Trade unions are calling for the European Parliament to investigate Uber’s anti-worker lobbying of the EU following the Uber Files leak, which comes amid the company’s efforts to weaken a directive on platform working conditions.
The documents reveal that Uber have held 12 meetings with the European Commission which were not previously disclosed and that a former European Commission vice-president with responsibility for digital policy, Neelie Kroes, secretly lobbied on Uber’s behalf.
The European Parliament will call on the Commission to propose legislative action for the prevention of psychosocial risks this week, for the second time in just four months.
In the midst of Europe’s mental health crisis, with 60% of all working days lost to psychosocial risks, the report, Mental Health in the Digital World of Work is set to be unanimously adopted by MEPs.
Major European companies have today been named and shamed for violating human rights in other parts of the world, highlighting the need for stronger EU action on corporate responsibility.
Nestle, AB InBev and H&M are among companies headquartered in Europe whose behaviour around the world has been placed under the spotlight in the newly published ITUC Global Rights Index 2022.
“Companies are not being held to account and have, in too many cases, lost a moral compass,” according to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) which compiled the report.
European trade unions and employers will tomorrow sign a work programme, including to negotiate a legally binding agreement on ‘Telework and right to disconnect’.
ETUC, BusinessEurope, SGI Europe and SMEunited will sign the Work Programme in the presence of European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis in a ceremony at 15.30-45 on Tuesday 28 June at 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels.
The Work Programme 2022-24 consists of 6 joint actions:
Commenting on the conclusions of the European Council, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said:
“The Council has failed to grasp the urgency of the situation facing working people across Europe, with conclusions that don’t meet the social and economic consequences of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The European Commission today published a disappointing response to the proposals of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
While the Commission displays openness to consider treaty changes and to play fully its role in the process to convene a Convention to change the Treaties, the response fails to focus on the necessary actions to ensure social progress and improvement in living and working conditions for the future of Europe – as requested by the Conference.
Millions of workers across Europe could receive fairer wages after EU governments supported a strong directive on minimum wages and collective bargaining.
Dear readers,
Welcome to the latest edition of National UPdates. In this issue we highlight the way national trade unions are working in numerous areas to improve the lives and conditions of workers and their families. They range from defending the rights of LGBT+ people, protecting mental health and combatting the gender pay gap, to measures to improve pay, save jobs and expand flexibility for workers in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
European governments have today voted to make workplace safety a fundamental right worldwide despite a dozen not having ratified the international convention on health and safety at work – almost 40 years after it was launched.
The European Trade Union Confederation condemns the "authoritarian" dismissal of judges in Tunisia and sends its full support for a week-long strike in defence of fundamental rights in the country.
In a new threat to freedoms and rights, the Tunisian president has issued a decree to dismiss 57 judges outside the framework regulating the work of the judiciary system. In response, the Tunisian judges bar have announced a public strike until June 16. The President has instructed the Minister of Justice to consider the strike days unpaid.
Europe is a step closer to delivering fairer pay after a provisional agreement on the Adequate Minimum Wages directive between negotiators from the European Parliament, Council and Commission.
But there are still further hurdles for the directive to clear before working people can celebrate, most notably the EPSCO meeting of national employment ministers next Friday and the European Parliament’s plenary.
Trade unions are calling on MEPs – voting on June 6 - to help working people get through the energy crisis by backing changes to the Emissions Trading System.
Commenting on the oil sanctions agreed as part of the EU's sixth sanctions package on Russia, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said:
“Oil is one of the main resources for financing the Russian war machine and its inclusion in sanctions is long overdue. Although the exception for oil delivered by pipeline, even if temporary, is regrettable given the grave situation in Ukraine.
Dear Members of the European Parliament,
Thank you all for being with us. It's great to see you in person and to organize this exchange at an important moment in the Directive's agenda to improve the working conditions of platform workers.
The number of workers in Europe being injured by machines has risen over the last decade, an ETUC analysis has found amid negotiations over the need for more safety checks.
More than 80,000 workers were injured, some fatally, operating machinery in 2019 – up from 75,000 when Eurostat records began in 2014.
Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands saw the most significant increases in accidents with machinery which left victims unable to work for at least four days.
Dear participants,
Let me start by saying how happy I am to be in this Stakeholder event today. The work within the transatlantic dialogue has been really dynamic since Pittsburgh. And I am convinced that a strong involvement of stakeholders will make the TTC a continuing success with tangible results.
The European Trade Union Confederation has been working hand in hand with the AFL-CIO. And we have also put forward a joint statement (which is available on our websites) highlighting our priorities for the work ahead. Cathy Feingold will also speak later today.
Platform companies are trying to trick workers out of choosing an employment contract by offering poorer quality private insurance.
The European Commission's platform work directive has laid the ground for workers currently being falsely self-employed to be reclassified as employees, delivering on their right to sick pay, paid holiday or parental leave.
The conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe will be delivered to the Presidents of the EU institutions on Monday.
The European Parliament, the Commission and the Council must ensure that these Conclusions are respected and become reality.
This means changes to policies, to work programmes, to the budget, as well as legislative initiatives, but it means also changes to the Treaties.
The EU Treaties should ensure people are always put before profit, the Conference on the Future of Europe has recommended.
Message from our General Secretary Luca Visentini for #MayDay
"ETUC is fighting for a fairer Europe for workers – a more social Europe - for collective bargaining for all and adequate minimum wages, for equal pay, for decent work, for equality between men and women. We are fighting for sustainable and inclusive growth, and a socially just transition to a climate-friendly economy. We are fighting to stop any return to austerity. Solidarity on May 1st"
