Minimum wages are so far below the official low-wage threshold in many EU countries that many workers would struggle to make a living, shows an ETUC briefing paper published today.
Minimum wages would have to increase by 62% in Spain, 28% in Germany and 22% in the UK just to reach a level below the low-wage threshold (set by the OECD at two-thirds of the national median wage).
The ETUC is calling for the 1991 Written Statement Directive, which obliges employers to give employees written details on the employment relationship, to be thoroughly reformed and modernised. It is the first chance for the EU to demonstrate that the European Pillar of Social Rights can be translated into real rights in the workplace.
At the moment, the Directive simply requires employers to provide information on the terms and conditions of employment. The ETUC is calling for the Directive to include fair terms and conditions of employment enforceable for the workers.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the three Belgian unions, with the support of German union DGB and Austrian union ÖGB, kicked off 10 days of lobbying and social media activity to get the proposed 'European Pillar of Social Rights' adopted at the EU summit in Gothenburg on November 17 by projecting a stark message to the European Union last night.
"Time is running out for the EU to deliver for working people" was the message projected onto the ‘Berlaymont’ HQ of the European Commission in Brussels.
People who work for online platforms (like Uber, Deliveroo, Foodora and Amazon Mechanical Turk) deserve better than:
The recent EU Summit’s conclusions on ‘Digital Europe’ that highlight the “immense opportunities” for “growth and jobs” without even mentioning the precarious, low-paid employment without rights on offer on online platforms;
The European Commission not responding to European Parliament demands to regulate labour and social rights in a digital Europe;
says the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to put industry back on the agenda. Its renewed Industrial Policy Strategy is a first concrete answer to the European social partners’ 2016 joint declaration calling for an updated industrial policy.
Commenting on the European Commission Work Programme 2018, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said
“We broadly welcome the work programme, especially the much-needed social fairness package. Whether this package will actually go far enough to improve social fairness for the majority of working people remains to be seen in the proposals when they are published.”
Agreement late last night by Employment Ministers on the revision of the posting of workers Directive finally triggers negotiations with the European Parliament to finalise the much-needed revision of the Directive.
However, given the disappointing agreement by Employment Ministers, fair rights for posted workers now depends on the negotiating skills and determination of the European Parliament.
The agreement reached by Ministers
Responding to the EU Employment and Social Policy ministers’ unanimous agreement on the text of the Proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which gives the authorisation to Member States to sign it at the Gothenburg Summit on November 17, Esther Lynch, Confederal Secretary at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), said:
“Labour Ministers have done the right thing today and put aside differences to agree the European Pillar of Social Rights.
It’s a big week in the EU for social rights, and conditions for working people.
Tomorrow (Monday 23 October) the Employment Council is expected to decide on
- The revision of the Posted Workers Directive
- The European Pillar of Social Rights
On Thursday (27 October) the European Parliament votes on the revision of the Posted Workers Directive.
Tripartite Social Summit – Estonian Presidency
Brussels, 18th October 2017
Speech given by Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary
[Check against delivery]
Esteemed Presidents, Vice President, Commissioner, Ministers,
Dear colleagues from social partners,
This Tripartite Social Summit comes in the middle of discussions about the future of Europe and few days before the expected proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
At today’s Tri-Partite Social Summit - with Presidents Juncker and Tusk, Prime Minister Ratas of Estonia, and the Labour Ministers of Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria - Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation called for fast proclamation of an ambitious European Pillar of Social Rights and proposed a series of initiatives including:
In light of new evidence, trade unions and labour organizations are today renewing their calls to the European Commission to make good on its promise to launch a trade investigation into Bangladesh as a result of its government’s continued failure to make urgently needed reforms to the law and practice governing trade union rights in the country’s Ready Made Garment industry.
