The European Commission has indefinitely postponed its promised directive on human rights due diligence - over 150 days since it was first meant to be delivered.
Dear Readers,
We have just published the November 2021 edition of the ETUC newsletter.
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Enjoy!
Commenting on today’s Commission proposals for new EU laws on electoral integrity and democratic participation, Liina Carr, ETUC Confederal Secretary said
“Democracy is coming under increasing threat in Europe . Today’s European Commission proposals on political advertising, electoral rights and party funding represent small but significant steps towards strengthening our democracy.
The European Parliament today voted strongly in favour of opening negotiations with the European Council on the draft directive on minimum wages on the basis of the
EU institutions are significantly delaying important measures to tackle gender-based violence despite a rise in the number of attacks, trade unions are warning on the international day for the elimination of violence against women.
Responding to the publication of the European Commission’s European Semester Autumn Package, ETUC Confederal Secretary Liina Carr said:
“The GDP of a country is a poor indicator of wellbeing because wealth so often doesn’t trickle down. The ‘beyond GDP’ agenda announced by Commissioner Gentiloni today is an important step towards an economy that puts people before profit.
It’s time to pay back the sacrifices made by essential workers during the pandemic, trade unions have told members of the European Parliament ahead of the vote tomorrow on the minimum wage directive.
MEP Gaby Bischoff's own-initiative report on "Democracy at Work” – adopted by an overwhelming majority in the by the Parliament’s Employment Committee today – calls for modernisation of EU legislation on workers involvement in decisions at work.
The report includes calls for
Responding to the review of competition policy launched today by the European Commission, ETUC Confederal Secretary Isabelle Schömann said:
“A reform of the EU’s competition policy is badly needed. The current rules and approach to competition enforcement are increasing inequality by helping to further concentrate economic power into the hands of a few major companies while undermining collective bargaining and workplace democracy.
ETUC Midterm Conference
Lisbon, 8-10 November 2021
Opening speech of Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary
[To be checked against delivery]
Esteemed authorities,
Dear colleagues, comrades, and friends,
With women earning 14.1% less than men, ETUC is warning that equal pay cannot be achieved unless minimum wages are increased, and the value of work carried out by women is reassessed.
The warning comes for the EU’s Equal Pay Day on 10 November, just a day before the European Parliament’s Employment Committee votes on proposals to strengthen the proposed EU directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, and as the proposed EU directive on gender pay transparency is undergoing scrutiny by European Parliament committees.
Minimum wage workers in 11 EU member states spend at least 40% of their income on rent, new research shows ahead of a European Parliament vote on the issue.
People working full time are left with less than half of their wages to pay for food, heating and transport after rent in five countries. In a further six, rent accounts for between 41% and 48% of pay.
