Strengthening workers' voices across Europe, the ETUC EWC Conference 2024 brought together 130 participants to discuss key challenges and opportunities for European Works Councils. With high-level support from EU leaders, the event underscored the urgency of revising the EWC Directive and advancing democracy at work.

Find her more information on the recent court ruling on co-determination rights in Germany.

Tesla’s attack on collective bargaining is part of a “worrying trend”

Find out about the core aspects & implications of the newly adopted Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

Clarification on EU employers' organization BusinessEurope misinterpretation of EWCs realities.

EMPL Committee reinforces EWC members' rights, ongoing discussions for trialogue mandate & Belgian Presidency's draft compromise.

Democracy at Work matters. For a European Works Council Directive that delivers for workers!

ETUC Documentary on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD)

Isabelle Schömann, ETUC Deputy General Secretary, urges adoption of the CSDD directive and calls for mobilisation!

Isabelle Schömann Deputy General Secretary at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), recently participated in a compelling TV panel discussion on the show "Brussels, my love."

The French colleagues (CFDT) are inviting to a seminar on ESG reporting.

When it comes to Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD), each minister has a choice to make. They can either live up to their responsibilities and maintain the trust of citizens or lose their confidence by bowing to the pressure of corporate lobbyists.

Recommendations for the transposition of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes the Council Conclusions on "More democracy at work and green collective bargaining for decent work and sustainable and inclusive growth."

Isabelle Schömann, ETUC Deputy General Secretary, recently appeared on the Euronews talkshow "Brussels, My Love." The discussion delved into crucial topics like Due Diligence, the Dutch general elections, and the "Justice is Everybody's Business" campaign.

Spanish Court rules that the International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, broke the law when failing to inform and consult the IAG European Works Council over its proposal to dismiss 12,000 employees. 

In a recent vote, the European Parliament rejected attempts to weaken the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), reaffirming its commitment to robust sustainability standards.

On 5-6 October 2023, the ETUC hosted a successful European Works Council (EWC) Conference in Madrid, bringing together more than 90 EWC members and addressing the urgent need for a revision of the EWC Directive. High-level speakers, including EU Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, highlighted the importance of transnational worker representation. 

Approximately 30 striking truck drivers at the A5 highway service area in Gräfenhausen, Germany have made the decision to end their hunger strike, marking a significant development in their fight for unpaid wages. This decision was influenced by two crucial factors.

EWCs on the way to real co-determination?

The Haut Conseil du Commissariat aux Comptes (H3C) has published the conclusions of the working group on limited assurance in the area of sustainability

Wilke Maak & Syndex have put together a series of obstacles for EWCs and how some of them can be overcome by good coordination between the different levels of workers' representation.

A hands on overview for practitioners done by Romuald Jagodziński & Sjef Stoop.

The ETUC's Confederal Secretary speaks on the podcast of Frank Bold (Frankly Speaking) on corporate transparency and due diligence in Europe.

The Asser Institute organises a spring academy on 3-6 April looking into due diligence in practice.

On 2 February 2023, the European Parliament adopted the legislative initiative report by MEP Dennis Radtke (EPP) on the Revision of the European Works Council Directive.

La plénière adopte à la majorité la proposition de révision de la directive sur les comités d'entreprise européens.

ETUFs welcome the adoption of the EP report & now call on the EU Commission to act.

Democracy at Work matters - now more than ever. The new brochure is available online and in print.

On 12 October, the S&D group organised a workshop on Due Diligence inside the European Parliament. ETUC Confederal Secretary Isabelle Schömann joined the debate.

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation & “Arbeit und Umwelt (IG BCE Foundation)” are  organising a Hybrid International Conference on Due Diligence with the title: The Changing World – Due Diligence laws as the opportunity?

After 2 years online, this year’s ETUC EWC Conference was held in person again. The first day took place inside the European Parliament – during the 2^nd day, EWC members could participate to different workshops.

Isabelle Schömann & Gaby Bischoff met EU Commissioner Schmit to hand over the workers’ call on a framework directive on information, consultation and participation. It’s time now for the EU Commission and to draft proposal.

On Tuesday 21 June, a provisional agreement was reached in trilogue on an amended version of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). A number of ETUC key demands have been taken up in the agreement between the European Parliament and Council.  

EFBWW (European Federation of Building and Wood Workers) has launched a campaign to limit subcontracting and impose a full ban on temporary employment agencies (TEA) and other intermediaries in the context of posting.

the new ILO resolution adds an additional fifth principle of a “safe and healthy working environment” to the ILO’s existing four fundamental principles and rights at work.

While the German government is currently drafting the transposition law on cross-border transformation of corporate legal forms, DGB president warns against a weakening of German corporate co-determination.

On 11 May – after almost 4 years of negotiations - Amazon signed a European Works Council agreement. The EWC is governed by Irish law, comprises 30 members, about 238 000 employees and also covers the United Kingdom.

A toolkit for workers, their representatives and trade unionists is now available after the end of Syndex’s project “Company “Due Diligence” and non-financial information: threats or new leverages for workers' representatives?”, in which the ETUC joined together with European Industry Federations as project partners.

On 28 April, the Advocate General of the EU Court of Justice issued an opinion on the SAP case and on the question whether the German national law was in line with article 4 of the SE Directive. In particular the question was whether the independent ballots for trade union representatives on the board level have to be maintained.

Last Friday, the ETUC, Workers' General Union (Unión General de Trabajadores, UGT) and Workers' Commissions (Comisiones Obreras, CCOO) jointly hosted a hybrid event in Madrid on the issue of board-level representation. Yesterday, the Spanish Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz announced to shortly to convene employers and trade unions to "discuss" and "address" the legal development of the possible participation of workers' representatives on company boards of directors and decision-making bodies.

Terna (Italy’s power Transmission System Operator) signed a protocol agreement including the establishment of a ‘consultation committee on the group’s strategic lines’ and two new joint bodies, one on welfare and the other on diversity and inclusion.

After previous failed attempts, a special negociation body at ATOS SE now achieved to conclude an agreement on Information, Consultation and Participation at European level.

9 years after the Rana Plaza disaster, workers in Europe and in the world cannot wait any longer: the ETUC calls for zero tolerance for doing business in breach of human rights 

Why? Because labour is not a commodity: workers’ life and security should not be negotiated nor put at risk by business models! 

The German software company SAP converted to a SE in 2014. With this transition, the company also challenged the independent trade union seats in the supervisory board. The issue is now on the agenda of the CJEU and a first hearing took place last week.

On 31 March, Dennis Radtke (EPP) organised a hearing in preparation for his report on revising the European Works Council Directive. Trade unionists, EWC members and legal experts highlighted the shortcoming of the Directive.

Trade Unions & of 82 civil society organizations sent a letter to President von der Leyen, Vice-President Jourova and Commissioners Breton, Dalli, and Reynders, as well as to MEPS and Permanent Representations, asking for a gender-responsive approach in the Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive

The ETUC adopted its initial analysis of the Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and updated roadmap for upcoming ETUC actions at the Executive Committee meeting on 17 March 2022.

ETUC Ad Hoc Working Group on EU legislation on mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence and Sustainable Corporate Governance is postponed to 23 March 2022 (instead of 18 March).

After 10 years of blockage, the Council of the EU unblocks the directive on “improving the gender balance among directors of companies listed on stock exchanges”.

Find out more details about upcoming events discussing the recent draft proposal of the European Commission on Human Rights Due Diligence.

Last Wednesday, the European Commission presented its Communication on Decent Work Worldwide including the planning of an instrument to ban forced labour products.

Yesterday, the European Ministers for Competitiveness reached a political agreement in principle (‘general approach’) on the directive governing the publication by companies of sustainability information (CSRD). 

The European Commission today finally proposed draft legislation on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence. Despite some interesting features,  it falls far short of what is needed to protect human rights and the environment.

Last Wednesday the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) almost unanimously expressed their support for the directive on corporate sustainability reporting. Next Thursday, Member States reach a political agreement (‘general approach’) in the Competitiveness Council.

The management of the J.P.Morgan bank signed an agreement on the involvement of employees in J.P. Morgan SE applying to 2,752 employees.

The French presidency could present a proposal for approval on CSRD at today's Committee of Permanent Representatives.

The Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions (CCOO) as well as the General Workers' Union (UGT) are campaigning together for the approval of the Spanish labour reform. Find out about the most important points related to Democracy at Work in the new reform.

The new “traffic-light” coalition under chancellor Olaf Scholz has also included some provisions on Democracy at Work in its Coalition Agreement. Read more about the assessment of our German colleagues of the DGB.

Monitoring and preventing human rights abuses and environmental damage throughout the corporate supply chain is the ambitious goal of the European Commission's Sustainable Corporate Governance initiative. But the announcement of this text, which is being fiercely debated behind the scenes, is constantly being postponed.

Versailles Appeal Court revoked a decision of the Pontoise court which gave the right to Atos SE to dissolve their EWC. Management and workers' representatives have now until March 2022 to find a new agreement.

After the European Commission delayed again the proposal on Sustainable Corporate Governance to 15 February, MEPs demand the publication of all exchanges between the Commission & the Regulatory Scrutiny board.

Find here the reactions to the adoption of the Report on Social Media and others.

Between 2019-2021, the ETUC was running a project on securing workers’ rights in subcontracting chains through a more consistent EU approach towards subcontracting. Find here all the project results and policy recommendations

Deputies and senators agreed on Tuesday 7 December on the legislative proposal "to accelerate economic and professional equality".

A research on the implementation of the social clauses in public procurement in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and at European level.

Last week the ETUI & ETUC organized a webinar on the proposed Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD): what does it mean for workers and worker participation and how could it be improved?

The discounts can be tempting, but there are hidden costs for people and the planet behind every 'too good to be true' price tag. An oped from Claudia Saller & Isabelle Schömann.

Uni Europa, ITUC and local Belgian Trade Unions organise a demonstration on Friday 26 November at Place de Luxembourg. Join the demonstration to make Amazon pay!

MEP Gaby Bischoff's own-initiative report on "Democracy at Work” – adopted by an overwhelming majority in the by the Parliament’s Employment Committee today – calls for modernisation of EU legislation on workers involvement in decisions at work.

Several sources report that the European Commission has further delayed the publication of the promised proposal on Human Rights Due Diligence. The ETUC counts the days.

The Dutch Social and Economic Council(SER) adopted an opinion on HRDD at the European level. The opinion goes far beyond what the German and French governments have already introduced.

The Dutch Senate recently adopted a new law to promote greater diversity on companies’ management boards. It contains 2 measures.

The Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER) has published its advice on the Dutch government's efforts towards the European Commission’s expected legislative proposal for due diligence legislation.

J. Cremers & M. Houwerzijl identified existing legal provisions on subcontracting as well as loopholes and inconsistencies in the legal framework. The project has also elaborated policy recommendations.

Learn more about subcontracting practices in the food and agriculture, the garment industry, and construction sector.

Reports, case studies, leaflets - Find the project outcomes on securing workers' rights in subcontracting chains.

Whereas in 2015 all 30 supervisory boards of DAX companies had employee representatives, in September a quarter of the future 40 DAX supervisory boards could be without employee representatives.

The German Bundesrat approved the bill on female representation in management roles. It requires firms with over 2,000 employees to have at least one woman and at least one man on their management boards if the body has more than three members.

Alexander Hagelüken, editor-in-chief of the economy dossier of the German Süddeutsche Zeitung, lays out the evolution of Democracy at work and what we can expect in the future.

Representatives from the European Commission, business, science and civil society discussed whether a European supply chain law would be more of an opportunity or ballast for Europe as a business location.

The Hans-Böckler Foundation and the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) have launched a new website on Democracy at Work. 

In an article for the Hans Böckler Foundation, Commissioner Schmit stated that we will not be able to master the restructuring of our economy without strengthening the right of workers to have a say.

The Catholic University of Louvain is organising A Conference on Information and Democracy at Work.

The year of Democracy at Work has now officially started. Please find below the actions until the end of June. We will keep you posted on this website with further updates and details.

Euractiv reporter Sarah Lawton has interviewed ETUC Confederal Secretary Isabelle Schömann and MEP Gaby Bischoff on democracy at work, the EU’s agenda, particularly at the upcoming Porto Social Summit.

Last Wednesday, the European Commission published a proposal for a directive which would define new requirements on large European companies to report on environmental, social and governance matters.

The latest IR notes feature important news on Adecco's EWC case at the British CAC Court and the EP's resolution on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability.

Article in “Le Monde”: Three authors plead for a stronger presence of employees on boards of directors, in order to counter the short-termism of shareholders.

Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) decides that EWCs must be informed & consulted in the event of national collective redundancies when at least two countries are concerned.

EUROCADRES organises a webinar about why the transposition of this EU Directive matters to you! Whistleblowing to protect journalists’ sources, workers’ rights, vulnerable communities during COVID-19 and the environment.

At least 2,400 representatives of UK workers in EWCs and SEs are uncertain about their future. The impacts of Brexit on EWC need to be addressed now to anticipate and manage changes in a socially responsible manner.

Social Europe & the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung project are running a project on the transformation of work, whose final dossier is now available for free download.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on a strong social Europe for just transitions and took up the ETUC’s call on a new EU framework on information, consultation and board-level representation.

Large participation, great coverage and to the point contributions: The ETUC/ETUF week of mobilisation for more democracy at work.

The ETUC and the European Trade Union Federations will run a week of mobilisation for More Democracy at Work from Monday 23 November to Friday 27 November.

On 6 October ETUC Confederal Isabelle Schömann spoke about Global Supply Chains at an event organised by the German Presidency.

We need urgent actions while COVID-19 related massive restructurings are already taking place. The fundamental right of Democracy at work has to be enforced now more than ever. Sign the petition.

During yesterday’s Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), EU ministers for employment and social affairs discussed worker participation and support for workers in restructuring.

Have you missed this year's EWC conference? Watch the recording of this year's EWC conference online.

The European Trade Union Federations (ETUFs) and the ETUC have initiated a joint strategy for More Democracy at Work. Workers’ interests must be heard at all times.

The ETUC & European Trade Union Federations have sent their second letter to Commissioner Schmit. Find here our position on worker involvement in managing the Covid-19 crisis.