Equality and non-discrimination

The ETUC is a leader in the fight for human rights and equality, it is committed to solidarity, equal respect and dignity for all.

We work closely with NGOs that are active at a European level in opposing unfair treatment, including discrimination against refugees, asylum-seekers, and undeclared and cross-border workers. To this end we are lobbing national governments and the EU to re-open the discussion about the Horizontal Directive and to move towards its long-overdue adoption.

In times when trade unions continue on their path to modernisation, we need unions that mirror the composition of the workforce and fully represent the needs of the groups most deprived of full employment, notably youth, women, migrants and those belonging to vulnerable groups (migrants, refugees, LGBTIQ, disabled etc)

ETUC will continue to convene online meetings of the equality and non-discrimination working group, which among others will serve as a place for dialogue, exchange of the best practices and strategical planning towards the ETUC Congress 2024.

Together in Pride, Together in Protest

Together in Pride, Together in Protest

Joint Statement by the ETUC and ILGA-Europe The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and ILGA-Europe stand united in defending the rights and freedoms of LGBTIQ people and workers across Europe. Our movements are bound by a shared commitment to equality, social justice, and democratic freedoms—principles that are increasingly under threat.

News Published on 27.06.2025
Together in Pride, Together in Protest - Joint Statement by the ETUC and ILGA-Europe

Together in Pride, Together in Protest - Joint Statement by the ETUC and ILGA-Europe

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and ILGA-Europe stand united in defending the rights and freedoms of LGBTIQ people and workers across Europe. Our movements are bound by a shared commitment to equality, social justice, and democratic freedoms—principles that are increasingly under threat. The ban on Budapest Pride is not just an attack on LGBTIQ people—it’s an attack on democracy, freedom of assembly, and the right to organise.

Document Published on 27.06.2025
Unions stand-up for Pride and so should the Commission

Unions stand-up for Pride and so should the Commission

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) firmly stands with LGBTIQ workers across Europe – and calls for the European Commission to do the same by supporting the banned Budapest Pride. Speaking at industriAll Europe Congress in Budapest today, ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch announced the ETUC will join the Pride march on 28 June 2025. Commenting on the decision, Lynch said that silence in the face of oppression is complicity and called for solidarity with LGBTIQ people, especially in the workplace, in the face of rising intolerance.

Press release Published on 03.06.2025
Commission must stand up to Trump on workplace equality

Commission must stand up to Trump on workplace equality

The European Commission must stand up to the attempt by US President Donald Trump to “intimidate” European companies out of complying with European equality law, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said today. At the Trade Unions Against Discrimination Conference in Berlin, Esther Lynch called on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to defend Europe’s equality standards and demand that the US Government withdraw its threat to European companies.

Press release Published on 29.04.2025
ETUC letter to US Mission Chargé d'Affaires Scharpf

ETUC letter to US Mission Chargé d'Affaires Scharpf

Urgent message from the ETUC regarding the US Government letter “Certification regarding compliance with applicable federal anti-discrimination law” Dear Mr Norman Thatcher Scharpf, I am contacting you to ask for a meeting as a matter of urgency, to discuss the recent letter issued by the US to companies in Europe who have contracts with the US government. The letter requires companies to "not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws”.

Document Published on 01.04.2025
Trade Unions Against Discrimination

Trade Unions Against Discrimination

ETUC TUAD - Trade Unions Against Discrimination Intersectionality is crucial for understanding the forms of discrimination faced by individuals and workers — both within and beyond the workplace — whether based on “traditional” factors, socio-economic status or emerging grounds for possible unequal treatment. For Trade Unions across Europe, acknowledging intersectionality is essential for providing protection against injustice as well as effective equal opportunities for everyone in the EU.

Page Published on 14.01.2025
Stop paying workers with disabilities below minimum wage

Stop paying workers with disabilities below minimum wage

The practice of paying people with disabilities below the legal minimum must be stopped as part of the rollout of the EU minimum wage directive. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is making the call during European Disabilities Week.

Press release Published on 04.12.2024
Von der Leyen adds ‘missing piece’ to equal pay puzzle

Von der Leyen adds ‘missing piece’ to equal pay puzzle

More than 45 years after the EU made equal pay the law, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today joined with trade unions to ensure it is finally made a reality for women workers. President von der Leyen spoke at the congress of the European Trade Union Confederation in Berlin, where more than half of delegates are women, and ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch called for the full and fast implementation at national level of the Pay Transparency Directive.

Press release Published on 25.05.2023
Recognising the role of black trade unionists

Recognising the role of black trade unionists

The British Trades Union Congress (TUC) has launched a Black Network – the first-ever national database set up to capture the contribution of black workers across the trade union movement and create a space for growth, empowerment and progress. “The TUC Black Network will be a powerful tool to connect, amplify and support the work of black activists, reps, organisers and trade union employees and officials,” says the Congress.

Page Published on 01.03.2023
Italian deal promotes gender equality and social inclusion

Italian deal promotes gender equality and social inclusion

A milestone agreement between Italian unions FIOM-Cgil, FIM-Cisl and UILM and Trieste-based Fincantieri, Italy’s largest shipbuilding group, sets new standards on diversity, inclusion, work-life balance and employee well-being.

Page Published on 30.11.2022
Highlighting disabled workers’ rights

Highlighting disabled workers’ rights

The British Trades Union Congress is supporting Disability History Month, celebrated in the UK from November to December and focusing on disabled people’s struggle for equality and human rights across society.

Page Published on 30.11.2022
LGBTIQ rights are trade union rights! ETUC position on the EU Strategy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) equality 2020-2025

LGBTIQ rights are trade union rights! ETUC position on the EU Strategy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) equality 2020-2025

LGBTIQ rights are trade union rights! ETUC position on the EU Strategy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) equality 2020-2025 Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 3-4 June 2021

Document Published on 14.06.2021
Holocaust Memorial Day

Holocaust Memorial Day

ETUC remembers and honours the victims of the Holocaust. We reaffirm our opposition to antisemitism, racism and all forms of intolerance that can lead to targeting people with violence. We reaffirm our total opposition to Nazism and Fascism. We recall that among its first victims were many trade unionists. We remember that the first Nazi concentration camps were built to imprison political opponents. We reiterate our opposition to misogyny and homophobia.

Document Published on 27.01.2021
EU Democracy Action Plan: Zuckerberg will sleep tonight

EU Democracy Action Plan: Zuckerberg will sleep tonight

Facebook’s founder and CEO will still sleep soundly tonight after the European Commission took only tentative steps towards stronger regulation of social media platforms in its Democracy Action Plan published today. The dominant market position of the digital giants, and business models that benefit from spreading content regardless of its veracity, seem to be disturbed only a little by the Plan. Instead, the Commission commits to

Press release Published on 03.12.2020
Fashion industry glamour veils exploitation of young workers

Fashion industry glamour veils exploitation of young workers

British trade union Bectu, which organises in the media and creative industries, is investigating the working conditions of fashion assistants. The union wants to uncover the scale of abuse among junior staff, as portrayed in the film ‘The Devil Wears Prada’.

Page Published on 17.02.2020
Irish politicians urged to shun hate speech

Irish politicians urged to shun hate speech

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions united with community and religious groups and civil society organisations in calling on all candidates in the February 2020 general election to conduct a respectful and truthful campaign.

Page Published on 17.02.2020
The right to a day at the seaside

The right to a day at the seaside

Over the summer months, trade unions representing pensioners in Croatia launched action to stop older people being unfairly excluded from access to beaches and tourist resorts. According to the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH), local authorities in some popular tourist destinations impose such high fees for bus access and parking that they are out of reach for retired people. The Croatian Pensioners’ Union has branded charges of up to 1,000 kuna (€135) per day per bus in some seaside resorts as ageist and discriminatory.

Page Published on 18.09.2019
Unions condemn Polish newspaper hate campaign

Unions condemn Polish newspaper hate campaign

European journalists’ trade unions have condemned the distribution of ‘LGBT-free zone’ stickers by the weekly paper Gazeta Polska. The ETUC-affiliated European Federation of Journalists says the stickers – featuring a black cross over the LGBT rainbow symbol – promote discrimination and violate the principles all journalists should adhere to.

Page Published on 18.09.2019
ETUC condemns 'LGBT free zone' in Poland

ETUC condemns 'LGBT free zone' in Poland

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is appalled that Polish newspaper Gazeta Polska distributed today ‘LGBT free zone’ stickers. Doing so could create unnecessary divisions and conflicts in workplaces and in society, as demonstrated by the violence against members of the LGTB community on Saturday. Producing such stickers could lead people to break the law by discriminating on grounds of sexual orientation, which is against EU and Polish law. It also disrespects fundamental human rights.

Press release Published on 24.07.2019
ETUC video messages - Europride 2019

ETUC video messages - Europride 2019

Euro Pride 2019 - ETUC stands with you Video messages by Ludovic Voet and Isabelle Schömann, ETUC Confederal Secretaries

Press release Published on 13.06.2019
Union members support Belgian Pride event

Union members support Belgian Pride event

Members of the Belgian ACV-CSC union’s platform for LGBTQI members, LGBT@Work, joined the Belgian Pride celebrations in May, with the slogan: ‘All for One’. ACV-CSC LGBT@Work unites workers and activists who aim to promote non-discrimination and improve conditions for homosexual, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the workplace. They should have the right to express their sexual identity and to receive fair and equal treatment, as well as the same career and promotion opportunities as other employees.

Page Published on 10.05.2019
ETUC statement “Trade unions call for MEPs to promote solidarity and the rights of all workers”

ETUC statement “Trade unions call for MEPs to promote solidarity and the rights of all workers”

ETUC statement “Trade unions call for MEPs to promote solidarity and the rights of all workers” Endorsed at the Executive Committee of 24 April 2019 The trade union movement stands for the rights of all workers, no matter what country they are from or their immigration status.

Document Published on 25.04.2019
Belgian unions say no to racism

Belgian unions say no to racism

Trade unions cannot accommodate racist extremism. The constitution of Belgium’s FGTB union is explicit: “There is no place in the FGTB for racist, sexist, xenophobic or fascist ideas or behaviour.”

Page Published on 26.11.2018
The yellow hand calls a halt to discrimination

The yellow hand calls a halt to discrimination

In Germany, trade unions have taken a stand against the growth of the far-right. Although so-called ‘populist’ parties have tried to woo working people, after the riots in Chemnitz in the summer the DGB union highlighted its opposition to extremism through the slogan #wirsindmehr: ‘we are more’, and posting pro-diversity and anti-racist materials on Facebook.

Page Published on 25.11.2018
Creating open and tolerant workplaces

Creating open and tolerant workplaces

The CFDT union in France has published a guide to help trade union activists to deal with religious diversity in workplaces. Le Fait Religieux en Entreprise offers information on the legal framework surrounding religious freedom, at national, European and international levels. This includes the 1905 law establishing France as a secular state – a principle later embodied in the French Constitution.

Page Published on 25.11.2018