Dear Readers,We have just published the December 2022 edition of the ETUC newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

Commenting on the Energy Council’s agreement on measures to limit excessive gas prices, ETUC Confederal Secretary Ludovic Voet said: “With energy bills now costing more than a month’s wages in more than half of EU countries, any measure to limit excessive gas prices is good news.

Dangerous machinery will have to undergo independent safety checks for the first time in over 15 years under a newly-agreed EU regulation.

Europe has taken an important step towards equal pay for work of equal value today with a final agreement on the pay transparency directive. The ETUC is calling on Member States to follow through and adopt the Directive in the Council before the Christmas break.  

 

Families will be forced to cut back on Christmas dinner this year as a result of food prices rising up to seven times faster than wages, an analysis by the ETUC has found. Food prices, which is the second highest contributor to inflation after energy, have increased by a huge 18% across the European Union since last winter. The prices of items needed to cook a Christmas dinner have, on average across the EU, increased by: Meat: +16.4% Vegetables: +20.2% Potatoes: +17.6% Flour: +32.1

The Council has announced its position for the trialogue negotiations on the revision of the directive protecting workers from risks related to asbestos exposure. The Council focuses on the revision of the exposure limit value and the measuring method, just like the European Commission did in September 2022 by proposing a review of the Directive, which set a dangerously high maximum exposure level of 10,000 asbestos fibres/m3.

The ETUC read in the media about the questioning of its former General Secretary by the Belgian authorities.   The ETUC has no reason to believe that the investigation referred to in the media has any connection to the ETUC.   The searches of premises referred to in the media did not include ETUC premises. The ETUC will cooperate with the authorities.

The new General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has said she will prioritise improved pay for workers in the face of the continent-wide cost of living crisis. Esther Lynch, appointed General Secretary on 6th December will complete a journey from factory worker to the top of the European labour movement, says her organisation will work to create a broad alliance for higher wages, secure jobs and respect for collective bargaining.

The ETUC is calling on national ministers to reject the proposal of the Czech presidency on the platform work directive. The Czech proposal, which would weaken the directive, was rejected at COREPER last week following objections from eight member states. However, the Czech presidency has still failed to respond to concerns about their proposal and is pressing ahead in putting a largely unchanged proposal which they will present again to COREPER on Wednesday before trying to secure the agreement of ministers at EPSCO on Thursday.

Dear readers, As regular readers of National UPdates will know, we usually try to highlight some of the less obvious trade union activities at national level. However, the current cost-of-living crisis has led to strikes and demonstrations across Europe, as workers see the value of their wages plummet. So, in this issue we also summarise some of the trade union actions, in different countries, designed to defend workers and their families. 

Today, the Competitiveness Council adopted its “general approach” for the trialogue negotiations on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDD). “The position taken by the Council is very disappointing to say the least”, says Isabelle Schömann, ETUC Confederal Secretary. “The Council position waters down an already unambitious proposal by the Commission.

Dear Readers, We have just published the November 2022 edition of the ETUC newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

Tomorrow - 1 December – at the EU Competitiveness Council, Ministers will try to reach a general approach to the directive on corporate sustainability due diligence (CSDD), which introduces an obligation on companies to identify and prevent, end or mitigate the impact of their activities on human rights, including trade union and workers’ rights, and the environment.

The European Parliament's Employment Committee today adopted by a large majority MEP Dennis Radtke's (EPP) legislative initiative report on the revision of the European Works Council Directive. MEPs call on the European Commission to improve the Directive on Works Councils to:

Bosses should be prevented from discriminating against victims of revenge porn and other forms of online sexual harassment at work as part of the EU directive on combating violence against women. The European Trade Union Confederation is making the call on the international day for the elimination of violence against women amid growing evidence employers are discriminating against victims of image-based sexual harassment.  

Commenting on the European Commission’s Autumn Economic Semester, ETUC Confederal Secretary Liina Carr said: “The Commission is absolutely right to say wages need to be raised and collective bargaining strengthened in order to protect purchasing power during the cost of living crisis. The evidence is that there is no ‘secondary effect’ on inflation from wages.

Commenting on the outcome of COP 27 in Egypt, ETUC’s Ludovic Voet said “The outcome of COP27 is disappointing because the results are not up to the scale of the problem facing us. “The setting up of a fund for loss and damage, and the acknowledgement of the need for a socially just transition to a carbon-neutral economy through  social dialogue, are steps forward for coping with climate change and rebuilding international trust in the fight against  climate change. The achievements are the trees that hide the wood of climate inaction.

The ETUC is deeply shocked by the cowardly bomb attack, perpetrated in Istanbul on Sunday 13 November, which killed 6 people and injured 81 others. The ETUC has always strongly condemned terrorist attacks of any kind. The European trade unions present their deepest condolences to all those affected by the bombing. Those responsible must be brought to justice; an independent, transparent and effective investigation should take place for the 47 arrested people.

Equal pay is needed now more than ever as new research shows women are hardest hit by energy price rises, the ETUC says on Equal Pay Day 2022.

As the ‘European Year of Youth’ draws to a close without delivering any concrete action, young trade unionists today protested at the European Parliament for a ban on unpaid internships. The ETUC used a wheel of fortune to show how lucky – or in most cases privileged - young people have to be to land a quality internship. Banners reading ‘motivation doesn’t run on an empty stomach’ and ‘can you afford to work for free?’ were present at the demonstration which was also supported by the European Youth Forum.

Responding to the review of the EU’s economic governance, ETUC Confederal Secretary Liina Carr said: “Some of the proposed changes go in the right direction but still do not match the scale of the challenges facing Europe’s economy. While offering more national ownership and fiscal adjustment paths for Member States in a more flexible way, there is no real reform of the deeply divisive Growth and Stability Pact.

Aviation workers and safety experts are calling on airlines, manufacturers and the EU Aviation Safety Agency to immediately implement new cabin air quality standards designed to protect staff and passengers from chemical fumes. After more than seven years of work on the issue, the European Committee on Standardisation (CEN) has published a technical report including recommendations on how to prevent exposure to fumes through improvements in the design, maintenance, and operation of aircraft.

Despite all the attempts to stop the people of Brazil voting freely, democracy and social progress have won over the far-right, neo-fascist, authoritarian and violently populist policies of the previous President. Social justice and protection of human rights, a new and fairer global economic model, climate and digital just transitions, decent work and an end to precariousness, accessible and adequate social protection for all: this is what the election of Lula will bring to Brazil, Latin America and the rest of the world.

Dear Readers, We have just published the October 2022 edition of the ETUC newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!