The German DGB and the OGB-L will enter into a new and very practical cooperation as the organisations have decided to start with an information office on working conditions and social security for German workers that commute to Luxembourg (estimated 38,000 daily or weekly). As announced in the OGB-L quarterly (page 31) DGB members can ask for advice in the city of Trier (next to existing facilities in Saarlouis and Bitburg) from 5 April. For French commuters a series of meetings is organised (on 25 April, 10 and 24 May) that is completely dedicated to the changes of the pension system in Luxembourg and the consequences for transfrontier workers from France (OGB-L quarterly, page 32). The trade union LCGB-SESM will open new advisory facilities on working conditions for commuters to Germany as from 1 May in Merzig in cooperation with the German Pension Association (DRV Bund)
German and French: http://www.ogbl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/aktuell_0312.pdf
German: http://deutschegrenzgaenger.lu/de/2012/04/19/deutsch-ab-mai-2012-neue ...
Search results
Find articles
The parliament voted on 31 January 31 for a limitation of the wage index. Tripartite negotiations came to a halt in December 2011. Trade unions did not accept proposals put forward by the employers on the introduction of a 2-year moratorium, a modulation of wage indexation, a study to analyse the legitimacy of wage setting suspension and a revision of the minimum wage. The government then stipulated a temporary modulation of wage indexation for 2012-2015. For this period, salaries to be indexed in accordance to inflation are augmented only once a year. An interval of 12 months is to be respected between each index payment. The payment due initially in March 2012 (as inflation is still high) is postponed to October 2012 while a next forecasted index payment, if applicable, is postponed to October 2013 at the earliest. Social minimum salary is not frozen as demanded by employer' associations, but will continue to rise with a next augmentation on 1 January 2013.
French: http://www.ogbl.lu/blog/opposition-contre-la-regression/
German: http://www.ogbl.lu/de/blog/opposition-contre-la-regression/
On 25 November, the doctors' and dentists' strike came to an end as their union AMMD and health ministers reached an agreement over the health reform bill, though the details are still lacking. Doctors and dentists began minimal services as an action against the reform on 22 October because they found that the tighter financial framework of hospitals would lead to the deterioration of patient health.
English: http://www.station.lu/?p=edito&a=external&id=90577
On 21 April, European transport workers expressed their anger over the liberalisation of the railways and its impact on public services and jobs at a rally in Luxembourg. Some 375 unionists representing transport unions in Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg joined forces under the banner of the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF). The rally, part of the ETF's European railway workers' action day, was calling for an end to liberalisation. This, the unionists stated, was responsible for deteriorating public services and a lack of job security. Luxembourg union leaders also met with the minister of development and infrastructure, Claude Wiseler, to send home the anti-liberalisation message.
English: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/4393
Until recently, various government ministers have reiterated their confidence in Luxembourg's ability to withstand the crisis better than other countries. Yet, the Luxembourg Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (OGB-L) has stated to fear that an increasing number of companies, notably in financial services and the automotive industry, will introduce redundancy programs and job cuts. Against this backdrop, the confederation has asked the government to take clear action to maintain employment or to provide training for people who are affected by a redundancy program or threatened with redundancy. OGB-L insists that everything possible must be done to retain the skills and qualifications present in the Luxembourg job market, adding that this also applies to cross-border workers.
English: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2009/02/articles/lu0902029i.htm
French and German: http://www.ogbl.lu/