585,000 workers in 14 of Germany's 16 L„nder (Berlin and Hesse are covered by separate agreements). The pay agreement would also normally be extended to cover the 1.07 million civil servants in the regions. Ver.di says that the level of the increases reflects the need to keep up with living costs and with salary levels in federal and local government. The union argues that it is also an important contribution to boosting domestic demand in the country.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393
German: http://presse.verdi.de/pressemitteilungen/showNews?id ...

Unions have expressed their concern about the coalition government's intention to abolish the two-tier employment code in the public sector. The code was agreed with the previous Labour government after long periods of campaigning and lobbying by public sector unions. The aim was to ensure that private contractors supplying services to public authorities would apply the same minimum rates of pay as public sector agreements. Dave Prentis, General Secretary of the UNISON union, characterized the abolishment as another attack on low-paid workers in particular, many of whom are women. UNISON has called on the government to carry out an equality impact assessment as a matter of urgency.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393; http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2085

Services union ver.di along with the IG BCE union organised warning strikes across all departments of the RWE energy company on 16 and 17 December. The action involved around 6,000 workers and was in protest at the management's offer of a 2.4% pay increase plus lump sum payment. The unions argue that this is an insult in view of the company's massive profits and they have demanded a rise of 6.5%. A union spokesman stressed that the unions were mindful that customers would not be left without energy supply in the winter and that security at nuclear plants would be safeguarded.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393; http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFWEA785820101216
German: http://presse.verdi.de/pressemitteilungen/showNews?id ...

The three main union federations in the public service have organised strike action by staff working for the police and immigration services. They are protesting against a decision to terminate thousands of fixed-term contracts at the end of the year. The unions argue that this will undermine the crucial services that these workers provide some of whom have been employed for up to seven years.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393
Italian: http://www.fpcgil.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/16157

The government reaction to the latest banking crisis in Ireland is another budget with deep cuts across welfare and other public services. IMPACT union general secretary Shay Cody said that tax rises and cuts in the minimum wage will hit low paid workers in general, while new public sector workers (those taken on despite the recruitment freeze) will be on starting pay 25% lower than two years ago. Moreover, in November the Department of Education and Skills issued a circular to all schools and vocational training centres instructing them to impose pay cuts, averaging 5%, on up to 17,000 low paid staff from 1 January 2011. IMPACT, representing many of these workers, has announced to challenge this pay cut.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393; http://www.impact.ie/iopen24/budget-2011-education-cuts .; http://www.impact.ie/iopen24/predictable-budget-recipe .

The CCOO and UGT trade union confederations have warned the national government against increasing the retirement age from 65 to 67. The unions have organised protests against the pension reforms before and renewed their determination to fight the changes during their demonstrations against the government's austerity measures on 15 December. The unions say that the government response will be crucial in determining whether action will go ahead in January.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393; http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-18/spain-s-unions-protest-austerity ...
Spanish: http://www.ugt.es/actualidad/2010/diciembre/a18122010.html

On 16 December, 13 hours of negotiations over the agreement covering 80,000 workers in the private health and social services sector ended with no progress over the annual pay increase. The GPA-DJP and VIDA unions said the 1.3% offer from the employers was unacceptable, as it was below the trend of recent settlements and would mean a loss of purchasing power with inflation expected to reach 1.8%. They also said it was inadequate for a sector dominated by women where it was important to recognise the value of the work of such a vital service. Negotiations will resume on 12 January and the unions are planning actions in four cities on 26 January if there is no improved offer.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393
German: http://www.gpa-djp.at/servlet/ContentServer?pagename .; http://www.vida.at/servlet/ContentServer .

The CGT commercial services union has called for a one-day action in all stores of the country's largest retailer, Carrefour, on Saturday 18 December, in the run-up to Christmas. The protest is against deteriorating working conditions and management plans to restructure the distribution organisation and extend night shifts. Workers are encouraged to stop work, walk out, spread leaflets or sign a petition. Carrefour would not comment on the likely impact of the action.
English: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6BF1DY20101216