Equality, Corporate Social Responsibility
EPSU joins 140 organisations condemning blockage of Corporate Due Diligence Directive
The agreement reached between the European Parliament and Council on the Corporate Social Due Diligence Directive has been blocked by an alliance of governments led by France under Macron and with tacit support of Germany and Italy.
Trade unions condemn criminalisation of LGBTIQ+ people and activists in Russia
The EPSU General Secretary and EPSU Vice-President Thomas Kattnig joined Europe’s trade union leaders in condemning the acts and attacks of the Russian government against people and activists of the LGBT+ community.
Successful pan-European Conference of Local and Regional Government
The EPSU LRG European Conference brought together over 40 delegates and speakers from across Europe to discuss remunicipalisation of public services, focusing on the climate crisis, gender equality and democratic ownership.
Unions and other organisations mobilised for women’s strike
On 24 October, the BSRB public sector federation was one of more than a dozen organisations supporting a day of action calling for urgent action to address gender inequality, the gender pay gap and to tackle gender-based and sexual violence. Actions ranged from strikes and demonstrations to the withdrawal of all forms of labour, paid and unpaid. Since the first women’s day of action in 1975, unions and other organisations in the country have organised major strikes and protests and there has been some reduction in gender inequality. However, there is still a long way to go with the gender pay
Tripartite negotiations pre-empt normal public sector bargaining
A number of public service trade unions are involved in negotiations with employers and the government to address pay inequality and staff shortages. In September the government set out proposals to provide DKK 3 billion (€400 million) to cover higher pay for social workers, nurses and workers in early years education and care. The government wants part of the deal to provide additional hours for part-time workers. Prison staff are also set to benefit and there is additional funding for them. These negotiations come shortly before and are separate from the normal three-yearly bargaining on the