Public sector conciliator starts work

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In February 1998, the president of Luxembourg's civil court of first instance commenced the task of conciliation in the public sector pensions dispute, holding hearings with the two parties separately.

Following the publication in mid-1997 of draft legislation designed to reform the pension scheme for Luxembourg's civil servants - with the aim of controlling rising costs while encouraging convergence of the public and private sector pension schemes (LU9706111F) - a dispute has been brewing between public sector trade unions and the Government. Following the failure of "last chance" negotiations on 21-22 January 1998 (LU9802146N), the largest public sector union, the General Public Sector Confederation (Confédération générale de la fonction publique e, CGFP) decided at a plenary meeting on 27 January 1998 to trigger a procedure that could, depending on the circumstances, culminate in a strike in the public sector. However, the parties to the dispute are now obliged to undergo a conciliation procedure before the president of the Tribunal d'Arrondissement, Luxembourg's civil court of first instance.

On 12 February, the conciliator called in the minister responsible for the public sector for an explanation of the matters in dispute, and to confirm that the attempt at conciliation would no longer focus on ideas exchanged at the January 1998 meeting, but would instead use the draft legislation presented to the Chamber of Deputies in August 1997 as the basis of discussion. It was against this background that the conciliator sought an explanation of the philosophy and technical aspects of the proposed law, and set a timetable for meetings.

CGFP representatives were received by the conciliator on 5-6 March in order for them to explain their position: they are mainly opposed to the proposed provisions affecting public employees' "acquired rights" in the pensions area.