On 25 October, the Education Personnel Union organised another demonstration in front of the House of Parliament, with 1,500 teachers demanding a salary increase. In numerous talks between the Ministry of Education, local governments and unions no consensus could yet be reached over funding such an increase. At the last meeting, on September 20, the Education Personnel Union stood by its 20% increase bid, while the Association of Teachers demanded a 43% increase. According to Statistics Estonia, the average monthly salary in Estonia this year is €857, whereas teachers make an average €608. Opposition members of parliament have supported the teachers' claims, calling for a 20% hike to be incorporated into next year's state budget.
English: http://news.err.ee/Education/2a9211d1-f1b5-4d3f-bf29-141097694da6; http://news.err.ee/politics/0a025910-f2ab-47b8-b46a-b25a6c9977ec
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On 25 October, the Federal Executive of the Union of Post and Telecommunications Staff (GPF) voted unanimously for a strike in protest to what it described as "unfair treatment" of postal workers. The decision is now awaiting approval of the GB union confederation. The strike may take place in early November. The GPF said unreasonable measures had been taken across Austrian Post in recent months, leading to intolerable consequences for its members, and that management had refused to alter their plans. A massive post office closure programme around the country has seen workers moved against their will, the union claims. In particular, the GPF argues that older workers are being persuaded to take a small payment to leave, and that those who refuse face dismissal.
English: http://postandparcel.info/43177/news/austrian-postal-union-calls-for-strike-action/ via http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/show_news.pl?country=Austria
German: http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20111025_OTS0258/gpf-einstimmiger-beschluss-zu-moeglichen-streikmassnahmen
Doctors' and nurses' trade unions delivered an ultimatum to Health Minister Leos Heger and the whole government on Monday 24 October, saying they will demand their resignation unless medical staff's pay is raised by 10% in 2012, as promised in spring this year. The ultimatum was announced by representatives of the emergency committee uniting three unions, the Doctors' Trade Union (LOK), the Health and Social Care Trade Union (OSZSP), and the Professional Trade Union of Medical Workers (POUZP). According to OSZSP chairwoman Dagmar Zitnikova, "Unless the minister gives clear guarantees that the spring memorandum (on the pay rise in 2012) will be fulfilled, we have a mandate from our organisation's members to launch any protest action."
English: http://praguemonitor.com/2011/10/25/health-care-unions-give-government-pay-rise-ultimatum
The major trade union confederations, ABVV/FGTB and ACV/CSC, have launched a program of concrete alternatives against blind budget cuts and mass lay-offs. Concerning collective bargaining issues, the confederations plea for maintaining the automatic price indexation of wages and social benefits, arguing that this system is not the problem but the rising prices of for example energy and food are. Wages and social benefits should be regarded as built-in stabilizers as to maintain workers' purchasing power, being the motor of the economy. The confederations also plea for maintaining the bridge pension system, the penalties for employers dismissing older workers, and the current system of unemployment benefits. On 15 November, they jointly organise a demonstrative meeting for union militants as to discuss the program.
Dutch: http://www.abvv.be/web/guest/news-nl/-/article/430839/&p_l_id=10187; http://www.acv-online.be/Images/Platformtekst1511_tcm9-257599.pdf
French: http://www.abvv.be/web/guest/press-releases-fr/-/press/430850/&p_l_id=14124; http://www.csc-en-ligne.be/Images/plateforme_propositions_sortir_impasse_tcm22-257966.pdf
Teachers are planning to challenge cuts to pay levels for new entrants to the profession, claiming that they discriminate against younger teachers. The new teachers are appointed on a wage scale of €30,000 to €34,000, which is up to €6,000 below the 2010 figure. The National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) claims this amounts to discrimination on age grounds and is preparing to take a case to the Equality Tribunal on the grounds that the vast majority of people likely to be affected by the move are younger public servants. Separately, the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) is considering similar action.
English: http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/education/latest-news/teachers-plan-to-challenge-lower-wage-rates-for-new-entrants-2915308.html
Thousands of BBC staff are to be balloted for strikes in a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions, raising the threat of disruption to flagship programmes including Strictly Come Dancing. Technicians, journalists and other employees will vote from 4 November on whether to take industrial action. Earlier in October, BBC management unveiled plans to cut 2,000 jobs and change terms and conditions of employment as to make savings of 20%. Talks have since been held between the broadcast corporation and unions - Bectu, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Unite - on the changes, but no agreement has been reached. Bectu general secretary Gerry Morrissey said BBC wanted to introduce different terms and conditions for new staff from next April, adding: "We are not prepared to negotiate with a gun to our head."
English: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gr6WFPX3e5XcjTWFQqQ9qT__CmEQ?docId=N0273511319559358576A
Workers responsible for patient transport at Geneva University Hospital have won virtually all their demands after a two-day strike. They will be put on a higher pay grade and get four additional days off. There will also be an increase in staffing which will ensure a better service to patients.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/443
German: http://www.vpod.ch/aktuell/nachrichten/ansicht/article/-369bb4c04a.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=34&cHash=f7fbc85162
On 18 October, members of the UNISON working at Barnet Council in North East London organized a second day of strike action and a picket line in their campaign against outsourcing. The Council has plans for a radical externalisation that could see 70% of council employees transferred to the private sector over the next 15 months (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 May, June July-August and September 2011).
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/443; http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7297; http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/704
On Saturday 22 October, a mass demonstration of teachers, parents and students from all over the country occupied the centre of Madrid sending a warning to the authoritiesÿ: Don't slash our education budget! The demonstration, in which some 100,000 protesters took part, was organised by the seven national education unions, the parents' association and the national union of students, as to resist the severe austerity measures announced by the conservative party, expected to win the national elections in November. The organizers also strongly oppose plans to privatize parts of the school system. The demonstration was headed by the leaders of the national union confederations CCOO and UGT and of the education unions. Representatives of teachers' organizations from other European countries also took part (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 4 September 2011).
English: http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/news_details/1994/
Spanish: http://www.europapress.tv/educacion/122748/1/internacional-educacion-apoya-manifestacion-contra-recortes.html
On 20 October, after five weeks on strike employees of the Charit Facilities Management (CFM) company have taken their campaign to the Berlin high street with a leafletting and sit-down protest in the large Dussman book and music store. The store is owned by the Dussman group, a multinational service company that partly owns CFM. The strikers' basic demand is to have a collective agreement and higher pay (?168 for a full-time month) for non-medical staff. CFM provides a range of services to the Charit hospitals in Berlin. Ver.di had also organised a demonstration in support of the strikers, on 15 October.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/443
German: https://www.verdi.de/themen/geld-tarif/++co++e9e02bd2-fb13-11e0-4596-0019b9e321e1; https://www.verdi.de/themen/geld-tarif/++co++2a8c74e8-f0f0-11e0-55f7-0019b9e321e1