Brussels, 15/05/2009

Brussels, 14/05/2009 In the Enerji case judgement published on 21 April 2009, the European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey for violation of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which relates to the freedom of association including the right to form and join a trade union. In this case, the Turkish government had issued a general ban on strike actions for civil servants in the context of national action days organised by a Turkish trade union for the recognition of the right to collective bargaining in the public sector.

Brussels, 13/05/2009

Brussels, 11/05/2009 In a context of crisis, with unemployment reaching staggering levels, the European trade unions will march to protect employment and to reiterate that every effort must be made to keep workers on the job. We want social and employment policies that emphasise security, not flexibility. Such policies are a prerequisite for a social Europe capable of developing its full potential.

Brussels, 08/05/2009 The European trade union movement has scored several successes with the outgoing Parliament, notably on key issues such as the Bolkestein Directive, the regulation for the registration of hazardous chemicals (REACH), the climate change package, as well as the rejection of the Port Package and of a weakening of the Working Time Directive. The European Parliament has scored some goals against the neo-liberal trend, but not enough.

Brussels, 07/05/2009 The report on the Commission proposals, prepared by the socialist MEP Mrs Estrela, included important provisions aiming to improve the health and safety protection for pregnant workers and their unborn child, as well as to improve the conditions of maternity leave.

Brussels, 07/05/2009 The ETUC calls for: More and better jobs: Investment in an expanded European recovery plan to mobilise a new drive for growth and jobs. The ETUC demands the European Council and Commission to draw up a European investment plan totalling an annual 1% of GDP to provide more and better jobs, to promote innovation, research and development, to help employment in key industries, to invest in new, green and sustainable technologies, and to maintain vital public services.

Brussels, 05/05/2009

Brussels, 04/05/2009

Brussels, 30/04/2009

Brussels, 27/04/2009 To mark its solidarity with its Turkish affiliates, ETUC is supporting the various demonstrations that will take place in Turkey on 1 May and calls on the Turkish government to respect the right to demonstrate on Labour Day and to make sure that there is no repetition of last year’s incidents.

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, 28/04/2009 ‘The appeal made by the trade unions at the Summit in Lisbon in 2007 has not been taken into account by those negotiating the strategy. Ignoring the message from the union movement would be all the more unacceptable in the current crisis. The promotion and protection of decent work is clearly one of the key responses to this crisis,’ said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder.