Commenting on the European Commission Reflection Paper on the Future of EU finances, Liina Carr of the European Trade Union Confederation said “The EU budget needs to be redesigned to meet urgent and future challenges, and to increase.” “This reflection paper that does not reflect the Commission’s often stated wish for a more social Europe. On the contrary, the Commission seems determined to reduce the EU’s spending on social priorities and tackling regional inequality.”

Commenting on the UK Government’s proposal on the future rights of EU citizens living in the UK, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said: “The rights of EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens in the EU, should not be up for negotiation. There needs to be automatic and mutual granting of full rights. “Far from being very generous, the proposals are limited, and create significant new hurdles which EU citizens will need to overcome in order to access rights to residency and permanent access to entitlements in the UK.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is launching a call for the EU and national governments to do more to support workplace health and safety reps to tackle back, neck and shoulder pain.   Back, neck and shoulder pain (alongside pain in other joints such as hands, elbows and knees) - known collectively and technically as musculoskeletal disorders (or MSDs) – are the most common work-related disease in Europe. The most common causes are repetitive hand or arm movements, and sitting for long periods of time.  

On 23rd June, Public Services Day, citizens around the world acknowledge the wide range of education, health, social and other key services delivered all day and everyday by public service workers. This year the European federations for public service (EPSU) and education (ETUCE) highlight the contribution made by millions of public service workers to maintain quality services while suffering the long-term effects of pay cuts and pay freezes. Public service workers do not deserve this treatment.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is strongly opposed to the services e-card proposed by the European Commission.

The European Parliament on 15 June 2017 adopted two important reports on online platforms and the collaborative economy. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) worked closely with MEPs to make sure that trade union demands were taken on board. The Parliament’s message stresses trade unions’ concerns on safeguarding workers’ rights in the digital economy, calling on the European Commission and/or Member States:

Dear readers,

European trade unions today resolved to call on the European Commission, national Governments and the European Parliament to adopt a stronger European Pillar of Social Rights.   Meeting as the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), national and European trade union leaders also decided to hold a ‘European Day of Action’ in Gothenburg on 16 November - the day before the Gothenburg EU Social Summit takes place and which is due to adopt the Pillar.

Commenting on the EU signing today the Istanbul Convention on violence against women, ETUC Confederal Secretary Montserrat Mir said “Trade unions are strongly committed to ending violence against women in work, and to do all that is possible at work to tackle domestic violence against women. Only yesterday the European Trade Union Confederation published a report on how trade unions can help to prevent, manage and eliminate violence against women. Collective agreements between unions and employers can make a big contribution to dealing with violence against women.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today condemned the European Commission’s proposal to restrict the right to strike in air traffic control.   It demanded that the Commission removes all references to restricting the right to strike from its initiative on “Aviation: open and connected Europe” published on June 8.   The Commission proposal included

The gender pension gap could be getting wider due to the increasing importance of private (complementary) pension schemes, and their failure to credit women for periods of maternity and parental leave (or other types of care leave). The difference in pension payments for men and women across the EU is 40%, according to the most recent study which was carried out four years ago (in 2013). A survey of 44 trade unions in 29 countries published today by the European Trade Union Confederation shows that