ETUC position on the Annual Growth Survey 2016 - for a Europe that works for workers and citizens
Adopted at the ETUC Executive meeting on 28-29 October 2015
Introduction
ETUC position on National Competitiveness Boards
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 28-29 October 2015
Introduction
On 21 October the Commission adopted a Recommendation for a Council Recommendation requiring euro area member states to establish national Competitiveness Boards. At the level of each (euro area) member state, these boards aim to:
a) monitor competitiveness developments relative to global competitors (including labour costs).
Emergency motion - Refugee crisis in Europe
Adopted at the ETUC 13th Congress on 30 September 2015
In recent months Europe has been experiencing a massive increase in numbers of people crossing our borders to seek protection from war and destruction in their own countries.
Document on the role of the ETUC for the next mandate 2015-2019
Adopted at the ETUC 13th Congress on 2 October 2015
Foreword
This paper is meant to set priorities and proposals for action, in order to renew and strengthen the role of the ETUC. It will be discussed in the last panel of the Congress on ‘the ETUC of the future’. At the end of the panel, the document will be submitted to the Congress for endorsement.
Emergency motion on fundamental rights in Spain
Five years ago, on September 29, both major Spanish unions, CC.OO and UGT organised a general strike against the neoliberal reforms that the Spanish government was launching in Spain. On Tuesday, as the ETUC Congress opened, Spanish workers continued to suffer the impact of the economic crisis, the labour reforms and a trade union witch-hunt, with 300 trade unionists penalised for exercising their right to strike.
Emergency motion on health and safety at work
Adopted at the ETUC 13th Congress on 2 October 2015
To work in a healthy and safe environment is a fundamental human right. Work should not put the lives or health of workers at risk.
The ETUC Congress condemns the attempts to put into question the existing framework of health and safety protection and to classify much needed health and safety standards as needless red tape or "the most burdensome if EU legislative acts".
Emergency motion - Solidarity with Turkish and Kurdish journalists suffering repression
Adopted at the ETUC 13th Congress on 2 October 2015
For freedom of speech.
Emergency motion - UK referendum renegotiation strategy
Adopted at the ETUC 13th Congress on 2 October 2015
Congress notes that there will be a referendum on Britain’s continued membership of the European Union at some time in the next two years. The British government is currently seeking to renegotiate the relationship between the EU and the UK, and the British Prime Minister will be raising the issue at the European Council in October.
Emergency motion on Northern Ireland
Adopted at the ETUC 13th Congress on 2 October 2015
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions as a matter of urgency requests this Congress to intervene in demanding the political parties in Northern Ireland with the assistance of the British Irish and U.S Governments to resolve the political impasse in Northern Ireland.
Taking into account that
Greece and its working people for five years face a deepening economic, social and political crisis resulting from consecutive rounds of austerity and labour market deregulation which entrapped the country in a vicious circle of recession and unprecedented unemployment against deepening poverty and inequality.
Congress Resolution presented by Executive Committee on Improving gender balance in ETUC
Having regard to the statutory amendments submitted by the TUC, aiming at improving women’s representation in ETUC statutory bodies and largely inspired by the principles of the Road Map adopted at the Executive Committee in June 2014;
Endorsed by the Executive Committee at its meeting on 17-18 June 2015
In its Communication “A digital single market strategy for Europe” (6 May 2015) the Commission adopts the traditional internal market approach.
Position adopted by the Executive Committee of 17-18 June 2015
In December 2015, countries will meet in Paris under the UN auspices to seal a new global agreement to fight climate change. Ahead of this crucial summit, the ETUC reiterates its key demands to Parties, and specifically to the EU which must continue to play a leading role in the negotiations.
ETUC’s recommendations to the national governments and to the European Union on how to overcome obstacles to the mobility of frontier workers in Europe
Adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee at its meeting on 10-11 March 2015
Position adopted by the Executive Committee of 10 and 11 March 2015
Quality job creation should be the number one priority. Twenty-four million men and women, and five million under 25s, are currently unemployed and some 10 million jobs have been destroyed since the onset of the crisis in 2008. Although unemployment levels have finally starting going in the right direction, Europe’s job-rich recovery continues to fail to materialise.
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 2-3 December 2014
The European Commission will review the framework of European economic governance in a communication to be published next month. With this note, the ETUC intends to contribute to this review. The note first provides a short and general evaluation of European economic governance, and then recommends a number of substantive changes and different policy approaches which the ETUC believes are required to deliver an effective European economic governance framework.
Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting on 2-3 December 2014
General comments
The ETUC welcomes much of the approach and the aims of the proposed amendments to the IORP directive. Transparency, better governance and in the end safer pensions is positive.
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 28-29 October 2015
Communicating effectively – Taking ETUC, European and national affiliate cooperation to a new level
Communications plays a central role in achieving ETUC objectives.
The ETUC must communicate with EU institutions and ‘actors’ that influence EU policy, including the media and should be able to better spread its messages and actions among the affiliates.