Trade unions from across Europe (including the European Trade Union Confederation and unions in Ukraine) are urging the European Union to implement the commitments to social justice made under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, when the Association Council meets in Brussels today (Thursday). The meeting will focus on several areas including  political reforms, rule of law and security, economic cooperation and trade, as well as the EU immediate assistance to the country in view of the COVID19 challenge.

Adopted at the  Executive Committee Meeting of 9th February 2021 The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes the European Commission’s intention to revise both Directive 98/24/EC, on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work (Chemical Agents Directive or CAD), and Directive 2009/148/EC, on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work (Asbestos at Work Directive or AWD).

ETUC Code of Conduct for Meetings, Events and Courses Adopted during the Executive Committee meeting of 9-10 March 2020 Introduction The ETUC has zero tolerance for any violence and any type of harassment including sexual harassment. Violence and harassment in the world of work deprives people of their dignity, is incompatible with decent work. It is a threat to equality and equal opportunities and to safe, healthy, and productive working environments.

ETUC PRIORITIES FOR THE ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTING THE EUROPEAN PILLAR OF SOCIAL RIGHTS (full version available on the dedicated website https://est.etuc.org/socialpillar) GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Solidarity Letter sent to Bogdan Iuliu Hossu, President, CARTEL ALFA ETUC fully supports Cartel-Alfa in its actions to oppose Government austerity and to end wage poverty and pension inequality. ETUC strongly endorses Cartel-Alfa’s calls for social rights. It is unacceptable that the Government:

The ETUC welcomes the launch of a consultation, and debate, on responding to the impacts of an ageing society. ETUC Confederal Secretary Liina Carr said “Ageing is not just a cost. Longer lives are a benefit and should be valued for the greater knowledge, experience and the potential benefits for family and community life.”

ETUC remembers and honours the victims of the Holocaust. We reaffirm our opposition to antisemitism, racism and all forms of intolerance that can lead to targeting people with violence. We reaffirm our total opposition to Nazism and Fascism. We recall that among its first victims were many trade unionists. We remember that the first Nazi concentration camps were built to imprison political opponents. We reiterate our opposition to misogyny and homophobia.

ETUC welcomes the European Parliament’s interest in the right to disconnect. It is an important right for the quality and dignity of life of working people. It is a right that European employers’ organisations refuse to recognise and are trying to block. The ETUC is calling on the S&D Group to withdraw the last-minute damaging amendment preventing legislative action on the right to disconnect for three years – which in reality means around eight years (given the length of the legislative process and coming-into-force period).

Brussels, 19 January 2021   Members of the European Parliament via email   Dear MEPs, Workers experience a lot difficulties securing the right to disconnect in reality and the ETUC and the ETUFs urge the Commission to come forth with a proposal for a Directive quickly. Tomorrow, Wednesday the 20th January, amendments to the report on the right to disconnect will be tabled.

Letters sent to Bulgarian, Croatian, German, Hungarian and Italian Ministers of Labour and Finance  Call to extend emergency measures to non-standard workers (including self-employed)   Dear Ministers, 

ETUC Position on a new EU framework on information, consultation and board-level representation for European company forms and for companies making use of EU company law instruments enabling company mobility Adopted at the Executive Committee of 9-10 December 2020

Statement adopted at the Executive Committee meeting on 09-10 December 2020 ETUC Revised Statement on the second Covid-19 wave: Emergency measures and Recovery Strategy

To mark International Migrants Day on 18 December, ETUC honours and thanks all workers, migrant and local, who continue to risk their lives to provide essential services and keep vital sections of the economy going through the COVID19 pandemic. 13% of key workers in essential jobs in the EU are migrants. Up to 1/3 domestic and care workers, & labourers in construction & mining, all key workers, are foreign born.