Collective Bargaining

On Sunday 11 April, the mediator together with the employers' organisation Norsk Industry and the Fellesforbundet union presented a proposal for a new collective agreement for the coming two years covering the metal, packaging and textile and clothing sectors. The proposal has been recommended by the two parties; the result of the ballot among Fellesforbundet members will be presented to the mediator before 30 April noon. The agreement envisages a general wage increase of NOK 1 per hour (worth NOK 1,950 or Euro 245 annually) with the right to local wage negotiations, and NOK 1.50 per hour without the right to local negotiations. Further, a local addition of NOK 0.50 per hour to level out documented discriminating low wages for women in any given workplace. The total value of the agreement is estimated at 3% wage increase. Fellesforbundet president Arve Bakke says: "The result gives an extra increase for the lowest paid and we have constructed a model intended to level out discriminatory inequalities in pay between men and women in the individual company". Five days later, unions in the LO and YS confederations negotiated an agreement at nearly the same terms with the Spekter employers' organisations, covering around 190 firms with 180,000 employees in a range of sectors but mainly health, transport and energy.
English: message of EUCOBAN network of EMF / EFFAT / ETUF-TCL / EMCEF http://www.epsu.org/cob/363
Norwegian: http://www.fagforbundet.no/forsida/?article_id=50435

On 6 April, the SKTF municipal union has announced that it is pulling out of an agreement because its members are not getting the pay increases that have been negotiated. The union has signed three agreements in the private health sector, two of which expire this year. The third agreement should run until 2011 but SKTF has found that around 30% of its members in health companies have not had pay increases that are due to them. The union accuses the Almega employers' organization of failing to monitor implementation of the agreement.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/363;
Swedish: https://www.sktf.se/Templates/Page____35669.aspx

The VP™D/SSP public services union is considering what action it can take to improve pay and conditions of childcare workers ("Kitas"). The union argues that the responsibilities and physical strains of the job are not properly recognised. VP™D/SSP has noted the success of the German ver.di union last year in its campaign to win higher pay and improved working conditions for childcare workers; meetings at the end of April in Zrich and Bern will discuss strategy with contributions from colleagues in ver.di.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/363;
German: http://www.vpod.ch/aktuell/nachrichten/ansicht/article/kitas-unsere-arbeit .

Unions organising workers in the non-profit sector are planning demonstrations in Brussels, Liege and Charleroi in protest at the fact that neither the French community government nor the Wallonian regional government have budgeted for pay increases. The non-profit sector covers a range of health and social services including childcare and housing. Unions have put forward a range of key demands some of which they have been pursuing for several years. Among other things they want the difficulty of their professions recognised and salaries brought in line with those in the health sector at federal level.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/363;
French: http://www.setca.org/News/Pages/Pourunnouvelaccorddanslessecteursnonmarchandsdes2010.aspx

Following strike action on 8 April, the CGT local and regional government federation is continuing its campaign against new regulations on childcare. The union argues that the changes will reduce the level of trained staff required at a crŠche, a matter of concern not just for the workers in the sector but also for parents. The union is preparing for further strike action on 6 May and a national demonstration on 29 May and is also urging local councils to protest against the new regulations and to refuse to implement them. The CFDT is also campaigning against the changes and has attacked Minister for the Family, Nadine Murano, for making false claims about the impact of the regulations.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/363;
French: http://www.spterritoriaux.cgt.fr/spip.php?article3938; http://www.cfdt.fr/rewrite/article/25614/salle-de-presse/communique:la-federation-interco ...

The Cyprus Democratic Labour Federation (DEOK) has urged the public to take to the streets and protest any new taxes the government decides to impose, "whether this involves fuel, food, pharmaceuticals or any other product of basic need". The union's General Secretary, Diomidis Diomidous, said DEOK was determined to strongly protest new tax increases, after it was announced that there would be almost a 10% increase in fuel tax. According to the government this hike, along with similar increases on taxation of foodstuff, water and pharmaceuticals, follows from Cyprus' obligations to the EU, but the parliamentary opposition claims that the country could actually be exempt from the hikes.
English: http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/union-calls-public-protest-new-tax-hikes/20100415
via http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/show_news.pl?country=Cyprus

According to a report of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Croatian government has used European integration and harmonisation requirements as a pretext for making extensive legal reforms and reducing workers' rights. As a result, more than 80% of newly-employed workers are employed on a short-term basis, and many fear their contracts will not be renewed if they join a union. The large number of fixed term employment contracts indicates the serious difficulties in realising freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. The ITUC report also notes that though discrimination in employment is prohibited, legislative provisions are insufficient to prevent women from being discriminated against and harassed at work.
English: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/CLC_Croatia.pdf

The FSC-CCOO and FSP-UGT public sector federations have attacked the government for recruitment plans and its decision to replace only one in 10 public servants when they leave their jobs. The FSC-CCOO federation was already critical of the 15% replacement rate included in the 2010 budget and warns that a 10% replacement rate will threaten to undermine the quality of public services. The cuts are particularly of concern in the current period when defending employment is a key part of the response to the crisis. It is also pointed out that the 25% replacement rate imposed in the 1990s had a negative impact on service delivery and was the impetus for widespread privatisation and outsourcing.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/360;
Spanish: http://www.fspugt.es/La_FSPUGT_considera_insuficiente_la_Oferta_Pblica_de_ ...

The GMB general union has come to an agreement with British Gas, implying that possible industrial action by engineers will be avoided. The union had been balloting members for strike action in response to management threats to cuts jobs. The GMB and British Gas management have now issued joint statements that confirm that any restructuring in the company will only follow a proper process of consultation and negotiation. Said GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny, "The discussions have not been easy, but we do now have a platform on which to build relations. It is positive that the company respects the position of GMB" (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 3 March 2010).
English: http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/british_gas_settlement.aspx

The three union federations in the electricity industry --FILCEM-CGIL, FLAEI-CISL and UILCEM-UIL-- have signed a new agreement that sets out pay increases during 2010-2012. There will be a 2.8% increase this year backdated from 1 March and a 3.1% increase from 1 January 2011. In 2012 there will be two increases: 3.0% from 1 January and 1.75% from 1 July. The agreement covers around 59,000 employees in 130 companies, including ENEL and E.ON.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/360
Italian: http://www.filcemcgil.it/index.php?module=CMpro&func=viewpage&pageid=101 http://www.flaei.org/indexold.asp http://www.uilcem.com/uilcem/primopiano.asp?id_articolo=1982