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Health and Social Work

• 07 Dec 2011
  Latvia: Hospitals protest against lack of funds

  The Latvian government has earmarked an extra €8.7 million for regional hospitals after staff protested at plans to cut funds for emergency patients in the second half of 2011. Demonstrations by health unions at three regional hospitals in August 2011 were supported by the Latvian Hospital Association, local governments and the public. However, hospitals are sceptical of another government promise to allocate an extra €997,000 to emergency healthcare funding.

• 26 Sep 2011
  Portugal: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Commerce – Portugal

  In the Portuguese commerce sector the structure of employers’ associations is characterised by a sharp divide between numerous small and medium-sized associations belonging to the Confederation of Trade and Services (CCP) and medium and large retailers belonging to the Portuguese Association of Retail Companies (APED). The trade union camp is dominated by two unions (CESP and SITESE). Collective bargaining is dominated by many local multi-employer agreements and some sectoral multi-employer-agreements, with very high coverage.

• 26 Sep 2011
  Ireland: Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Commerce – Ireland

  Almost 15% of Irish employment is in the commerce sector. Female employment in the sector increased by over 50% in the 10 years to 2008. Most large employers in retail recognise trade unions for collective bargaining purposes and while union density is low at about 20%, it can be explained by a lack of union penetration among smaller retail outlets. Mandate, the largest union in the sector, says trade union recognition is a major issue. Some multinational employers recognise trade unions elsewhere but not in their Irish operations.

• 02 Sep 2011
  Malta: Inquiry set up into plight of health sector’s precarious workers

  Criticism about the plight of precarious workers in Malta’s state hospitals has led to the government setting up a board of inquiry into their pay and conditions. Similar complaints have already been made this year by unions and some political parties, but the government decided to act after Opposition health spokesperson Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said the treatment of subcontracted care workers was in breach of the law. She has been backed by the General Workers’ Union.

• 05 Aug 2011
  Slovakia: Health care workers protest

  The Slovak Union of Medical Specialists held a day of protest on 9 March 2011 when doctors stopped working for one hour in protest against the poor financial situation in the healthcare sector. In May, the Trade Union of Physicians joined the protest, too. In order to push through its wage demands it advised members to give notice of their intention to quit en masse. This tactic was used successfully by doctors in the Czech Republic, where they achieved a significant wage increase.

• 01 Aug 2011
  Austria: Austria: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  In 2008, about 3% (81,725) of all employees in Austria were working in the banking sector, up from 2% in 2000, when 74,347 people worked in banking. Collective bargaining in the sector mirrors Austria’s collective bargaining system overall in that it favours multi-employer agreements. The structure of the sector with its differentiation by type of bank and ownership is reflected in the bargaining system. There are distinct collective agreements for five types of banks, which all have their own specific employer organisations. On the employees’ side, there is only one trade union counterpart, the Union of Salaried Employees, Journalists and Graphical Workers. Pay in the sector is above average.

• 01 Aug 2011
  United Kingdom: UK: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  The UK banking sector has been adversely affected by the economic crisis and employment levels have fallen. There are 61,522 companies in the sector. Collective bargaining takes place at the level of the firm and there are no sector-level collective agreements. The main trade union within the sector is Unite the Union, which participates in collective bargaining with employers. There is also an organisation, Alliance for Finance, that acts as an umbrella organisation for several staff unions, although it is not in itself a trade union. The employers’ association, the British Bankers’ Association, does not participate in collective bargaining within the sector.

• 01 Aug 2011
  Netherlands: The Netherlands: The representativeness of trade unions and employer organisations in the banking sector

  At the end of 2008 more than 85% of the Dutch banking sector was composed of just five banking institutions. In 2010 this number fell to four. Almost all banks are members of the employers’ organisation the Dutch Association of Banks (Nederlandse Vereniging van Banken, NVB), which leads to a sectoral density of about 100%. Union density is, as in other sectors of the Dutch economy, much lower – estimated by a De Unie representative at 20–25%. All unions are recognised partners at the negotiating table and thus signatory partners to the collective agreements in the sector. There is one sector collective agreement for small and medium-sized banks, while the four large banking institutions each have a company-level collective agreement.

• 01 Aug 2011
  Bulgaria: Bulgaria: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  According to Bulgaria’s national statistical institute there were 1,483 banking outlets in the country in 2008, belonging to about 30 commercial banks. The total number of employees in that year was 43,006: 12,451 males and 30,558 females. Trade union density in the sector is low. The sole national employers’ association operates as a business association only, and does not participate in the bipartite partnership at sector level or in collective bargaining. There is only single-employer bargaining in several big banks, where the workforce is organised.

• 01 Aug 2011
  Spain: Spain: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  The banking sector accounts for 2% of total employment in Spain. It has been hit by the economic downturn, with employee numbers falling from 315,076 in 2008 to 296,576 in 2009. The number of companies in the sector increased slightly from 2008 (4,079) to 2009 (4,243) , but it fell to 3,722in 2010. Collective bargaining is marked by a high degree of centralisation, as sectoral multi-employer collective bargaining predominates (there are four collective bargaining agreements in the whole sector). This coexists with bargaining at the company level. The coverage rate of collective bargaining is very high at about 90% of the sectoral workers. The main challenge facing the sector is the post-crisis merger process of the savings banks.

• 01 Aug 2011
  Ireland: Ireland: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  According to the Irish Bank Federation (IBF), employment in IBF member institutions and their subsidiaries stood at 40,507 in 2008, up from 35,658 in 2003. Employment by the major retail banks (AIB, Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Permanent TSB, Ulster Bank and Bank of Scotland Ireland) was at 31,000. However, these figures may not be reflective of the entire banking sector as there is no official Irish data available on the whole sector. The sector has traditionally been covered by a system of nationally agreed private sector pay agreements which collapsed in 2009. Currently, bargaining remains at company level, albeit governed by a set of nationally agreed private sector pay protocols.

• 01 Aug 2011
  France: France: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  The banking sector has partially recovered from the financial crisis and the French banks have refinanced themselves. However the stability of industrial relations within the sector is less certain, as evidenced by the joint position of all unions against the wage proposals of the employers’ representatives and by the fact that for the first time not a single union signed the agreement on wages in the commercial banking sector – the most important sub-sector in the banking sector. In addition, the law on ‘representativeness’ coming into force in 2013 will have an impact on the capacity of trade unions to conclude agreements, since not all of them will be able to participate.

• 01 Aug 2011
  Cyprus: Cyprus: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  The banking sector in Cyprus shows a slow but steady increase in terms of employment, which reached 3.2% of overall employment in 2008. In terms of its value added, the contribution of the sector to the Cypriot economy has also increased, reaching 6.9% in 2008. As far as collective bargaining and representation is concerned, banking is among the best organised sectors of economic activity, with high unionisation rates and high collective bargaining coverage. In this context, most the bargaining takes place at sectoral level, covering over 9,000 employees, while the rest of the employees are covered by enterprise-level agreements.

• 01 Aug 2011
  Hungary: Hungary: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  In 2008 Hungary’s financial sector was composed of 532 companies employing 1.6% of all workers in the country. It is one of the most profitable economic sectors, although the financial crisis reduced its profits and number of employees. There are two main types of company in the banking sector: the cooperative banks, operating mainly in smaller towns, and the big multinational banks. The former are covered by the trade union KASZ, while the latter are covered by BBDSZ. Unionisation levels of both trade unions are low. The importance of the sectoral social dialogue is very low and there are only company-level agreements in the sector.

• 29 Jul 2011
  Belgium: Belgium: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the banking sector

  The banking sector is an important activity in the country. As in other sectors of the Belgian economy it is characterised by an insitutionalised model of social dialogue and mutual recognition of employers’ organisation and trade unions in two joint sector committees (no. 310 and 308). Collective bargaining is a mix of a sectoral framework (for small banks) and further implementation at company level (in the large banks). The financial crisis has hit Belgium’s banking sector hard, but so far had little effect on the structure of social partner relations.

• 06 Jul 2011
  Latvia: Austerity measures provoke protests

  Latvia’s programme for stabilising its financial system is based on widespread austerity measures. During the first two years of austerity, the annual deficit led to the government aiming to cut spending by 4% of gross domestic product, with a reduction of more than 2% in 2011. These measures have almost exhausted possibilities for more cuts, and the government’s suggestions for further measures have been increasingly met by national protests, supported by unions and employer organisations.

• 06 Jul 2011
  Norway: Adecco allegations put focus on public procurement and social dumping

  Following claims in February 2011 that it had systematically violated work environment legislation in Norwegian nursing homes, the recruitment agency Adecco has ended all its nursing home operations in the country. The case also prompted debate over the role of temporary worker agencies and similar enterprises, privatisation, the role of the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority and the need for improved measures to combat social dumping in the municipal sector.

• 21 Jun 2011
  Czech Republic: Nationwide protest meeting of trade unionists

  Czech trade union leaders met in Prague on 19 February, 2011, to discuss how they will act together against proposed government reforms to the pension system, healthcare, taxation and the labour code. The protest meeting, of members of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, (ČMKOS) was attended by more than 1,000 heads of trade union affiliates. They have now launched a campaign to raise public awareness and have announced they may consider a general strike.

• 27 May 2011
  Norway: Hospitals ordered to reduce part-time work

  In spring 2011 Norway’s Health Minister Grete Strøm-Eriksen ordered all state hospitals to reduce their use of part-time positions by 20%. The government wants more full-time jobs and has also allocated funds to help to reduce the number of people in involuntary part time work. One in three employed women aged 25–54 years in Norway works part time. Many would like their working hours extended, and unions want to see the introduction of a statutory right to full-time work.

• 11 May 2011
  Austria: Austria: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the commerce sector

  Austria’s commerce sector employs almost 593,000 workers; the highest number for any sector apart from manufacturing. Industrial relations in commerce correspond to Austria’s standard pattern of obligatory membership for employers in the Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) and its relevant subunits. Therefore, the collective bargaining coverage lies at 100%. The representativeness of the sector’s two trade unions is unchallenged. There are no recognition problems in the sector. Unionisation rates are fairly low for both blue- and white-collar workers.

• 11 May 2011
  Cyprus: Cyprus: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the commerce sector

  The commerce sector in Cyprus is crucial to the country’s economy, accounting for 13.4% of the total value added and 17.8% of total employment in 2008. However, in terms of employee representation and collective bargaining, the sector is characterised by extremely low union rates and collective bargaining coverage. Making collective bargaining the principal mechanism for creating and determining the terms and conditions of employment in the commerce sector is a top priority for the trade unions.

• 11 May 2011
  France: France: The representativeness of trade unions and employer’s associations in the commerce sector

  The commerce sector is very significant in France, accounting for about 13% of total employment. Collective bargaining agreements cover about 90% of employees in the sector. There are 120 employers’ assocations and six main unions for the sector. It is characterised by many small enterprises, and 12% of commerce workers in 2007 were self-employed people. These factors inhibit the extension of worker representation to the whole sector.

• 11 May 2011
  United Kingdom: UK: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the commerce sector

  The UK commerce sector employs a large volume of workers, although it has been adversely affected by the recent economic crisis. There are few disputes between the social partner organisations in the sector over the right to recruit members and to participate in public policy, although trade union density and collective bargaining coverage rates within the sector are relatively low. This is largely attributable to the small average firm size in the commerce sector..

• 11 May 2011
  Bulgaria: Bulgaria: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the commerce sector

  In 2008 the added value realised by Bulgaria’s commerce sector amounted to €5,287 million, 9.6% higher than in 2007. The commerce sector has two trade unions, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB CL) and PODKREPA, and one employers’ organisation, the Bulgarian Traders Union (BTU). The sector has a low union membership, because of a high workforce turnover and the prevalence of small and medium enterprises. Collective bargaining is conducted at sectoral level and company level. This means that only the BTU employers implement the branch collective agreement (BCA).

• 29 Apr 2011
  Ireland: Agreement to reform state laboratory service

  Health sector employers and unions have agreed on the modernisation of the state laboratory service under the Public Service Agreement (the ‘Croke Park Agreement’). About 3,000 staff are now working longer, and have had cuts in their ‘out of hours’ payments since March 2011. The employer body, the Health Service Executive (HSE) estimates this could save about €5 million annually. The Public Service Agreement aims to achieve efficiencies and reform in all state sectors.

• 29 Mar 2011
  Czech Republic: Nurses divided over doctors’ resignation campaign

  The resignation campaign by hospital doctors in the Czech Republic has led to an offer of cash for hospitals by the government. However, the health minister will not guarantee the money will be spent only on doctors’ pay, and the country’s 80,000 hospital nurses are divided over the doctors’ action. Some support the campaign, arguing that there is a need for health care reform and to retain doctors. However, others believe nurses should also share in any wage increases.

• 25 Mar 2011
  EU Level: Health social partners agree recruitment and retention framework

  The EU-level social partners in hospitals and healthcare, HOSPEEM and EPSU agreed, in December 2010, a framework of actions on recruitment and retention of staff. These are key issues in this sector, with demographic ageing and tight budgets compounding the problems of recruiting skilled employees for difficult working conditions on relatively low pay. The social partners’ formal dialogue began only in 2006, but has developed rapidly, leading to several joint texts.

• 15 Feb 2011
  Austria: Austria: Industrial Relations in the Health Care Sector

  The instalment of a national sectoral collective agreement for the whole health care and social care sector can be considered a milestone for the sector, entailing standardised pay, the improvement of working conditions and improved working time regulations for a large group of employees. However, many problems in the sector have not been solved yet. There is a noticeable shortage of (qualified) labour and substantial lack of funding. The problem of undeclared work in the care sector has been tackled with an ordinance on the legislation of foreign care workers and a law on home care; however, organised labour has great objections against it as it stipulates excessively long working hours.

• 14 Feb 2011
  Slovakia: Slovakia: Industrial Relations in the Health Care Sector

  Slovak healthcare underwent major reforms during the period 1998-2006, including deregulation and decentralization of healthcare providers. Reforms produced discrepancies in pay and working conditions across university hospitals, smaller public hospitals, public care homes and private healthcare providers, which remains the main challenge in the sector together with migration and labour shortages. Social partners address the above challenges in multi-employer and single-employer bargaining. Despite relevant collectively agreed wage increases in the past five years, trade unions and smaller healthcare providers continue in their efforts to decrease the pay gap and labour shortages of nurses and care personnel.

• 14 Feb 2011
  EU Countries: Employment and industrial relations in the health care sector

  This report presents the findings of a study that assessed the contributions of employers, trade unions and professional organisations in achieving the recruitment and retention of staff (other than doctors) in the health care sector as it battles to overcome the challenges of an ageing population, budgetary constraints and skills shortages. The study covers hospital-based, residential and home care provided in the public and private sectors in the EU27 countries (apart from Latvia and Finland) plus Norway. The report provides a summary of employment, expenditure and policy trends in the sector and identifies key social partner organisations. It examines collective bargaining and social dialogue and their contribution to addressing the challenges the sector faces, particularly in increasing its attractiveness as an employer for nurses and care workers by helping to improve their pay, working conditions and terms of employment.

• 14 Feb 2011
  Romania: Romania: Industrial Relations in the Health Care Sector

  Over the past decade, the Romanian health care system has been the object of many initiatives, attempts, and successive reform schemes. In spite of a rise of public spending for health the budget allocations are still much below the average for EU 27. The collective agreement negotiated in the health sector is a sectoral multi-employer agreement. This collective agreement is the basis on which, in each medical establishment, employer and employees negotiate their agreement at company level. Confronted by the deficit of personnel in the health sector, the social partners, both the unions and the employers, have succeeded in obtaining salary raises in recent years, and the provision, by law, of the fidelity bonus.

• 14 Feb 2011
  Estonia: Estonia: Industrial Relations in the Health Care Sector

  The health care sector is one of the most active sectors in Estonia in terms of industrial relations. There are three active trade unions in the sector and it is one of only two sectors concluding sectoral minimum wage agreements extended to all employees in the sector. Currently the sectoral agreement is valid until the end of 2010. Still, the health care sector has been significantly influenced by the economic downturn. Hospitals have been forced to implement redundancies, cut salaries and reduce other benefits.

• 14 Feb 2011
  Lithuania: Lithuania: Industrial Relations in the Health Care Sector

  In Lithuania, health care services are mainly provided by budgetary institutions which funding depends on the decisions made by the State. Similarly, two trade unions and one employer organisation functioning in the sector mainly represent public-sector employees and employers . The primary focus of these organisations is to negotiate with the government of the country, namely, with the Ministry of Health, in pursuit of the main objective – improvement of working conditions and wage increase in particular.

• 14 Feb 2011
  Greece: Greece: Industrial Relations in the Health Care Sector

  The ageing of the population, the mass immigration in search of employment in the broader health-welfare sector and the downgrading of the public health sector are developments which call for a reform of labour relations and the upgrade of social dialogue on the sector's qualitative evolution and organization, which is of paramount importance. In Greece, in an ever expanding labour market and business sector, this process of reform is obstructed, on the one hand, by the lack of a culture of social dialogue in general, and, on the other hand, by the tradition of 'self-regulation', which affects most aspects of the country's financial and social life.

• 14 Feb 2011
  Malta: Malta: Industrial Relations in the Health Care Sector

  Malta’s health care sector faces challenges arising from the escalating demands of an ageing population, the increase of chronic diseases, the encouragement of the preventive approach, long waiting lists, the rising costs of emerging treatment modalities, and insufficient staff. Apart from the issue of funding, the bureaucratic systems that typify the public services and the occasional lack of cooperation among the different levels of the health-care staff are crucial obstacles in the progress of this field. Over the past five years, through collective bargaining and social dialogue, the government and the social partners showed their commitment to the search for new pathways that provide effective human resources development, complimented with the application of new and cost-effective technologies and initiatives, at times based on public-private partnerships.

• 28 Jan 2011
  Czech Republic: Hospital doctors’ resignation campaign

  Czech hospital doctors are collectively handing in resignation notices as part of a campaign, ‘Thank you, we’re leaving’, announced in March 2010 by the doctors’ trade union (LOK-SČL) in protest at the poor state of the health care sector. Some trade unions in the sector have expressed support for the campaign but not others. The Minister of Health does not underestimate the gravity of the situation but is confident not all the doctors will actually leave to go abroad.