The cuts in wages is the expression of the crisis in Austria. On 30 November , Belgian affiliates held a meeting with its members in Brussels in the morning and then they organized a picket Greek see Greece and British embassy in Solidarity see UK.
Two days later, on Friday 2 December, a national demonstration organized by the three national confederations took place in Brussels, which was joined by EPSU staff. A national demonstration took place on 30 November outside the Parliament. In the country austerity measures have its expression in the modification of the pension system.
Already in the transport sector strikes took place last week in the same sense. The protest was against the new austerity measures that have been introduced by Bulgarian Government — increase in the retirement age for all categories workers by 1 year as of unilaterally while disregarding the gradual increase agreement that the government made with the trade unions in , a new payment system for civil servants which include removing of length-of-service allowances.
EPSU affiliated unions in the Czech Republic are campaigning for the respect of the promised pay rise.
An international event of middle European trade union representatives from headquarters as well as from branches of the Czech Trade Union of Health Service and Social Care. Polish, German, Austrian, Slovak and Czech unions participated. On November 25, more than trade unions delegates have met the Government representative and EPSU affiliates raised the issue of the upcoming European day of action of November No to austerity - Estonia.
This was done together with a media and online campaign to give visibility to the EPSU action day. In other cities such as Lille there was a collection of signatures and picketing.
On December 13th a national all-union joint mobilisation will take place against the austerity plans. On December 1st, Greece will live through its 15th General strike since the beginning of the crisis. Thousands joined in the protest. On November 29th a protest outside the Dail [Parliament] took place with demonstrators in green shirts.
A real week of mobilisation started on November 26 with a national demonstrating for public water. So the political pressure is building on the government and this explains its two-pronged strategy of shouting "Never mind the ballots" while also offering fresh concessions and facilitating a minute strike to keep the strike mandates live.
The custom and practice of striking in Britain is that many no voters and most of the non-voters will join their striking workmates come 30 November. This results from winning the " an injury to one is an injury to all " and " united we stand divided we fall " arguments to participate in the strike as well as some peer pressure.
Indeed, as is normal again, many thousands of non-members will join an appropriate union in order to be able to strike. Therefore, the political punch of action will be greater than the ballot results alone indicate.
This will be particularly critical as the key political footballs that will be kicked around by the government on the day will be striker participation rates, how much disruption was caused and how many workplaces were closed. The other political football to be played with concerns levels of public support. Clearly, all is still to play for in the coming weeks.
Having majority public support on one's side is important because the dispute over pensions is essentially a political one. By contrast, strikes in the private sector are essentially economic where the point is to disrupt the employer's ability to make profit.
Public support is then one way of leveraging influence over the government, especially as a one-day strike is only a very short action. But public support is not the be all and end all. Firefighters' strike: a smart, strategic move by the union Gregor Gall. Gregor Gall: The way the FBU has gone about calling its four-hour strike provides a lesson for other unions preparing industrial action.
Published: 18 Sep The panel Why we are striking against austerity in Europe. Published: 14 Nov Privatising the outdoors: who owns our public space Landowner's security guards prevented strikers from picketing at university. Union members were ordered away from Salford University's facilities during strike last year.
Published: 12 Jun Jeremy Clarkson cleared over The One Show rant. Despite more than 30, complaints, Ofcom says viewers would have expected 'provocative and outspoken' comments. By Mark Sweney. Published: 20 Feb Economics blog Maude got his pension sums wrong, says IFS.
The paymaster-general went to war with the unions to defend reforms that will generate little or no gain for the exchequer. Published: 31 Jan Trade union irritation with Ed Miliband boils into open rebellion. Published: 17 Jan
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