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 by the ETUC Executive Committee at its meeting on 10-11 March 2015
The political change in Greece is an opportunity, not only for that crisis-ridden country but also for a fundamental reassessment and revision of EU economic and social policies focusing on failed austerity and structural reforms of the labour market.
Adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee at its meeting on 10-11 March 2015
When the ETUC Executive Committee convened for their meeting on March 10, pilots in the budget carrier Norwegian had been on strike for 11 days.
The main demand of the Norwegian Pilot Union (NPU) was to have a collective agreement with their real employer, Norwegian Air Shuttle.
In Denmark, Ryanair is establishing a base in Copenhagen, and are refusing the Danish unions’ request for a collective agreement.
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 meeting of the Executive Committee on 2-3 December 2014
Investment for sustainable growth and decent jobs is a long-standing ETUC demand.
The ETUC therefore welcomes the EU focus on investment and concrete initiatives contributing to this end and, in particular, the recent initiative towards an EU-level investment plan.
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.
Resolution adopted at the Executive Committee meeting of 21-22 October 2014
Key messages:
· The ETUC calls for a Directive introducing a new and integrated architecture for workers’ involvement in European company forms. Building on the existing EU acquis, the Directive should set high standards on information and consultation, and introduce ambitious minimum standards on workers’ board level representation as an additional source of workers’ influence.
Adopted at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 22 October 2014
ANNUAL GROWTH SURVEY 2015: EUROPE MUST HAVE A NEW START
The ETUC’s priorities for the 2015 Annual Growth Survey
Adopted by the Executive Committee at its meeting on 21-22 October 2014
Economic policies followed until now to tackle the economic and social crisis have failed. They brought about low growth and deflation, increased precarious work and unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, rising poverty and inequalities. Divergences within and between countries increased.
Competition has been extended to all fields, including taxation, workers’ rights, workers’ wages, workers’ protection, working conditions, and social protection.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Women's Lobby (EWL) call on Members of the European Parliament to support for the revision of the Maternity Leave Directive.
Read the joint letter
Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 11-12 June 2014
Summary
· The proposed SUP generates serious concerns with regard to fiscal evasion, workers’ rights and sustainable corporate governance in general. If adopted, this Directive would be an open invitation to companies of all sizes to minimise their responsibilities under national law.
Adopted at the meeting of the ETUC Executive Committee on 11-12 June 2014
DG Home affairs launched a Communication aimed at setting priorities in the migration policies for the next five-years. In it, the ETUC recognises a new narrative for the migration phenomenon in Europe.
However some areas of concern have been detected and improvements can be introduced.
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee 12 June 2014
The ETUC Executive Committee reiterates how important it is that the interests of workers are represented when considering the issue of standardisation.
It makes reference to the resolution adopted on 5 and 6 June 2013 and to the ETUC’s role in European standardisation within the framework of the new legislative context defined in Regulation No. 1025/2012.
Adopted at the meeting of the ETUC Executive Committee on 12 June 2014
The result of the elections demonstrates the growing distance between workers and citizens with the EU institutions and their leaders. It is a clear signal that austerity policies imposed by national governments during the last five years failed.
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 11-12 March 2014
Undeclared work is a serious form of social dumping and it is high time that concrete action is taken at EU level in order to prevent undeclared work and to protect undeclared workers.
The EU needs better enforcement of existing labour laws and standards as well as a stronger role in promoting more, and better, cooperation and coordination between the different national administrations.
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 11-12 March 2014
Background
Work-based learning, which is generally associated with apprenticeships for young people and dual systems of vocational training, is part of the policies supporting the transition from school to the labour market. It is integrated into broader education and training policies linked to labour market issues. [1]
