National Collective Agreements Research Articles

Comparative Analysis of Seafarersʼ Collective Agreements in the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro

Seafarers represent a special category of workers, since their living and working conditions differ in many respects from those of other workers. Therefore, the legal regulation of the employment status of seafarers is particularly important. In the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro, there is no comprehensive legal act regulating the working, social and living conditions of seafarers. Relevant provisions are contained in various legal regulations. Collective agreements are of crucial importance in regulating the employment status of seafarers. In the Republic of Croatia, the National Collective Agreement for Croatian Seafarers on Board Ships in the International Shipping (2021-2022) entered into force in 2021. In Montenegro, the Collective Agreement for ship crew concluded at the end of 2020 with the employer Crnogorska plovidba a.d. Kotor is still in force. In this paper, the author provides an overview of the collective bargaining process and focuses on the comparative analysis of collective agreements.

A matter of fragmentation? Challenges for collective bargaining and employment conditions in the Spanish long-term care sector

The long-term care system in Spain has been characterised by decentralisation, marketisation, fiscal austerity and its reliance on informal family care and cheap migrant labour. Focusing on home-help services, this article addresses the extent to which the sector’s multi-level system of collective bargaining can be characterised as fragmented and whether this has had a negative effect on employment conditions. The research involved an analysis of the legal and collective bargaining framework, expert interviews and employee focus groups. We argue that the precedence given to sectoral agreements within public procurement processes is one main factor preventing a move towards ‘disorganised decentralisation’ in the aftermath of the 2012 labour market reform. Moderate decentralisation has favoured heterogeneity in pay and working conditions at regional and provincial levels. However, these mid-level collective agreements have improved standards with respect to the national collective agreement, and there has been a minor increase in the number of company-level collective agreements since the reform. The limited professionalisation, the lack of recognition of skills and effort in occupational classifications, and the organisation of working time emerge as key contributors to the sector’s poor employment conditions.

Beyond methodological nationalism in explanations of gender equality: The impact of EU policies on gender provisions in national collective agreements in Belgium (1957–2020)

Based on an analysis of gender equality provisions in national collective agreements, this article investigates the influence of European Union (EU) gender and macro-economic policy on gender equality outcomes in Belgium since the signature of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. We show that, over time, EU gender equality policies have led to the adoption of provisions promoting formal gender equality and the integration of women in the labour market. At the same time, EU macro-economic policies have stimulated labour flexibility, promoting part-time work largely filled by women, and imposed wage moderation, which has fundamentally hampered the correction of historical indirect gender discrimination in wages. Overall, EU policies have stimulated the transformation of the conservative male breadwinner model of this coordinated market economy (CME) into a gendered ‘one-and-a-half earner’ model, a transformation partially enforced through the increased interference of the state transposing EU policies. Our study advances the current literature by pointing to the limitations of prevalent methodologically nationalist explanations of gender equality outcomes in CMEs. More specifically, it shows that the gender equality provisions of national collective bargaining agreements in CMEs cannot be understood independent of EU gender and macro-economic policies.

Retribuzione e inquadramento nel contratto collettivo aziendale c.d. Just Eat

The article analyses and comments the regulation of the remuneration of the corporate collective agreement stipulated on March 29, 2021 by Just Eat with national major Trade Unions. The Autor tests the compatibility of this collective agreement with the national contractual model (the logistic national collective agreement), and analyses lights and shadows of the remuneration institutions in it contained.

Territorial disparities in labour productivity, wages and prices in Italy: What does the data show?

In Italy, both at the regional and sub-regional levels, labour productivity and average wages are strongly correlated. Overall, in industry and services, the gap (about 30%) in productivity between Southern and Central-Northern regions is almost offset by that in the average wage: unit labour costs are similar. Since, in Italy, in each sector, nominal wages are set through national collective agreements – and therefore are the same throughout the country – regional differences in wage per employee depend solely on the composition of the occupational structures. The small difference in the unit labour cost suggests that also the North–South disparity in labour productivity is largely due to the characteristics of the respective productive structures. Across Italian regions, average wages and price levels are positively correlated. Spatial price differentials mainly depend on the prices of services and housing. In turn, prices influence regional nominal productivity in sectors producing non-tradable goods. The North–South difference in price levels substantially equalises the average real wage in the two areas. Nevertheless, thanks to the lower prices and the equality in nominal wages, in the South employees enjoy a greater purchasing power than their colleagues in the rest of the country with analogous job positions. The Italian case suggests that, at the regional level, labour productivity, average wages and prices are interrelated. The analysis of their mutual relationships is of great importance for regional policies.

From Substitutive to Supplementary: Institutional Interplay between Public and Occupational Sickness Benefits in Finland, 1947-2016

In the context of the Finnish welfare state, this article examines the role of occupational welfare in the interplay between public and occupational sickness benefits from 1947 to 2016, to analyse how the two sickness benefits have interacted over time and the role occupational welfare has played in sickness provision. Previous research has noted that occupational benefits may support or compensate for the much-debated declining welfare state. Hence, it is important to acquire greater knowledge about the public-occupational interplay. The study uses in-depth individual-level analysis from a retrospective point of view, which has been rare in previous research, and examines the public-occupational interplay in the Finnish sickness benefit system from the first national collective agreements to 2016. Based on the reforms made to the public system, the article identifies and utilises six different phases of the Finnish sickness allowance system in the main analysis. The institutional development of sickness provision is investigated by analysing the compensation rate and benefit period, using metalworkers as a representative example of blue-collar workers. The results indicate that occupational benefits are strongly institutionalised in the Finnish sickness benefit system. The interplay between statutory and occupational sickness benefits has taken different forms over time, and occupational benefits have been re-negotiated as the statutory system has been reformed. The article provides valuable information on the historical development and relevance of occupational welfare, in terms of not only understanding its significance for individuals but also comprehending the logic of the interplay in the public-private mix of welfare provision.

Ccnl metalmeccanici 2016 e contrattazione aziendale: un tentativo di tipizzazione

Il saggio prende in esame i risultati della contrattazione collettiva aziendale nel settore metal-meccanico a seguito dell'innovativo ed ambizioso contratto collettivo nazionale di lavoro di settore sottoscritto nel 2016. In tale contratto si riscontra un'ampia delega alla contrattazione collettiva aziendale ad intervenire su numerose materie. Al riguardo, gli autori - anche alla luce della possibilità di consultare la specifica e rilevante banca dati OCSEL (Osservatorio naziona-le sulla Contrattazione di SEcondo Livello della Cisl) - operano una tipizzazione delle princi-pali materie oggetto della contrattazione aziendale e procedono ad un'analisi statistica e quanti-tativa degli accordi, nonché all'illustrazione di alcuni casi emblematici e di particolare rilievo. Il saggio si chiude con una valutazione complessiva dei risultati della contrattazione aziendale durante la vigenza del ccnl e, anche in ragione di tale bilancio, pone problematicamente la que-stione del rinnovo del ccnl per il triennio 2020-2022.

Continuity, change and transitions of artistic professions in the Italian theatre industry

The article reflects upon artistic work in the theatre sector, to understand how this peculiar profession has historically developed in Italy. Relying on different theoret-ical contributions and diverse empirical sources, the article delineates the institu-tionalisation process of the Italian theatre sector through different phases and transitions. Another topic addressed in this article are the past and current occupa-tional and working conditions of Italian theatre artists. Career pathways are thus discussed with respect to training, access to the profession, national collective agreements and actual forms of subordinate work and self-employment.

Croatian Seafarers on Board Ships in the International Shipping Trade Signed the National Collective Agreement (2019 – 2020)

Croatian Seafarers on Board Ships in the International Shipping Trade Signed the National Collective Agreement (2019 – 2020)

Il simil sync o semi-sinc nel panorama italiano: lo slittamento e offuscamento dei confini previsti dal CCNL

Although Italy has always been a dubbing country, mainly due to cultural and historical reasons, the recent introduction of new TV formats, resulting from the hybridization between previously existing formats (such as docu-realities, a hybrid between documentaries and reality shows), has required the development of more suitable translation processes. Simil sync results from the hybridization between dubbing and voice-over, but it has not been clearly defined both from a theoretical point of view (as a separate branch within AVT, whose boundaries are blurred by the mentioned phenomenon of hybridization) and from a contractual point of view (the national collective agreement does not contain any reference to it and to its payment either). Consequently, the aim of the present work is to define simil sync as clearly as possible, also by providing a more suitable and less anglicized label for this translation practice (that is, semi-sinc).

De toepassing van Nederlandse caoos op buitenlandse chauffeurs in het goederenvervoer over de weg - Op de viersprong van transportrecht, arbeidsrecht, vrij verkeer en IPR (The Application of the Dutch Collective Agreements to the Employment Contracts of Foreign Truck Drivers Active in the Transport of Goods by Road in the Netherlands On the Intersection between Transport Regulation, Labour Law, Free

Dutch transport companies make use of foreign truck drivers for their transport services through different employment modalities, such as use of temporary agency work, subcontracting and intra-concern transfers. The report, commissioned by the social partners in the road transport sector and finished in December 2008, examines the effect of these employment modalities on the application and enforcement of the Dutch collective agreements for the transport by road sector. In doing so, it describes the interaction between the rules on transport (national and European), free movement of services, EU choice of law and national collective agreements. Though the rules have changed since the report was published, the problems with regard to the interaction of these legal areas are still highly topical. Therefore, on request, the report is made publicly accessible in March 2017. Part 1 describes the legal framework of transport of goods by road. This overview is meant both to identify possible connecting factors for the regulation of employment and to test the legality of the employment modalities used in practice. Part 2 focuses on issues of private international law. It discusses the law applying to the contract, the application of overriding mandatory provisions and the status of collective agreements in private international law. Part 3 explores how applicable Dutch collective agreement provisions can be enforced, within the framework of European law.

I contenuti della contrattazione collettiva di secondo livello negli accordi interconfederali 2009 -2013

The essay analyzes the subjects that Confederal Agreements from 2009 to 2013 have assigned to collective bargaining at the second level, distinguishing between delegation and deregulation. As regards the relationship among the different contractual levels of bargaining, the model of decentralized productivity salary has remained stable over time; more recently national collective agreements have been attempting to extend this competence into other areas more tipically characterized by flexibility (hours and organization of work; duties; new technologies). The union system seems to hesitate between old and new models, but with the latest agreement stipulated May 31, 2013 it has become clear that every choice needs unity of action by the Confederated Unions.

Minimalna plača – Slovenija v perspektivi Evropske unije

The aim of this paper is to present the purpose and objectives of the minimum wage, putting the Slovenian minimum wage into the context of the European Union. Every EU member state has one form of the minimum wage regulation. In most countries, including Slovenia, minimum wage is set at the national level by law or national collective agreement, meaning that all workers are eligible for the minimum wage. Regarding the ratio between minimum and average wage, Slovenia ranks among countries with the highest minimum wage. According to the numerous empirical studies, Slovenia’s relatively high minimum wage might have adverse effects on the labour market outcomes, especially for vulnerable groups in the labour market, as well as productivity.

A proposito dell'articolo 8 della legge n. 148/2011: le deroghe si fanno, ma non si dicono

The essay deals with the more recent agreements and legal norms about trade union law; more specifically with the article 8 of Law no. 148/2011. This rule of law might have strong effects on the structure of collective bargaining and the mandatory nature in the pejorative sense of the rules of labour law by the company or territorial collective agreements. In this regard, the main trade unions have declared they are unwilling to conclude decentralized agreements in derogation with the law. However, a practical analysis, carried out on a series of company collective agreements found by the Author, shows that we could assert that exceptions to the law (or national collective agreement) are made, but are not openly declared.

The meta‐regulation of European industrial relations: Power shifts, institutional dynamics and the emergence of regulatory competition

Abstract.“Meta‐regulation” describes the transnational governance of industrial relations emerging from attempts to resolve conflicts between national collective agreements and EU Member States' freedom to provide services and post workers abroad. The norm underpinning such meta‐regulation is competition, not only between workers from different EU Member States but also between States' labour regulations. Using the concepts of “structural power” and “social field”, the authors discuss judicial decisions that illustrate the gradual meta‐regulation of industrial relations in the EU and show how the power asymmetry between labour and capital is growing in favour of the latter.

Multinationals and National Industrial Relations in Times of Crisis: The Case of FIAT

This article analyses recent developments in the Italian industrial relations system resulting from the joint pressures exerted by the EU institutions and an Italian multinational, both advocating deregulation of the legal framework, with a move towards company-level regulation, and opt-out clauses in national collective agreements. It is argued that such pressures appear to be effective in shifting the balance of power between the players, overcoming resistance to a deregulatory and decentralizing approach. However, the demands of just one company, albeit a leading employer, cannot shape the legal system as a whole, but rather give rise to a multi-faceted model.

Primary health care in Italy: from medical behaviour to teamwork

Primary health care represents an essential area in relation to health protection: its purposes are, on the one hand, health promotion, on the other hand the possibility to resort only if necessary to hospital care. In the novel National Collective Agreement, new teamwork forms of organization are introduced; for example, the obligatory Territorial Functional Aggregation: an organizational Unit which general practitioners and general paediatricians join to. The article by Scala et al. (see page 17), about an experience of primary health care, focuses the necessity to plan new organizational forms of work for teams oriented to realize efficient and effective answers to population needs: the phases of the activities in équipe are analysed, lingering on lights and shadows of the team.

Undermining collective bargaining: Fiat-Chrysler agreement

REPORT□ COLLECTIVEBARGAINING INITALY Undermining collective bargaining: Fiat-Chrysler agreement I subordination benefits the for increased not in the productivity will Pomigliano the a employees start employment new again whole they year's be Such meantime and working to plant are in only is work year: time they that one will has the on of in if subordinationthat the employees of the new plantin Pomiglianowill notstartto work fora whole year: inthe meantime theyare on employment benefitsand they willbe working again onlyif productivity has increased inone year's time FEDERICA MICOLI, Labour lawyer, Italy/South Africa The eral (i.e. role source to all ofthe the of collective workers law applicable of agreement a same "erga industrial as omnes" a generalsourceoflaw applicable"ergaomnes" (i.e. to all theworkers ofa same industrial sector)has neverbeen questionedin Italysince ourConstitution cameinto effect in1945.Although theprocedure prescribed bytheItalian Constitution for therecognition ofthegeneral binding force of collective agreements wasnever enacted, theunity oftheunions,on one side,and thedecisionsof thejurisprudence, on theother, havealwaysreinforced andconfirmed thecommonacceptanceof thisprinciple. Thefewepisodesof"contrattazione separata" in the 1980s and 1990s (Separate Collective Bargaining), often stimulated andsupported bya complacentGovernment, wherea fewunions wouldsigna separate agreement withone orfew employers, werealwaysovercome bytherenewal ofthemaincollective agreement for thesector. Eventheagreement between Confindustra (The Industrial Employers Confederation) andtheUnions in 2009 ("Accordointerconfederale"), thatsanctionedthedecentralisation ofcollective bargainingallowing fordeviations from thenational collectiveagreement (by singleemployers, or local agreements), although anomalous becausesigned with the abstentionof CGIL (Italian General Confederation ofLabour),was also restrained in increasing peripheral contractual power. Recently, however, theeventssurrounding Fiat havedefinitely compromised thepositionofthe trade unions within theItalian legalsystem andtheir legitimacy in producing generally binding rules, bringing theItaliancollective bargaining pattern closertotheAmerican one ina worrisome way. Andthisnotbychance. Fiat-Chrysler Agreement Thebackground tothesechangescanbe found in recent agreements between FiatandtheAmerican firm Chrysler. In 2009 Chrysler was technically bankrupt. Thebankruptcy, ifdeclared, wouldhave cost30thousand jobs.President Obamaidentified Fiatas thesaviour.MrSergioMarchionne (Fiat CEO) promisedObama he would transfer to Chrysler thetechnologies andtheknow-how developed byFiatto producesmalland less polluting cars.Fiatborrowed from thebankstobuya quota inChrysler. Thequotawas21percent atthebeginning , nowitis53-5 percent, after Fiat bought shares from theUS Treasury andCanada. Ithasalready beenannounced that theFiatheadquarters willbe movedtoDetroit, whileitisinthe airthat soonFiat-Chrysler willbe quotedon Wall Street. Asa consequence, theproduction system in theItalian Fiatplants neededtobe rearranged and reorganised. Unfortunately, asMsSusanna Camusso, President ofCGIL,argues, apart from theintroductionof the new production systems Wemand ErgoUas, basedonthetheories andmethods ofthe renowned MrFrederick Taylor andMrHenry Ford, no economic planhasbeendevelopedbyFiatfor theItalian branches. From nowon they willoperateinsubordination towhathappensintheStates, no matter ifthisgoes to thedetriment ofItalian workers' rights andofthewholeItalian system of industrial relations. Suchis thesubordination that theemployees ofthenewplant inPomigliano will notstart toworkfor a wholeyear: inthemeantime they areon employment benefits (so called"Cassa Integrazione Guadagni") andthey willbe working againonlyiftheproductivity andthesalesofthe wholemultinational haveincreased inone year's time;otherwise theywillbe maderedundant. It appearsthatMrMarchionne demandedfrom the workers an immediate sacrifice butthereward he promised inexchange canobviously wait, andmay nevercome. AsI mentioned, thecollective agreements signed byFiatwiththetwoItalian plants contain a numberofviolations ofemployment rights, butthisis nottheplacefor that kindofanalysis, orfor considerations onthemerits ofMrMarchionne's strategicchoices .Thefirst willcertainly be a matter for thealready cloggedItalian Labour Courts, thesecondbelongstoother areasofexpertise. Inthis context, itismoreimportant tounderline how,in thenameofproductivity and underthe menaceofrelocation ifthey didnotagreetoFiat's proposal,theunionshavebeen forced to accept a setofruleswhichpatently anddeliberately violatetheir Constitutional rights. BetweenJuly and December2010Fiatformed twonewcompanies, bothassociatedcompanies, in orderfortheseto buythetwoFiatplantsof Pomigliano d'Arco(Naples)andMirafiori (Turin). Thesetwocompanies willapplya brandnewcollective agreement (which arbitrarily Fiatcalls"contratto di primo livello"first tier agreement, toset freefrompreviousobligationsand reaffirm its autonomyfromthelegal systemin force)and employonlytheworkerswho willtotally and unconditionally adheretoit.Thenewcompanies willnotbe members ofConfindustria, becausethe latter, byStatute, does notacceptas itsmembers businesses thathave not signed the National Collective Agreement. Federmeccanica (subsection of Confindustria) signedthenationalcollective agreement forthemechanic industrial sector just a fewmonths beforeFiat'smoveand theagreementis still validforthree years. Before reviewing thecontents ofthenewagreement , let'sobservehowthesituation that brought toitssignature isbyitself a constitutional blunder: ■ thecompany disregards unilaterally a collective agreement justsignedbyallthe INTERNATIONAL union tights Page 16Volume 18Issue 3201 1 REPORT□ COLLECTIVE BARGAINING INITALY mainunions, andforthisreasonstill valid, andenters intoa newagreement withonly someofthem (FIOM-CGIL refused tobe party tothisagreement); ■ inorder nottoapplytheruleson thetransfer ofundertakings andthespecialprotection they afford toworkers, thelegalinstrument usedisthe"cessionedel contratto" (Employment contract assignment/transfer), whichrequires theprevious acceptanceofthe assignment bytheassignee, inthiscase the individual worker, whoisforced toacceptif he doesn't wanttolose his/her job. In terms ofthecontent oftheagreement, constitutional violations emergefrom a wholeseries ofclauses: ■ theagreement deniesunionrights (tocallan assembly, touse theplantpremises for assembly, tounionpermits, tocontributions from theworkers) totheunionswhohavenot signedtheagreement, unlawfully depriving one ofthemainnational unionsandits members oftheir...

Trade union rights in Romania during the economic recession

REPORT□ FINANCIAL CRISIS Trade union rights in Romania during the economic recession As a condition fora 20 billion euro loan Romania has implemented austerity measures including25 percentwage cuts AURORA TRIF Islecturer In Human Resource Management atDublin City University Business School In Ireland It global unions is hardly face economic major surprising challenges recession. that during Romanian In 2009, therecent trade the unionsfacemajorchallenges during therecent global economic recession. In 2009, the Romanianeconomy experiencedone of the sharpest annualcontractions withitsGDP falling by 7.1 percent.The RomanianGovernment is relying on a 20billion euroloanfrom theIMF, EU andtheWorld Banktoresurrect theeconomy. In orderto getthisloan,thegovernment agreedto introduce austerity measuressuch as thereductionofpublicsector wagesby25percent inadditionto 15 percent cutbacks on socialbenefits as wellas a significant reduction in thepublicsectoremployment . These austerity measureswere contestedby tradeunions.According to some commentators, theunilateral decisionofthegovernmentto introducethe austerity measures breachedtheprovisions of thecollective agreements ,the Labour Code and the Romanian Constitution. Recent changes inthe situation oftrade unions Tradeuniondensity is estimated tobe around33 percent, whichis above theEU average.Union membership decreasedfrom around90 percent in theearly1990s,butithas been rather steady in the2000s.In contrast to otherEU countries, tradeunion density was higherin the private manufacturing sectors thaninthepublicsector at thebeginning ofthelastdecade. According to a EuropeanFoundation study, in2002,tradeunion density was over75 percent in extractive industries , themetal working industry andinthechemicalsindustry , compared withonly30 percent in publicadministration. This reflects thefactthat manypublicservants did nothave theright to form a tradeunionuntil 2003. The 2003tradeunionlaw recognises therights ofall workers to establish and jointradeunions except high-level government officials, public prosecutors andjudgesandprofessional soldiers. Thisresulted innewunionsbeingestablished in the public administration sector,such as the National TradeUnionof Police and Contractual Personnel, whichnegotiated and concludedits first collective agreement in 2007.The 2003law retainsthe requirement of a minimum of 15 members to form a union,buttheydo nothave to be from thesame enterprise as theprevious law stipulated. This change was expected to boost union recruitment in smalland medium sizedfirms, butithas notyethad anysignificant effect. In 2007,theEuropeanFoundation reported thatuniondensity in theprivate sectorwas declining, whileitwas increasing in thepublic sector. According to the union leaders,one of the majorconsequencesoftheeconomicrecession is themassivedecreasein unionmembership due tojobcuts.Forinstance, around15percent ofthe labourforcein railway sectorwas made redundant in 2009 and 2010, manyof whom were union members.The decrease of fee paying members as wellas thecostsassociated withthe organisation of severalprotests in the lasttwo yearshave weakenedthe financial situation of thetradeunionsand theircapacityto organise further protests. Additionally, thepositions held in thecompanyby thelocal unionactivists are often targeted during therestructuring processof thepublicsectorinstitutions toweakenthetrade unions. In the privatesector,many foreign investors refuse todealwithtradeunions, particularly intheretail sectorand thehotelindustry. Sincethe1990s,there havebeen fivenationally representative trade union confederations whichhavetheright tonegotiate national collective agreements. The largestconfederation is CNSLR-Frätia, followed byCNSCartel Alfa, BNS, CSDR and Meridian. Despitesomepolitical divisions betweenthe confederations, therehave been a number ofattempts to establish a much moreunified unionstructure. The latestattempt to mergefourout of the fiveconfederations (except CNS CartelAlfa)was in 2007, but it resultedin a ratherloose alliance between CNSRL-Frãtia, BNS and Meridian. However,all theunionconfederations expressed strong oppositionto the austerity measuresand the recent changesinthelawregarding thepaysystem and therestructuring ofthepublicsector. The impactofeconomic recession on trade unionrights Whilethefreedom ofassociation intradeunions and the right to strike have not been severely affected by theeconomicrecession, therehave been majorconstraints on the right to bargain and theimplementation ofcollective agreements inthepublicsector. Theprovisions ofthecollective agreementsin the public sector agreed betweentradeunionsand the government for 2009and2010wereviolated bynewlawsregardingthereorganisation ofpublicsectororganisations (Law 329/2009) and theunitary paysystem for public sector employees(Law 330/2009). Basedon thenewlegislation, in2009,publicsectororganisations werelegally required to reduce personnel expensesby 15 percent, primarily by compulsory unpaidleaveup to 10working days. The government startednegotiations withthe tradeunions about the unpaid leave, but no agreement was achieved and the government INTERNATIONAL limon rights Page 16Volume 17Issue 3201 0 imposeditthrough a new law. Additionally, the reorganisation measuresstipulated in the new legislation envisaged massive job cuts(around25 percentof the 1.4 millionemployees),which werenotnegotiated withtradeunions,despite theprovisions oftheLabourCodewhichrequires managers to negotiate withtheunionson issues regarding collective redundancies of morethan fiveemployees. Severalpublicsectorunionfederations started coordinating their actions and 11 ofthem formed a new organisationnamed the Alliance of Budgetary Employees to protest against worseningtheemployment conditions oftheir members. The new alliancerejectedthe law's provisions compelling publicentities toreducetheir personnelexpensesby 15 percent a month. Theyalso refused to takepartin thedebatesofthesocial dialoguecommittees, whose agendas included theapplication ofthenewact.Also,theyorganised a number of protests, including a general strike in October2009-Around750,000public sectoremployeeswere involvedin...