UPDATED joint ETUFs recommendations to EWC/SE members during COVID-19

UPDATE Oct 2020- ETUFs recommendations to EWC SE during Covid-19

(26 October 2020) In March 2020, the European Trade Union Federations [ETUFs] published joint guidelines for EWC, SNB and SE Works Council members and coordinators on how these bodies should operate during and deal with the COVID-19 crisis.

The 7 practical recommendations can be found on EPSU website  (March 2020) in several languages. 

Hoping the health crisis would not last more than a few months, we recommended postponing EWC / SE-WC meetings as well as meetings to (re-)negotiate an agreement until the crisis is over and face-to-face meetings permitted again.

Unfortunately, the health crisis will continue for a much longer period and it is more important than ever to claim our rights to be informed, consulted and to take part in company decisions which may impact jobs and workers’ income.

The ETUFs have therefore decided to revise their recommendation #1. Although digital tools like videoconferencing must not replace the right to face-to-face meetings and do not allow for the same quality of dialogue and networking, we understand that online or hybrid (partly online, partly physical) meetings with simultaneous interpretation may serve as a very temporary solution.

Against this background, the ETUFs are publishing an updated recommendation on the principles and arrangements which should govern the temporary use of videoconferencing for transnational (SNB, EWC, SE-WC, training) meetings, available in several languages too: EN - DE - FR ES - SVNL - IT - CZ

See also COVID-19 Joint European Trade Union Federations’ Recommendations to European Works Coincils/Societas Europaea Coordinators and worker representatives (March 2020)

and Joint European Trade Union Federations’ Recommendations to help anticipate and manage the impact of COVID-19 (April 2020)