Collective Bargaining

The FOA public services union has welcomed the fact that as a result of an agreement negotiated in 2007 more full-time jobs have been made available for part-time workers. The union says that some 2,300 health and social workers have moved from part-time to full-time work. The FOA is urging municipal and regional authorities to do more to encourage the move the full-time hours where employees want to do so.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319

After a warning strike on 24 August, the SDE energy union has managed to secure talks with the government over plans to unbundle the Slovenian electricity network from the retail business. A strike planned for 14 September has been called off following the government's agreement to have a proper process of social dialogue over the changes.
English: http://www.epsu.org/a/5679

After union members in the waste and environment sector overwhelmingly rejected the employers' "final" offer of a 1% pay increase, the employers made a further improved offer. The 1% pay increase backdated to 1 June will stand, but a further increase will be paid if inflation rises above 1% at the end of the year. The ABVAKABO FNV union had indicated that it was willing to be flexible on pay if the employers would make some guarantees on jobs; discussions on employment in the sector are continuing.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319;
Dutch: http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/cao/bericht/eindbod_cao_akkoord.

Workers at the National Grid in Newcastle took strike action on 11 September in protest at the company's plans to close the site and transfer work overseas. The action may spread to other sites that are affected by the company's restructuring proposals (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 2 June and July-August 2009).
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319; http://www.nationalgreed.co.uk/

FNME-CGT, the CGT-affiliated union for mining and energy, has criticised the EDF energy company and its eRDF subsidiary for failing to support workers who were dismissed when a meter-reading was awarded to a new company. The new contractor also refused to abide by an employment tribunal decision that the workers should be reinstated. The union accused EDF of failing to comply with its own social responsibility code on sub-contractors and undermining its own claims to be supporting employment during the crisis.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319;
French: http://www.fnme-cgt.fr/pages/communique.php?id=29

Local government union Kommunal believes that the approach of unions in the LO confederation in 2007 to negotiate higher pay increases for jobs where women make up the majority of workers has contributed to closing the gender pay gap. The union argues that it is unacceptable that "women's" jobs are undervalued and believes there is still a long way to go to close the gap.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319;
Swedish: http://www.kommunal.se/press/Pressmeddelanden/22857/

During September the three public service federations are mobilising their members in another push to renegotiate the collective agreement covering the 150,000 workers in the private health sector. The unions will make this a public campaign highlighting the connection between quality services and treating workers with respect - pay and conditions in the sector should have been renegotiated in a new collective agreement four years ago. The unions want the employers to make a public commitment to renegotiate the contract and have called on the public authorities to put pressure on them as well (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 2 July-August 2009).
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319;
Italian: http://www.fpcgil.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/11403

The GDG local government union and other trade unions are preparing for difficult negotiations in the coming pay round as employers continue to talk about freezing pay. The unions reaffirm the importance of maintaining living standards, and warn about the risks of a deflationary spiral if workers are denied a pay increase. They also point out that they have a history of responsible negotiations where they aim to protect workers' earnings while maintaining employers' competitiveness. The unions have set up an online calculator so union members can work out the impact of a pay freeze in the longer term.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319;
German: http://www.gdg.at/servlet/.

The public service unions ABVAKABO FNV, BPSAG and CNV Publieke Zaak have rejected the Ministry of Justice's five-plan 2009-2014 for the prison service. The plan includes proposals to cut 1,200 jobs and close a number of institutions across the country. The unions have called for major changes to the plans including clear commitments about how to deal with the impact of staff of any restructuring. The unions point out that the prison service needs well-trained staff and the five-year plan needs to be clear how to ensure employment levels and expertise will be maintained.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319;
Dutch: http://www.abvakabofnv.nl/cao/bericht/vakbonden_en_gor_wijzen.

The VPOD public service trade union joined other unions in a demonstration on 10 September in protest at the proposals by the Zrich canton to make changes to the wage system covering employees in the regional authority, local health service and university. The changes would mean no general pay increases but only bonuses for individuals. The unions believe this will lead to greater inequality.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/319;
German: http://www.vpod.ch/aktuell/nachrichten/ansicht/article/zuerich.