Ahead of the video conference of the members of the European Council on 19 November 2020, the European social partners urge member states to endorse the agreement found on the European recovery fund and Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027. The agreement found as a result of the trilogue on the recovery fund and the so-called MFF (the EU's long-term budget) is essential to help the EU economy recover from the damage the COVID crisis continues to inflict.

Dear readers, As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll on people across Europe, trade unions in different countries are acting to preserve jobs and keep workers safe, offer support to people in difficulty, and push forwards towards a better, greener and more equal society. At the same time, they are also fulfilling their traditional task of collective bargaining to improve workers’ pay and conditions. In this issue we highlight some examples from around the EU.

Cleaners going on strike today are among women working on the Covid frontline who have spoken out about the need for an EU pay transparency directive to end the undervaluation of their work. Some 600,000 cleaners, 70% of which are women, working in Italian hospitals, nursing homes, schools, universities, factories and offices are staging a one day walkout over their employer’s refusal to negotiate a collective agreement on pay and working conditions.

Today, the European Commission has published its first ever LGBTIQ strategy. ETUC Confederal Secretary Ludovic Voet commented "ETUC strongly supports the European Commission's commitment to LGBTIQ equality. The equality strategy is a welcome proposal and deserves support. ETUC firmly believes that there is an urgent need for the EU and national governments to step up their efforts to improve and enforce legal protection against LGBTIQ discrimination, to ensure LGBTIQ safety and guarantee LGBTIQ rights.

The European Commission has today announced it will "soon propose binding measures on pay transparency". Commenting on the development, ETUC Deputy General Secretary Esther Lynch said:  "It's good news that the Commission has committed to 'soon' publish binding pay transparency measures. But women workers need to know how soon is soon?

Responding to the Autumn Economic Forecast published by the European Commission today, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said: “The forecast shows the economic crisis created by Covid-19 will continue for longer than expected, which means the measures introduced to deal with it must also continue, and be extended to cover all workers.

The ETUC has taken the unusual step of publishing its own pay transparency directive in protest over the delay to European Commission legislation originally due to be published today – European equal pay day. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised “binding pay transparency measures” within the first 100 days of her mandate.

Just days after the terrorist murders in Nice, the ETUC extends it solidarity to the people of Vienna following the murderous assault in the Austrian capital last night. ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said “We stand with the victims, their loved ones and all the people of Vienna. We mourn the victims of this senseless and murderous provocation. We wish a fast and full recovery to those injured.

Dear Readers, We have just published the October 2020 edition of the ETUC newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

EU unemployment could almost double to 30 million without an extension of EU and national COVID emergency job support measures, new ETUC research has found.  There are currently 15.9 million people unemployed in the EU, a number which has increased by 2 million since the start of the Covid-19 crisis in March.

ETUC is horrified by the news emerging from Nice this morning of a terrorist attack killing three people. ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said “There can never be an excuse for cold-blooded murder.” “The perpetrator appears to have been captured and must now face justice.    “Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, and with the people of Nice.

Responding to the European Commission’s proposal for a directive on fair wages, ETUC Deputy General Secretary Esther Lynch said: “Commissioner Schmit's proposal for a Directive is a positive step as it is the only way to achieve real change. “The Directive requires member states to take action to promote collective bargaining, and have national action plans to increase coverage if less than  70% of workers are covered by a collective agreement. But workers are not guaranteed protection from employer reprisal when they join a union.

The European Commission will publish a proposal for a Directive on Fair Minimum Wages and Collective Bargaining tomorrow (28 October).  The ETUC suggests the following key tests for the Directive. Does the Directive: 1. Oblige member states to take action to ensure respect for the right to bargain collectively and stop union-busting?