Investing in our Future - Joint Policy Brief by the Finance Watch Coalition

The European Trade Union Confederation and its affiliates, Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine and Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine, fully support Ukraine and its people in the fight for democracy and sovereignty against Russian aggression. That was a year of shock and pain, devastating news and images, but also a year of bravery and consolidation of Ukrainian people and their unions and a year of solidarity, unity and support.

Dear President of the European Commission Ms von der Leyen, Dear High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Mr Borrell, Dear President of the European Parliament Ms Metsola, Dear President of the European Council Mr Michel,

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has appointed an independent company with specialist expertise in anti-corruption practices in response to allegations of corruption involving public figures in and around the European Parliament, which resulted in the questioning and release under conditions of the former General Secretary of the ETUC.

This letter is a joint plea of trade unions, cooperative enterprises, and non-governmental organisations to the European institutions for an effective Directive on improving working conditions in platform work.

Dear EU leaders, The soaring cost of food and energy is plunging families across Europe into a cost-of-living crisis triggered by Covid-19-induced supply chain disruptions and worsened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission has proposed solutions, such as caps on profits from energy production. These short-term solutions are needed but must be complemented with a longer-term approach.

We are entering the last quarter of the European Year of Youth, a year that was dedicated to young people after they were recognised as one of the worst  affected groups by the pandemic and after the research showed that poverty and inequality are one of the biggest concerns of  young people, preceded only by jobs and employment.

After the year of rail in 2021 and the year of youth in 2022, the European Commission decided to put the focus on skills for 2023. The challenge of skills is of course of paramount importance for the trade union movement, but we expect results and concrete policies, not declarations of good intentions. Rail workers have seen little to no improvements to their difficult working conditions and young workers are the most affected by consecutive crisis.

With the publication of final reports including the Report on Minimum Safeguards, the Platform on Sustainable Finance of the EU is shutting down. The ETUC appreciates the committed and open-minded participation of different stakeholders and the constructive and engaged work of the Chairs.

Have a look at the calendar of trade union actions across Europe on the cost-of-living crisis  Photos of the trade union action and of the meeting in the European Parliament in Strasbourg - Video of the meeting with MEPS

Last June, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and its members warmly welcomed the decision to grant Ukraine EU candidate status. That is a long-time aspiration of Ukrainian workers who are sacrificing their lives, health and wellbeing in the fight for democracy and sovereignty against Russian aggression. Ukrainian trade unions are actively helping to deal with the humanitarian crisis provoked by it, while European and international trade union movement has mobilsed funds and solidarity aid for workers in Ukraine, but also to millions of refugees fleeing in EU countries.

Dear President von der Leyen, Dear President Michel, We have been informed that President Zelenskyy has signed into life the bill 5371 on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts regarding Simplification of Labour Relations Regulations for Small and Medium Business, despite the call we made to veto it.

Dear President von der Leyen, Dear President Michel, Dear High Representative Borrell, Dear President Metsola, We welcome the recent decision to grant Ukraine EU candidate status. That is a long-time aspiration of Ukrainian workers who stood in the revolution of dignity and who now sacrifice their lives, health and wellbeing in the fight for democracy and sovereignty against Russian aggression.

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament Dragoş Pîslaru, Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs at the European Parliament Dear Ms Metsola, Dear Mr Pîslaru, Certainly, you are aware of the documents made available by different media revealing Uber’s lobbying malpractices towards the EU institutions and Member States.

Dear Ms Gualmini,   Based on the discussion in the EMPL Committee on 12th July, you are well aware of the scandal of the Uber papers, revealing Uber’s lobbying towards the EU institutions and Member States.

The ETUC expresses its concern at the lack of progress on the adoption of a minimum level of taxation, which is another illustration of the need to get rid of the unanimity requirement in Council. The ETUC has welcomed the EU proposal as a timid but important first step in reducing the most damaging corporate tax practices in the EU. In addition to depleted public budgets, we underline the disastrous impact of corporate tax avoidance on employment. Hiding corporate profits in tax havens stands in the way of fair wages and sustainable business.

Initial comments The ETUC welcomes the upcoming European Commission initiative on forced labour and the opportunity to give input to this Call for evidence. The ETUC intends to come back to the European Commission with further details about the initiative at a later stage.

Brussels, 16 June 2022 Dear Ambassador, I am contacting you in relation to the Women on Boards Directive following the meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 16 June 2022. The ETUC welcomes the progress made on the Women On Boards Directive, after ten years of non-action and blockage. The adoption of the agreement will hopefully clear the path for many women into key decision-making positions throughout the European Union.  

The ETUC and its General Secretary, Luca Visentini sends its full support for the general strike of the UGTT (Tunisia) taking place on 16 June 2022, in particular their demands for

In reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences on energy markets, the European Commission adopted today its REPower EU Plan. ETUC welcomes the overall objectives of this proposal and strongly supports the willingness of the Commission to reduce EU’s energy dependency towards Russia. Reducing our energy imports is of primary importance if we want to increase pressure on Putin’s autocratic regime to put an end to its illegal war.

A renewed transatlantic cooperation on trade has to deliver for working people. This concept paper outlines key features we would want to form the framework of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The Biden-Harris Administration put on high priority a worker-centred trade policy in the US and the ETUC believes this is now also an opportunity to change the trade paradigm in Europe.

Ahead of the May 15–16 ministerial meeting of the U.S.–E.U. Trade and Technology Council (TTC), trade unions call on the U.S. government and the European Union Commission to deepen trans-Atlantic cooperation and deliver meaningful results for workers on both sides of the Atlantic.

9 years after the Rana Plaza disaster, workers in Europe and in the world cannot wait any longer: the ETUC calls for zero tolerance for doing business in breach of human rights  Why? Because labour is not a commodity: workers’ life and security should not be negotiated nor put at risk by business models! 

Dear High Representative, The situation for independent trade unions in Belarus has seriously deteriorated. On 19 April 2022, the leadership of the Belarusian Congress of Trade Unions (BKDP) - the President of BKDP Aliaksandr Yarashuk, BKDP Vice-President Siarhei Antusevich, President of Free Trade Union of Metal Workers (SPM) Aliaksandr Bukhvostau, President of Free Trade Union of Belarus (SPB) Mikalaj Sharakh - were arrested.