Project: Trade union rights and implementation of the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive in public services

The ink is hardly dry on the EU – UK trade and cooperation agreement (TCA) that was agreed end December and already the UK Government is indicating that hard-won workers rights are going to be diluted.

Aqua Publica Europea (APE) and EPSU met to discuss our ongoing cooperation. It was the first meeting with Bernard Van Nuffel since he was elected President of APE. He is also the President of the Brussels water operator, Vivaqua.

The EPSU Youth Network held its first webinar of the new year, focusing on teleworking and work in the homeoffice.

EPSU report on the gender pay gap in public services across Europe pointed to positive change between 2010-16 with the gender pay gap falling in education, health and social work and public administration (central and local government) and generally narrower than in the business sector.

Thirty-six representatives of EPSU affiliates from 17 countries took part in an online working group on 12 January to discuss the European Commission’s draft directive on adequate minimum wages. This was the third working group meeting following the launch of the Commission’s initiative in January 2020.

Last month EPSU organised a series of online meetings on recruitment and organising with 10 of its affiliates from Romania and Moldova.

Last week, the European Social Partners in the gas sector held a joint webinar, hosted by MEPs Agnes Jongerius (S&D) and Dennis Radtke (EPP), on the transition to climate neutrality and the need to ensure that is just for the workers in the gas sector.

This year, we mark International Migrants’ Day by amplifying the call for a rights-based approach to migration, contained in 3 phrases: solidarity, human rights and root causes.