The ETUC is calling on the European Commission to make quality jobs a central objective to its competitiveness plan and warns against an approach based on low pay, long hours and bad conditions.
The Competitiveness Compass, which is set to be published next week, must have the protection and creation of quality jobs as a cardinal point. Trade unions expect it to lay the foundation to deliver a quality jobs package, including new legislation and investments, within the first half of this year.
Social Europe is our competitive advantage
The ETUC calls on President von der Leyen to stand up for the European social model and address the competitiveness challenges by ensuring that working people have a real say in shaping changes. This means a dedicated directive guaranteeing workers’ rights in a just transition, measures to ensure investment in the workforce and reinforced bargaining rights so that workers can claim their fair share of the profits they contribute to create.
It is key to take on board the advice in the Draghi report that stresses the importance of the European social model to Europe’s competitiveness along with warning that promoting competitiveness will not succeed if it is based on “wage repression to lower relative costs”.
President von der Leyen rightly said “productivity depends on good working conditions. On earning a fair wage. On a good work-life balance.” It is time to put those words into action.
The ETUC warns against the corporate deregulation offensive. The Commission must now challenge corporate greed and redirect profits away from billowing dividend payouts to shareholders and towards investments in research and development instead. Likewise, it must reject calls to reduce workers’ rights or reheat social dumping through “simplification”.
ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said:
“All of Europe’s most successful economies are built on the foundation of quality jobs so the European Commission must make them a cardinal point of the competitiveness compass.
“Quality jobs are a win-win for workers and companies. Ensuring quality jobs in every sector and every region will mean workers receive the pay they need to provide for their families and companies can attract and retain the motivated and skilled workforce they need. Investing to ensure workers receive quality training means companies will have the skills they need and workers the opportunity to progress.
“On the flip side, the way low pay and working conditions have exacerbated Europe’s labour shortages should make it clear for all to see that poor quality jobs are a drag on our competitiveness.
“Europe will never win a race to the bottom. Our strength lays in high quality goods and services. That requires investment in our workforce and public services, as well as new technology.
“It's time to talk up Europe and invest in the hard working people who are the real drivers of its success.”
Notes
Urgent letter of the ETUC on the upcoming Competitiveness Compass
