Dear Commissioners,     Official statistics show 500 people losing lives every year in agriculture and forestry in the EU and another 150,000 suffering accidents. Many more fatalities still go unrecorded in these two top-risk sectors.      While these deaths and injuries continue the EU has taken two steps which ought to impact on health and safety in agriculture:  

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.

ETUC Resolution calling for an EU Directive on Algorithmic Systems at Work Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee of 6 December 2022 Key Messages:

Dear colleagues, The ETUC stands in solidarity with the French trade unions in their opposition to the extension of the retirement age in France. The 'reform' of the pension system is an attack on the well-being and aspirations of workers and their families. This reform is even more unacceptable - and counterproductive - when inequalities are growing and the cost of living crisis is severe. It will only deepen inequality and increase distrust of a political system that seeks to place a greater burden on working people, particularly the poorest.

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,

On 19 December 2022, under the European Partnership for Integration, the Commission and five European Social and Economic Partners - ETUC, BusinessEurope, SGI Europe, SMEUnited and Eurochambres - renewed their commitment to integrate more effectively refugees and other migrants into the EU labour market with a joint statement.

ETUC Position on the recast of the Single Permit Directive (SPD) Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee of 6 December 2022  

Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 6-7 December 2022 Key messages

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.

The role and involvement of Social Partners in the European Semester and EU economic governance ETUC document discussed at the Executive Committee Meeting of 27-28 October 2022 The ETUC encourages the European Commission to set up a more structured and binding framework for social partners involvement in the EU Semester having respect of national practices but mandating the national governments to consult social partners according to quality criteria, and report on the effectiveness of their involvement and its results.

ETUC Proposal for a SURE 2.0 ETUC Resolution adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 27-28 October 2022 IN A NUTSHELL The ETUC proposes to refinance and scale up the current SURE instrument in the following manner:

ETUC for Sustainable Growth and Social Progress ETUC Resolution adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 27-28 October 2022

ETUC Position on the European Commission ‘Skills and Talent Package’ Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee of 27-28 October 2022 Background

ETUC position on EU proposals to mitigate the energy crisis Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee of 28 October 2022 Summary of key messages

The European economy is growing, but this is mainly due to the economic recovery following the pandemic and boosted by the massive public and private investment coming from NextGenerationEU. The effects of the war in Ukraine on employment have not yet hit, since companies are still trying to cope with the energy crisis and inflation by reducing working hours instead of cutting jobs. But in the medium term we can realistically expect that many companies will significantly reduce their operations or even close down completely, negatively impacting on employment.

Proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD) - Updated Roadmap to mobilise ahead of the EU trialogue Discussed at the Executive Committee meeting of 27-28 October 2022 Summary of key messages Based on the ETUC key demands as adopted by the Executive Committee in December 2019 in the ETUC Position calling for a European Directive on mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence and responsible business conduct[1], the ETUC position ‘Towards an EU law on mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence: indicative roadmap for ETUC actions in 2021-2022’ (December 2021)[2] as well as the ETUC Position ‘ETUC initial analysis of the Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and updated roadmap for ETUC actions in 2022-2023” (March 2022)[3], the ETUC Executive Committee is asked to discuss and take note of this (updated) position paper which provides in particular a summary of the main amendments the ETUC intends to put forward to the European Parliament and Member States and other stakeholders as well as an overview and update of the actions undertaken March 2022 and some suggestions for further actions in view of the EU trialogue which is likely to start in Q2 in 2023 at the earliest.

Safeguarding the Right to Strike against Emergency Measures in the Single Market   Position adopted at the Executive Committee meeting of 27-28 October ETUC key messages

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.

Dear Ministers, Dear Ambassadors, In December 2021, the European Commission presented a proposal of Directive on improving working conditions in platform work, which included a presumption of employment relationship for workers in digital labour platforms.

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