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). 

Dear Ministers, We are writing to you in view of the discussions taking place in the informal meeting of employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs ministers on 22 February 2021, on the forthcoming Commission’s proposal on the Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Social Summit.

ETUC Statement before 1st stage consultation on Platform Work This week, on Wednesday 24 February 2021, the European Commission will launch the first phase of the consultation of the social partners on improving the working conditions of workers on digital platforms.

The new CAP needs social conditionality - End exploitation and raise labour standards in European agriculture Together with other 300 organisations, the ETUC signed this open letter addressed to key Commissioners, EU Parliament negotiating MEPs, and national agriculture ministers

European youth are severely affected by the pandemic. One in six young people lost their job due to the economic consequences of COVID-19. In September 2020, the EU youth unemployment rate was 17.1%. Youth unemployment has soared in several countries, including Spain (40,5%), Italy (29,7%), Bulgaria (18,3%) and France (19,6%).

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 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.

Dear Michel, I am contacting you to raise the concern of trade unions across Europe that with few days to the end of the transition period, agreement is still to be reached.  This uncertainty adds to the already destabilising employment situation due to the pandemic and the planned end of the support measures next year.