Brussels, 08/05/2009
The European trade union movement has scored several successes with the outgoing Parliament, notably on key issues such as the Bolkestein Directive, the regulation for the registration of hazardous chemicals (REACH), the climate change package, as well as the rejection of the Port Package and of a weakening of the Working Time Directive. The European Parliament has scored some goals against the neo-liberal trend, but not enough.
The next Parliament can do better: we need a more equitable and social Europe. The European trade union movement therefore demands:
-# action to strengthen workers’ and union rights by adopting a Social Progress Protocol and a revision of the Posted Workers Directive to correct the recent ECJ judgements (Laval, Viking, Rüffert, Luxemburg). This is crucial to restore our fundamental rights on free movement of labour and services. Any candidate who refuses this does not deserve any trade union support;
-# a New Social Deal in the economic crisis, with full trade union and workers’ involvement, aimed at full employment, quality jobs, better pay and pensions, stronger welfare states and benefits, sustainable development and a strong regulation of financial markets;
-# a stronger European social and a coordinated fiscal approach;
-# a fair deal on working time protecting workers against long working hours, and ensuring the right for all workers to be able to reconcile work and family life;
-# stronger protections against the growth of precarious work and for workers in precarious jobs, providing them with better coverage by labour law and social security, and a transition to quality jobs;
-# a new European industrial strategy based on innovation, research and development, investment, education and training, and a sustainable environment, also to ensure rapid and fair transition towards a low carbon economy;
-# a new initiative on gender equality to combat persistent discrimination, especially the pay gap, and to ensure that women will benefit from actions to counter the economic crisis;
-# stronger protections and equal treatment for migrant and mobile workers and strong commitments against racism, nationalism and xenophobia;
-# respect for public services and better statutory protection, quality investment and jobs.
See also the ETUC dossier on the European elections, as well as its Manifesto.
