Two million Europeans working abroad will begin benefiting from better pay and conditions from today as the revised posted workers directive comes into force. The revision, once transposed into national law by member states, enshrines the principle that people doing the same work in the same place must receive the same wage. It should also oblige employers to cover the cost of travel, board and accommodation of posted workers.

European trade unions demand that EU leaders finally prioritise ratification of the Istanbul Convention following reports Poland plans to withdraw from the treaty on violence against women.

The OECD have backed trade unions’ calls for the EU to extend collective bargaining coverage to close the gender pay gap, especially for women who worked on the frontline of the Covid crisis. 

Commenting on the European Parliament’s resolution, adopted today, on the EU Recovery Plan and EU budget which will lead to tough negotiations between the EU institutions, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “The European Parliament is right to attack the European Council’s proposed cuts to the EU budgets for solvency support, health and the Just Transition Fund. Trade unions strongly support MEPs in demanding these budgets are restored, and to stand firm against the pressure they will come under from national governments.

Reacting to the adoption of the EU Recovery Plan by the European Council, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said: “The adoption of the EU Recovery Plan is good news for the 60 million people across the EU who depend on rapid investment to save their jobs or avoid long term unemployment. The ETUC thanks Presidents Michel and von der Leyen, and the more forward-looking leaders, for their perseverance in reaching an agreement in the most difficult EU negotiations ever.

Over 10 per cent of the EU’s population are relying on the recovery fund to avoid or escape unemployment, trade unions have told national leaders ahead of a crucial EU summit. The European Trade Union Confederation has written to the leaders of the EU institutions and all 27 heads of state to urge them not to further delay adoption of the 750bn Euro package needed to save and create jobs. The ETUC reminds leaders that there are currently:

Lorry, bus and coach drivers will benefit from real rest breaks and more time at home under new rules adopted by the European Parliament today following a long-running campaign by trade unions. MEPs have supported major reforms of the road transport sector known as the Mobility Package which will: 

Dear readers,Over recent months, trade unions across Europe have been working flat out to defend workers’ health and jobs during the coronavirus crisis. Our summer edition of National UPdates highlights just a few samples of action at national level, in different sectors and with different partners. They illustrate how unions and employers should have a shared interest in safeguarding workers and maintaining jobs and wages through the pandemic.

Speaking notes of the intervention by ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini at "Les rencontre économiques" – Aix en Provence, 4 July 2020

Eurostat figures published today show 253,000 workers lost their jobs in May, which follows losses of 397,000 jobs in April and 241,000 in March. It takes the total number of unemployed to 14.3 million. Commenting on the figures, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said:

Responding to the European Commission’s communication on reinforcing the Youth Guarantee, ETUC Confederal Secretary Ludovic Voet said: “Commissioner Schmit has said rightly that our young people deserve the very best opportunities but we cannot see how the proposal on the table guarantees that.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is disappointed and frustrated that self-employed and freelance workers will have to wait years for fair pay and decent working conditions. Self-employed and freelance workers are not allowed to collectively bargain in many EU countries because of incorrect interpretations of  EU competition law. 

The ETUC is calling on the European Commission to significantly improve its youth guarantee after new calculations warned youth unemployment will almost double this year. Eurostat figures show youth unemployment leapt by 159,000 in March alone as the lockdown began, taking the total number to 2.8m (15.4%), while many more struggle to survive from precarious work.