Dear Readers, We have just published the January 2020 edition of the ETUC newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

Commenting on the publication of the European Commission’s work programme for 2020, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said: “Ambitious social policies are needed to rebuild trust with working people after the financial crisis. The work programme contains several positive initiatives, including a commitment to define an action plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and to deliver an Unemployment Reinsurance Scheme, a European Gender Equality Strategy and binding pay transparency measures.

People earning the statutory minimum wage are at risk of poverty in most EU member states, the latest official data shows. Twenty-two EU member states have a statutory national minimum wage and the majority fail to meet even the minimal at risk-of-poverty wage threshold of 60% of the median wage. In 10 member states, the statutory minimum is 50% or less of the national median wage.

Commenting on the Resolution adopted by the European Parliament on the upcoming Conference on the Future of Europe, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said: “We welcome the resolution and the excellent work done by the European Parliament in preparation of the Conference on the Future of Europe. “The Conference should pave the way for a fairer European Union which can provide all its citizens and workers with good quality and well-paid jobs, quality education and training and proper social protection.

Commenting on the European Commission’s Communication ‘A strong social Europe for just transitions’ ETUC Confederal Secretary Liina Carr said: “We welcome the proposal of the European Commission to present next year an ‘Action Plan that turns the rights and principles enshrined in the Pillar into reality’, to ‘upgrade Europe’s social market economy … and ensure just transitions for all’ and to emphasise job creation.

Commenting on the publication of the European Commission’s proposal for the establishment of a Just Transition Mechanism, ETUC Confederal Secretary Ludovic Voet said: “A socially just transition is essential to winning the support and confidence of working people for the major changes to the economy that are needed to save the planet from climate change. The European Commission’s proposals are important and much-needed. 

Responding on the launch of the European Commission’s initiative on fair minimum wages, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said:  “It is encouraging that the European Commission recognises that the situation of low wage workers has worsened and wage inequalities have increased. With real wages still lower than a decade ago in many member states despite improved economic performance, action to tackle Europe’s low pay problem is overdue.”

"It is with great sadness that we learned that our colleague and friend Claudio Stanzani passed away yesterday. He dedicated his life to the trade union movement in Italy and Europe. We will be always grateful to him for his passionate and successful work at the ETUC. On behalf of the ETUC I would like to express condolences to his family and beloved" said Luca Visentini, General Secretary of European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). 

Dear Readers, We have just published the December 2019 edition of the ETUC newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

Commenting on the European Commission’s ‘Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy’ published today, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) called for higher EU and national public investment to meet the needs it identifies for social rights, climate action and to tackle precariousness. “New money is needed to carry out the many good things written in the Strategy  about poverty, precariousness and the environment” said Liina Carr, Confederal Secretary of the ETUC.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports French trade unions in their protests on 17 December. The ETUC invites the French Government to consult, and take into account, the proposals of the French unions.   The French unions are unanimous in opposing any increase in the pension age and cuts in pension levels.

Yolanda Gil, from CCOO Spain, has been elected as the President of the Youth Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Along with the President, the Youth Committee has also appointed its "bureau", the steering body which implements the political decisions.

The ETUC is bitterly disappointed that EU has not adopted unanimously a carbon neutrality target for 2050. "Poland should have embraced the zero emissions target. It would have helped to convince workers and communities in Poland and elsewhere if the European Commission had included earlier this week a comprehensive and ambitious Just Transition strategy, with full details of the mechanism and fund, with the European Green Deal. This would have created more confidence in adopting the carbon neutrality target" said Ludovic Voet, Confederal Secretary of the ETUC.