The European Court of Justice judgment on 18 July stating that German law on employee participation is compatible with EU law highlights the fact that provision for workers on company boards “has not been harmonised or even coordinated” at EU level.
The reduction of the minimum wage for workers under 25 – as part of the austerity programme imposed on Greece by the EU and other creditors – has been condemned as “excessive”, and “discrimination on grounds of age”, and contrary to the Council of Europe European Social Charter (ESC).
The judgement was delivered by the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), the main monitoring body to the European Social Charter, following a complaint by Greek trade union GSEE and supported by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
European Parliament votes on new tax transparency rules for large multinationals on July 4.
The ETUC urges MEPs to support the new rules, and get rid of the ‘get out clause’ that would reduce transparency of multinationals.
Commenting on the European Commission Reflection Paper on the Future of EU finances, Liina Carr of the European Trade Union Confederation said
“The EU budget needs to be redesigned to meet urgent and future challenges, and to increase.”
“This reflection paper that does not reflect the Commission’s often stated wish for a more social Europe. On the contrary, the Commission seems determined to reduce the EU’s spending on social priorities and tackling regional inequality.”
Commenting on the UK Government’s proposal on the future rights of EU citizens living in the UK, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said:
“The rights of EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens in the EU, should not be up for negotiation. There needs to be automatic and mutual granting of full rights.
“Far from being very generous, the proposals are limited, and create significant new hurdles which EU citizens will need to overcome in order to access rights to residency and permanent access to entitlements in the UK.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is launching a call for the EU and national governments to do more to support workplace health and safety reps to tackle back, neck and shoulder pain.
Back, neck and shoulder pain (alongside pain in other joints such as hands, elbows and knees) - known collectively and technically as musculoskeletal disorders (or MSDs) – are the most common work-related disease in Europe. The most common causes are repetitive hand or arm movements, and sitting for long periods of time.
On 23rd June, Public Services Day, citizens around the world acknowledge the wide range of education, health, social and other key services delivered all day and everyday by public service workers. This year the European federations for public service (EPSU) and education (ETUCE) highlight the contribution made by millions of public service workers to maintain quality services while suffering the long-term effects of pay cuts and pay freezes. Public service workers do not deserve this treatment.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is strongly opposed to the services e-card proposed by the European Commission.
To push forward our concerns, ETUC together with the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) and the European service workers’ trade union (UNI-Europa) are organising a trade union “rejection of the services e-card” action within and outside the European Parliament on 21 June 2017, the day of a public hearing in the internal market committee. Trade unions want to be heard as workers’ concerns have not been met by the proposal.
The European Parliament on 15 June 2017 adopted two important reports on online platforms and the collaborative economy. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) worked closely with MEPs to make sure that trade union demands were taken on board.
The Parliament’s message stresses trade unions’ concerns on safeguarding workers’ rights in the digital economy, calling on the European Commission and/or Member States:
European trade unions today resolved to call on the European Commission, national Governments and the European Parliament to adopt a stronger European Pillar of Social Rights.
Meeting as the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), national and European trade union leaders also decided to hold a ‘European Day of Action’ in Gothenburg on 16 November - the day before the Gothenburg EU Social Summit takes place and which is due to adopt the Pillar.
Commenting on the EU signing today the Istanbul Convention on violence against women, ETUC Confederal Secretary Montserrat Mir said
“Trade unions are strongly committed to ending violence against women in work, and to do all that is possible at work to tackle domestic violence against women. Only yesterday the European Trade Union Confederation published a report on how trade unions can help to prevent, manage and eliminate violence against women. Collective agreements between unions and employers can make a big contribution to dealing with violence against women.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today condemned the European Commission’s proposal to restrict the right to strike in air traffic control.
It demanded that the Commission removes all references to restricting the right to strike from its initiative on “Aviation: open and connected Europe” published on June 8.
The Commission proposal included
The gender pension gap could be getting wider due to the increasing importance of private (complementary) pension schemes, and their failure to credit women for periods of maternity and parental leave (or other types of care leave).
The difference in pension payments for men and women across the EU is 40%, according to the most recent study which was carried out four years ago (in 2013).
A survey of 44 trade unions in 29 countries published today by the European Trade Union Confederation shows that
ILC – ILO – Geneva, 9 June 2017
Speech of Luca Visentini – General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
Thank you chair.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Report of the ILO Director General this year addresses climate change, while another report analyses the labour migration.
They could seem two completely different topics, but they are not.
Commenting on the attack in London, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said
"The ETUC is appalled by this vicious and senseless attack. We are in solidarity with London, and our hearts go out to the victims, their families and loved ones.
"We salute the security, medical and other workers dealing with this cowardly attack.
"European countries must stand together against terrorism, we must not be intimidated."
Commenting on the withdrawal of the USA from the Paris Climate agreement, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said
“There are no jobs on a dead planet.”
Dear Readers,
We have just published the May 2017 edition of the ETUC Newsletter.
To read the document, please click here.
Enjoy!
