On International Migrants Day, trade union leaders across Europe, representing 45 million members from 90 trade union organisations in 38 European countries, will reiterate their support for solidarity with migrants by backing the first European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) on migration. Trade union leaders showed their commitment by signing the ‘We Are a Welcoming Europe’ initiative at a high-level meeting of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Dear comrades,   The warmest greetings from the ETUC and congratulations for the very important anniversary you are celebrating today. The right to strike is a fundamental human and social right, and an essential tool for trade unions to build their power for achieving stronger rights and better working conditions for working people. The right to strike has been recently under attack in several countries, particularly in Spain, and I would like to pay tribute to the extraordinary efforts you put in place to defend it.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomed a decision today by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that should put an end to restrictions on collective bargaining for self-employed persons. The Ministers’ Committee’s decision endorses an earlier ruling by the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) following pressure by the Irish Trade Union Confederation (ICTU) and its affiliates, SIPTU, Equity, the Musicians Union of Ireland and National Union of Journalists, and supported by the ETUC.

"The ETUC condemns the attack in Strasbourg and expresses its sincere condolences to the victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with the people of France and with our French affiliates. Fear and terror will never undermine our strong commitment to peace, tolerance and democracy" says Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Dear readers, Welcome to the December 2018 issue of Workers’ Voice National UPdates, highlighting how trade unions are acting for social progress and justice in Europe. While many EU countries are struggling to respond to extremist and nationalist movements, we take a look at the way unions are supporting Europe’s diverse population and combatting racism and fascism in the workplace and in society. With ETUC backing, the European Commission is currently updating a survey of trade union actions against discrimination.

Today MEPs on the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee voted on the Company Law Package. The Legal Affairs Committee decided that

Brothers and sisters! Comrades and friends!   I bring you the solidarity of the European Trade Union Confederation and the European trade union movement! Let me thank our Danish colleagues, LO and FTF, Lizette and Bente, for the fantastic welcome they gave us here in Copenhagen. I really admire you for the way you have defended and implemented the Danish model, based on social dialogue and collective bargaining.

A book launched today claims that 8% of all cancer cases are work-related: making up 12% of cancer cases among men and 7% of cancer cases among women.   The book was published by the ETUI and launched at a conference in Brussels today on women and cancer. Opening the Conference organised by the ETUI, Esther Lynch, ETUC Confederal Secretary said “Work-related cancer among women is still being underestimated.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) strongly condemns those EU Member States that have decided not to sign the United Nations’ Global Compact for Migration, due to be adopted 10-11 December in Marrakesh, after one year of negotiations. Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic,  Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have said they will not sign, while others including Belgium and Italy have yet to decide.

Dear Readers, We have just published the November 2018 edition of the ETUC Newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports European transport unions in calling on EU Transport Ministers meeting on December 3 not to approve the current deal that would worsen working conditions for drivers across Europe.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) will be at the international climate ‘COP’ in Katowice next week and urge governments to manage the social and employment impacts of climate action through a socially fair ‘just transition’. The ETUC will welcome the ‘Solidarity and Just Transition Declaration’ presented by the Polish Government and supported by the European Union. The Declaration is expected on Monday 3 December, and ETUC will urge all Governments to back and act on it.