Levels of unionisation vary from country to country. There is no clear relationship between coverage by a collective agreement and the level of unionisation, although the Nordic countries have high levels of unionisation and often 100% coverage by a collective agreement in the public sector. The , with 100% collective agreements in both public and private sectors has a much lower level of unionisation in the public, private and not for profit sectors. Countries in Central and have much lower levels of unionisation. Table 8: Level of unionisation and collective agreement coverage Country Level of Level % covered by % covered by unionisation unionisation collective collective Public sector Private sector agreement agreement Public sector Private sector 11% overall but No TUs in 31% 0 36% where TU private/ not for active profit sectors 90% 100% 100% 80% 80% 100% 100% 8% private/ 10% not for profit 80% -public Lower than 80% National sector agreement broken down since economic/ fiscal crisis (2008) 13.6% 100% 100% 100% Difficult to 100% 100% assess 60% 20% 100% 0 25% 0 Law on public service pay 70% 70% same 95% but not home Majority but lower Smaller care or LOV Free in small companies choice companies lower rates 30% overall but higher in public sector 80% Low Source: EPSU survey 2010 Implications for trade union organising The provision of care services for older people is a labour intensive activity. Care workers are employed by public, private and not for profit employers. There is a growing trend for greater provision by private and not for profit providers. The survey of collective bargaining agreements across shows that, with some country exceptions, the coverage of care sector workers is weakest in the private and not for profit sectors. This provides the first challenge for trade unions. The second emerging issue which will inform organising in the future is the growth of home care workers. There is a growing demand for care to be delivered in people’s homes. The financing of care through personalised budgets is contributing to an expansion of individual home care workers who are either self-employed or contracted directly by an older people receiving a care allowance. The expansion of workers who are not employed directly by a large employer makes negotiating collective agreements difficult for trade unions.
Levels of unionisation vary from country to country. There is no clear relationship between coverage by a collective agreement and the level of unionisation, although the Nordic countries have high levels of unionisation and often 100% coverage by a collective agreement in the public sector. The , with 100% collective agreements in both public and private sectors has a much lower level of unionisation in the public, private and not for profit sectors. Countries in Central and have much lower levels of unionisation. Table 8: Level of unionisation and collective agreement coverage Country Level of unionisation Public sector Level unionisation Private sector % covered by collective agreement Public sector % covered by collective agreement Private sector 11% overall but 36% where TU active No TUs in private/ not for profit sectors 31% 0 90% 100% 100% 80% 80% 100% 100% 8% private/ 10% not for profit 80% -public sector Lower than 80% National agreement broken down since economic/ fiscal crisis (2008) 13.6% 100% 100% 100% Difficult to assess 100% 100% 60% 20% 100% 0 25% 0 Law on public service pay 70% 70% same Smaller companies lower rates 95% but not home care or LOV Free choice Majority but lower in small companies 30% overall but higher in public sector 80% Low Source: EPSU survey 2010 Implications for trade union organising The provision of care services for older people is a labour intensive activity. Care workers are employed by public, private and not for profit employers. There is a growing trend for greater provision by private and not for profit providers. The survey of collective bargaining agreements across shows that, with some country exceptions, the coverage of care sector workers is weakest in the private and not for profit sectors. This provides the first challenge for trade unions. The second emerging issue which will inform organising in the future is the growth of home care workers. There is a growing demand for care to be delivered in people’s homes. The financing of care through personalised budgets is contributing to an expansion of individual home care workers who are either self-employed or contracted directly by an older people receiving a care allowance. The expansion of workers who are not employed directly by a large employer makes negotiating collective agreements difficult for trade unions.