The COVID-19 outbreak has shown us how vulnerable we are to an epidemic, and how devastating the effects can be: on life, on health, on society, on our economy.  It has demonstrated very clearly the importance of protecting working people (and all people) from disease, especially at the workplace. 

STATEMENT SIGNED BY ETUC AND 50+ CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS Democracy – Inclusion – Justice – Solidarity – Sustainability April 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic is demonstrating all too well that unequal societies go hand-in-hand with human suffering, fragile economies and delicate democracies.

Joint* statement on whistleblowers and COVID-19

Less than one month after the start of lockdowns in many EU countries due to COVID-19 outbreak, the number of additional unemployed workers has crossed 4 million, with hundreds of thousands of companies closed and many unlikely to survive the emergency. At the same time, measures to support companies facing difficulties and to provide workers suspended from work with short-time work arrangements and income compensation have been put in place in most Member States, making it possible to save millions of jobs.

European Social Partners' letter to the attention of Mrs Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Mr Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President, Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President, Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner on the situation in Poland  

Respect for human rights and fundamental values should be guiding the Union in all its internal as well as external actions. In everyday life as well as in times of crises, the universality and indivisibility of human rights must be upheld to ensure human dignity at both global and local level.

Dear Presidents, The COVID-19 emergency is hitting working people in Europe hard. Those who work in activities of general interest, such as health care, transportation, agriculture, food production, and many other services are exposed to contagion and are poorly protected. In many cases their working conditions have been worsened.

To the Video Conference of the Members of the European Council     Statement of the European Social Partners ETUC, BusinessEurope, CEEP, SMEUnited on the COVID-19 emergency  

Call to EU institutions and national governments to protect workers now and in the future.   The ETUC Youth Committee is deeply concerned about the spread of coronavirus throughout Europe, particularly in countries such as Italy.  Such concerns relate to the repercussions this is having on the lives of thousands of people, as well as on economic activities, employment and the social dimension and resilience of the entire European Union. 

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Pan European Regional Council of the International Trade Union Confederation (PERC) welcome the European Commission’s proposals for a renewed Eastern Partnership with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Both trade union organisations welcome the commitment of the European Commission to continue and deepen the Eastern Partnership with the six EU neighborhood countries.  

  Statement of the European Social Partners ETUC, BusinessEurope, CEEP, SMEUnited on the COVID-19 emergency

The European Trade Union Movement will welcome the forthcoming EU industrial strategy if the proposals are fair for workers, supportive of the most vulnerable regions and sectors and with sufficient funding to be implemented properly. Workers and trade unions are part of the solution and expect an inclusive governance process to shape and implement the strategy.   

On 19 February 2020 the European Commission will announce its strategy for a Europe fit for the digital age.   The ETUC got reassurance from Commissioner Breton on 10 February that trade unions and workers’ representatives will be part of the solutions shaping a sustainable and socially acceptable digital transition within the EU industrial policy strategy, in particular via an inclusive governance structure.

A European directive on Human Rights due diligence and responsible business conduct including their supply chains will make the difference in better protecting workers rights and environmental standards. The Commission needs to act! In the next days, the European Commission will publish a report of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) on due diligence requirements for supply chains. The report analyses the state of play and the need for initiatives at European level, paving the way to a possible commission initiative.

Forthcoming European Commission Communication on Artificial Intelligence:  ETUC CALLS FOR AN AMBITIOUS STRATEGY RESPECTFUL OF WORKERS Ahead of the upcoming European Commission’s 2020 white paper on artificial intelligence, the European Trade Union Confederation reiterates the need for an ambitious European AI strategy to maintain and reinforce workers’ protection and involvement, and empower them to create sustainable use of AI tools.

Brussels 06 February 2020 Adopted at the Extraordinary Executive Committee Meeting of 6 February 2020

Today the UK leaves the EU. We send this message of support, solidarity and unity among working people. For trade unions there are no borders. We will continue our joint work to make working peoples voices heard, to insist on a level playing field to protect jobs and rights for workers in the UK and the EU. Working together during 2020 we will demand a future agreement that delivers for workers, their families and communities.

Statement to the EU-Ukraine Association Council, 28 January 2020 On the occasion of the EU-Ukraine Association Council that meets to assess the progress Ukraine has achieved in implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, the European and Ukrainian trade unions condemn the recent violations of this Agreement by the government of Ukraine, which introduced a number of amendments to the labour laws without any consultations with social partners as required by national and international legislation. 

ETUC Executive Committee statement on the lack of Social Dialogue on Labour Law reform in Ukraine Adopted at the Executive Meeting of 17-18 December 2019 The ETUC Executive Committee expresses its concerns about the perceived lack of willingness of the Ukrainian government to undertake a proper consultation process with the social partners on the Labour Law reform and pledges to raise this with the European Commission and Parliament.

Statement on Albania and North Macedonia accession to the EU We regret the decision of the European Council not to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia and express our solidarity with workers and their trade unions from these counties. They face enormous challenges of decent work deficits, non-respect of the law, low wages, high levels of informal work, as well as systematic violation of fundamental workers’ rights and freedoms.