The European Commission published today an update of its New Industrial Strategy that was adopted in March 2020. The aim of this update is to better identify the challenges and lessons coming from the COVID19 crisis, to further accelerate the green and digital transition, to strengthen the resilience of EU’s single market and to improve the strategic autonomy of the European Union.
Women are at greater exposure to the consequences of the economic crisis resulting from the pandemic. This Recovery needs to put the achievement of equality at the centre.
We are calling for
1. More support for trade unions so that they can spearhead the fight for gender equality.
When women join together in their trade union they can bargain for a better deal, increased pay, more security, training, health and safety, a say over working hours, fairer promotions, more paid leave and a decent pension.
Another unusual labour day. This year we might be better equipped to bring online celebrations to workers but too many current challenges haven’t been solved, yet.
With 1 in 3 people working from home, and those at the workplace taking special precautions, COVID-19 shows the life and death importance of health and safety at work.
Introduction
Although there has been European law on equal pay for women and men for 45 years, the gender pay gap in the European Union is still unacceptably large at over 14%. At the current very slow rate of progress, pay equality will not be achieved across the European Union until the next century (2104) and will never be reached in some Member States.
ETUC’s DECENT WORK & SUSTAINABLE GROWTH INDEX
Decent work and sustainable growth are one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals which the EU signed-up to in 2015. The report prepared for the ETUC by a team of researchers of the highly respected Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development ASviS, led by Prof. Enrico Giovannini, measures progress towards the goal on three measures: economic wellbeing, employment quality and labour vulnerability (merged also into one overall index).
Statement of the ETUC Collective Bargaining and Wage Coordination Committee
Last week, the EU Council's legal service finally delivered its opinion on the Directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU.
The opinion confirms what trade unions have been saying all along: a Directive is possible and the proposed Directive is drafted on the correct legal base, i.e the protection of working conditions (Article 153(1)(b) TFEU in conjunction with Article 153(2) TFEU).
Adopted by the Executive Committee at the meeting of 22-23 March 2021
The ETUC is seriously concerned about the Russian government’s lack of respect of fundamental freedoms, following the harsh repression of public protests.
Adopted at the Executive Committee 22-23 March 2021
The European Trade Union Confederation condemns the decision of the President of Turkey to pull his country out of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) and considers it a devastating signal to women and girls in Turkey and across the world.
ETUC Statement on Amazon Strike
Statement approved at the Executive Committee 22-23 March 2021
This is a momentous time for industrial relations for Amazon, in Italy, in Europe and globally. It is the first time that a general strike of the Amazon’s supply chain direct employees and supply chain employees, workers, temporary workers and delivery workers takes place. Workers start to union organise and fight back against
Over half a million people around the globe have demanded a strong EU law to hold corporations accountable for their impact on human rights, including trade union and workers’ rights, and the environment.
These demands were made as part of the public consultation launched by the European Commission to get the input of citizens and organisations on the new EU legislation on corporate accountability that is due to be published in June 2021.