Brussels, 21/12/2010 The ETUC has insisted now for six years on the following key points: end to the opt-out; respect of on-call work as working time; equivalent compensatory rest being fundamental; no prolongation of reference periods without sufficient safeguards; and that maximum working time be counted per worker and not per contract.

Brussels, 13-14/10/2010 ETUC in principle welcomes the European debate on pensions launched by the European Commission on 7 July 2010 by publishing its Green Paper “Adequate, Sustainable and Safe European Pension Systems.” ETUC intends to get fully involved, together with its organisations, to defend the interests of the working and retired people that it represents. 1. Common challenges {{ }}It is worth acknowledging that the 27 EU Member States are facing similar problems, albeit with nuances at times, such as:

Brussels, 06/09/2010 John Monks declared: "The major challenge is not retirement age but the question of employment. The effort has to focus on employment. It is vital to facilitate young people's entry into the job market by offering quality jobs that will enable them to finance the public social protection system based on solidarity and to have decent pensions. Keeping seniors in the employment market is also of major importance and that is not happening at present, as we know. We must not set the wrong priority."

Brussels, June 2010

Brussels, 08/07/2010

Brussels, 07/07/2010

Brussels, 07/06/2010 These are the key messages that the ETUC is giving today to the European Commission, in its position on the review of the WTD approved by its Executive Committee last week. The Commission has launched a new round of consultations of the European social partners, after the previous attempts to revise the WTD –taking 7 years of struggle between European Parliament and Council – failed last year.

Brussels, 07/06/2010

Brussels, 24/03/2010 This was ETUC’s message in 2004, when it was first consulted on the revision of the Working Time Directive (WTD). This is again ETUC’s message, in a first response to the Commission’s communication, adopted today, with which it is starting a new round of consultations on the revision of the WTD.

Madrid, 21/01/2010 I congratulate the Spanish Presidency on this initiative. In all our societies the gaps between rich and poor have been widening. Income inequalities are back to late 19th century levels in some countries. Other participants have rightly focused on the need for positive action to help the excluded – training, social security, minimum wages, etc to help them progress. I agree with the importance of those at European and national level.

Brussels, 19/01/2010 The Lisbon Strategy failed to eradicate poverty in Europe, one of the objectives set for 2010. The ETUC is of the opinion that a strong mobilization and a determined commitment are more than ever necessary to combat poverty. This mobilisation must take place simultaneously on two fronts: social protection and employment.

Brussels, 01-02/12/2009 1. The Lisbon Strategy was supposed to enable poverty to be eradicated in Europe by 2010: what is the latest? One of the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy was the eradication of poverty in Europe by 2010. What is the situation now? 1.1 Poverty and social exclusion: an evil entrenched in European society

Brussels, 30/11/2009 ETUC Reply for download To download the ETUC reply, please click on the icon below.

Brussels, 29/10/2009 I read the other day an apt quotation by the ancient Roman playwright, Platus, who remarked “I am a rich man as long as I do not repay my creditors”. Or as many bankers might express it – “we are rich men as long as we get almost free money and guarantees from Governments.”

Washington, 27/10/2009 The European Trade Union Confederation welcomes this invitation to submit our views to the Transatlantic Economic Council. This is the first occasion on which we, together with the American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations, de facto the Transatlantic Labour Dialogue, have been invited to participate in this process.

Brussels, January 2009

Brussels, 08/07/2009 The European trade Union confederation (ETUC) Executive Committee agrees that there should be a period of reflection before any future revision of the directive. However, concerning the current directive, the ETUC Executive Committee strongly calls for action to be taken to ensure that the Directive is being properly and fully implemented. Specifically, the ETUC calls on the European Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against Member States who are significantly failing to implement the working time directive.

Brussels, 2008

Brussels, 05/05/2009

Brussels, 28/04/2009 ETUC General Secretary John Monks said: ‘This is certainly not a victory for social Europe. We regret that it was not possible to reach an agreement that would have meant genuine social progress in Europe; for that, the individual opt-out should have clearly been put on hold and be recognised as a temporary exception that does not have its place in health and safety legislation. Also, the situation of the millions of European workers with on-call duties in sectors such as healthcare should have been properly safeguarded.

Brussels, 02/04/2009

Brussels, 02/04/2009 This vote significantly improves the initial proposal for the directive and addresses ETUC’s key concerns, notably patients’ rights and the scope of the directive, which is now limited to cross-border patient care and does not include freedom of movement of service providers. Improvements should nevertheless also be made:

Brussels, 17/03/2009