"The ETUC condemns the attack in Strasbourg and expresses its sincere condolences to the victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with the people of France and with our French affiliates. Fear and terror will never undermine our strong commitment to peace, tolerance and democracy" says Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
Dear readers,
Welcome to the December 2018 issue of Workers’ Voice National UPdates, highlighting how trade unions are acting for social progress and justice in Europe. While many EU countries are struggling to respond to extremist and nationalist movements, we take a look at the way unions are supporting Europe’s diverse population and combatting racism and fascism in the workplace and in society. With ETUC backing, the European Commission is currently updating a survey of trade union actions against discrimination.
Brothers and sisters!
Comrades and friends!
I bring you the solidarity of the European Trade Union Confederation and the European trade union movement!
Let me thank our Danish colleagues, LO and FTF, Lizette and Bente, for the fantastic welcome they gave us here in Copenhagen.
I really admire you for the way you have defended and implemented the Danish model, based on social dialogue and collective bargaining.
A book launched today claims that 8% of all cancer cases are work-related: making up 12% of cancer cases among men and 7% of cancer cases among women.
The book was published by the ETUI and launched at a conference in Brussels today on women and cancer.
Opening the Conference organised by the ETUI, Esther Lynch, ETUC Confederal Secretary said “Work-related cancer among women is still being underestimated.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) strongly condemns those EU Member States that have decided not to sign the United Nations’ Global Compact for Migration, due to be adopted 10-11 December in Marrakesh, after one year of negotiations.
Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have said they will not sign, while others including Belgium and Italy have yet to decide.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports European transport unions in calling on EU Transport Ministers meeting on December 3 not to approve the current deal that would worsen working conditions for drivers across Europe.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) will be at the international climate ‘COP’ in Katowice next week and urge governments to manage the social and employment impacts of climate action through a socially fair ‘just transition’.
The ETUC will welcome the ‘Solidarity and Just Transition Declaration’ presented by the Polish Government and supported by the European Union.
The Declaration is expected on Monday 3 December, and ETUC will urge all Governments to back and act on it.
On Monday some 10 trade unionists – members of the Executive Committee of ETUC member KESK - were arrested in several cities across Turkey along with journalists and politicians from the HDP opposition party.
The arrests were made in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Diyarbakir and Bursa and relate to the organisation of and participation in a demonstration in 2016.
The European Commission is publishing today its long-term EU climate strategy. This is a first step towards the implementation of the UN Paris Climate Agreement beyond 2030.
The ETUC welcomes this initiative to set out the emission-reduction scenarios to meet the Paris agreement objectives.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are calling on governments and employers to stop playing games with working women’s lives and back a strong and inclusive international labour standard on violence and harassment in the world of work.
The call comes on the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which takes place on 25 November every year.
Commenting on today’s European Commission Annual Growth Survey, Katja Lehto-Komulainen, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said:
“It is too early for the EU to celebrate the end of the crisis. The fact is that total investment and total hours worked are still below pre-crisis levels. Too many new jobs are part-time, temporary or precarious and in-work poverty has not decreased.
