A new collective agreement concluded in Luxembourg's hospitals sector in February 2001 provides for a substantial pay increase and introduces special protection against dismissal for 10 years in the event of mergers and takeovers.
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A new collective agreement concluded in Luxembourg's hospitals sector in February 2001 provides for a substantial pay increase and introduces special protection against dismissal for 10 years in the event of mergers and takeovers.
On 7 February 2001, the Luxembourg Hospitals Alliance (Entente des hôpitaux luxembourgeois, EHL) signed a new collective agreement for the hospital sector with the Luxembourg Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (Onofhängege Gewerkschafts-Bond Lëtzebuerg, OGB-L) and the Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (Lëtzebuerger Chrëschtleche Gewerkschafts-Bond, LCGB). It runs for two years from 1 February 2000 (backdated) to 31 January 2002.
The agreement provides for a pay increase of 2.5% backdated to 1 January 2001, followed by a 1% rise on 1 January 2002. The deal also provides for the staged introduction of an extra holiday bonus, equivalent to an additional pay increase of 2%.
The agreement also provides for special employee protection in the event of mergers, takeovers, takeovers of departments and "synergies" between two or more EHL members (a factor rarely addressed in collective agreements in Luxembourg). In the event of such a contingency, collective or individual dismissals of employees in place at the time of the change, and not related to serious personal misconduct or behaviour, are not allowed for a period of 10 years from that date. All employees' rights in contracts and collective agreements are protected. In the event of the closure of a department whose activities are to be taken over by an outside firm, no employees may be dismissed from establishments with a workforce of over 100.
With regard to vocational training, competence for decision-making on the organisation of training at the level of each establishment will now lie with the company joint committee (comité mixte d'entreprise) or, if no such body exists, with the joint training committee (commission paritaire pour la formation). It was also decided to set up a foundation for continuing vocational training in the hospitals sector, bringing together EHL and the signatory trade unions. The foundation will be responsible for promoting and coordinating employees' continuing training in EHL member establishments.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (2001), New agreement signed in hospitals sector, article.
