Brussels, 11 September 2024

The ETUC congratulates the TUC and their affiliated trade unions on an important union victory for workers in Britain and throughout Europe. We welcome the commitment by the UK government that the anti-worker anti-strike Minimum Service Levels legislation will be repealed through the upcoming Employment Rights Bill. This legislation represented an attack on the ability of workers to win a decent, secure and dignified working life.

Joint statement by ETUC and Argentinian trade unions

Dear President Michel, I am contacting you regarding the ongoing discussions on the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 and in view of the European Council meeting on 27/28 June. The ETUC is concerned that – according to the information received – the draft of the Strategic Agenda still does not include the necessary focus on the improvement of the situation for working people, their families and communities.

The Letta Report on the Future of the Internal Market was published on Wednesday 17 April 2024 and presented to the European Council.

At time of geopolitical crisis, it is even more important to support and strengthen European democracy. This is why the European social partners – ETUC, BusinessEurope, SGI Europe and SMEunited – are calling on those who are eligible to vote in the upcoming European elections to make their voices heard.  As representatives of trade unions and employers across Europe, we are united in our belief that participation in these elections is not just about electing policymakers; it is about securing a bright future for all and addressing the key challenges of our time. 

Dear Environment and Labour Ministers,In conjunction with the European Trade Union Confederation, we, the undersigned, serving as Presidents and General Secretaries of Trade Unions from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), are compelled to underscore the importance of safeguarding just transition initiatives deliberated within the Environment Council Conclusions.

The revision of the European Works Council Directive was proposed by the European Commission at the request of the European Parliament. Regrettably, the European employers' organisations do not seem to appreciate this democratic practice. There is no other way to understand the public statement published on 22 March by Business Europe, Hotrec, EuroCommerce, European Banking Federation, ECEG and CEEMET and sent to the Employment Committee of the European Parliament and the Council.

The European trade movement, under the auspices of the European Trade Union Confederation, met with the Ukrainian trade union movement represented by FPU and KPU on 23 April 2024 in Lublin, Poland in the framework of the Trade Union Summit for Ukraine. Read the declaration here 

  Brussels, 11 March 2024  Letter sent to  Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice President of the European Commission     Dear Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis

Dear Prime Minister Kallas, I am reaching out to you on behalf of working people and trade unions across Europe to ask you to support the Directive on Improving Working Conditions in Platform Work Your support, Estonia’s support, is the decisive factor for the adoption of the Directive. I understand that your government will decide closer to the vote in EPSCO on Monday 11th of March on its position.

Brussels 06/03/2024   Dear Mr Arras, Dear Mr Pozzana,  Over the past two years, we have met on several occasions at events related to the advocacy for the Platform Work Directive. 

Dear President, Dear members of the Permanent Representations to the EU, On 10 February, the military junta of Myanmar announced that they will begin mandatory military conscription. We, ETUC and all European Industry Federations (EIFs), completely oppose this shocking announcement and on behalf of workers and trade unions in Myanmar and their international trade union representation, we call on the EU Member States to agree on urgent EU action as soon as possible. 

Esther Lynch wrote to the Spanish trade unions expressing the condolences and solidarity of the ETUC for the residential building fire that took place in Valencia.  Dear colleagues, I am writing on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to express our deepest condolences and unwavering solidarity in the wake of the tragic fire that recently struck a residential building in Valencia, Spain.

Last week, the European Commission and co-legislators reached a tripartite agreement on the Directive for a European Disability Card, marking a significant step towards enhancing accessibility and inclusivity across European Member States. The text was formally adopted today by COREPER. While this agreement signifies progress, it is imperative to acknowledge the pressing need to address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, particularly concerning their entitlements when exercising their right to work and study abroad.

On October 16, 2023, the European Parliament’s lead committees, the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and the Committee on International Trade (INTA) adopted, with an overwhelming majority, their position on the proposed on the proposed EU Forced Labour Regulation. The ETUC joined forces with civil society organisations to urge the EU Council to speed up negotiations to adopt a General Approach. The letter outlines four core elements that must be included in the Council's position:

The ETUC  stands with teachers and their European trade union federation, the ETUCE, for the European Week of Teachers. The week of action aims to raise policy solutions in their 10 key demands to make teaching more attractive.

Yolanda Diaz, Second Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Labour and the Social Economy, addressed the ETUC Executive Committee on 28 September in Madrid.  Please find the text of the address (in Spanish) in the link.

The European Commission recently published its long-awaited BEFIT (Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation) proposal for the taxation of large multinational companies. It follows a long-term effort to introduce group taxation with a formula for allocating taxable profits where value is created (in terms of payroll, number of employees, assets). This was the intended objective of the CCTB and CCCTB proposals, which have now been withdrawn from the European agenda.

CFDT, FO, CFTC UNSA and DGB with the support of the ETUC call for a ban on deregulation for SMES    Deregulation: no - Simplification: under strict conditions The Franco-German Initiative on the relief package for SMEs is disguised deregulation: SMEs fall in a legal no man’s land; Business cannot be above the law

It is with sorrow that we learnt about the passing away of MEP Véronique Trillet-Lenoir earlier this month. Her remarkable dedication to the health and safety of workers will be remembered.   As a public servant dedicated to achieving health and safety at work, MEP Trillet-Lenoir demonstrated a solid commitment to improving the lives of workers throughout the EU. Her recent involvement in the revision of the Directive on asbestos at work demonstrated her dedication and commitment to making workplaces safer for all.  

U.S.-EU Tripartite Trade and Labor Dialogue (TALD) Social Partner Joint Statement on Transatlantic Forced Labor Trade Strategy (see PDF file)  

Dear colleagues,                                                               

The ETUC reiterates its very strong support for the French trade unions united in their mobilisation for social dialogue and against the pension reform in France. The way in which the French pension reform was adopted, without any dialogue with social partners, is not acceptable. The European Social model is based on social dialogue.  The respect for social dialogue and for the role of social partners is a key component of democracy in Europe and must be promoted, not disregarded.

Working people always suffer in conflicts and the pursuit of peace is a fundamental trade union value. On 24 February 2022 Russian military forces invaded Ukraine, bringing destruction to peaceful cities and workplaces. It has been a year of shock and pain, devastating news and images, but also a year of bravery and consolidation of Ukrainian people and their unions and a year of solidarity, unity, and support.