Euro-demonstration: European unions say ‘no’ to social regression
On 16 December, more than 15,000 trade union members from throughout Europe demonstrated in Strasbourg on the initiative of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to urge the European Parliament not to weaken the Working Time Directive. Such a move would be a social regression and send out a very bad signal in these times of economic recession and with the approach of the European elections. The Working Time Directive is a key element of social Europe and cannot be likened to a cut-price sale item.
The European trade unions demonstrated in the streets of Strasbourg on 16 December, on the eve of the European Parliament’s vote on the revision of the Working Time Directive. Their slogan was ‘Priority to workers’ rights, not longer working hours’. The Euro-demonstration aimed to caution members of the European Parliament not to adopt a revision of the directive that would lead to a regression in European social policy.
ETUC General Secretary John Monks declared: ‘We are calling on members of the European Parliament to vote for a Working Time Directive that is a step in the direction of social progress. Doing the opposite would represent the first legislative social regression in the history of the European Union’s social policy. Is that the right signal to send out to European citizens just as we are experiencing a severe crisis which risks becoming worse? With the European elections just six months away, it is essential to demonstrate to all European citizens that the EU is not just a free market which gives priority to big companies and bankers, but that it also, first and foremost, responds to the social concerns of Europeans. It would be senseless to weaken a directive that is absolutely essential to social Europe.’
ETUC’s positions on the directive are well known:
- abolition of the opt-out;
- recognition of all on-call time as working time;
- protection of the special role of collective bargaining in the organisation of working time: an annual figure should not be used without adequate protection;
- the right for all workers to be able to reconcile work and family life and to ensure their health and safety;
- protection against long working hours that are harmful to health for all workers and at all levels of employment, including professional and management staff.
A modern working time policy for the 21st century must take these demands into account.
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