Environment/Climate Change, Social Dialogue
Responding to the challenge of climate change
Climate change, the largest single threat to current and future generations, is posing fundamental challenges for public services and public service workers. In recent years, we have seen extreme weather events, flooding and forest fires for example, leading to loss of life and widespread damage and destruction of buildings and infrastructure. Our members across many services have been part of the immediate and longer term response – in emergency and rescue services, energy and water, local and regional government. EPSU has been working hard to influence policies at global and European level aimed at decarbonising our economies and calling for a shift away from growth at all costs. It is essential that we achieve a more sustainable society is achieved through a just transition whereby no one is left behind.
This briefing, produced for EPSU's 2019 Congress, sets out the federation's recent activity on climate change and current priorities. EPSU has published research focusing on some of the key issues and policy developments including its position on the EU's Green Deal, the failure of energy liberalisation to address climate change and an analysis of action on climate change adaptation.
LRG Social Dialogues adopt joint position on protecting workers from asbestos and the future of local emergency services
On 16 November, EPSU and CEMR sealed a number of important agreements setting the priorities for the next years and committing to political principles for the workers in emergency services and their protection from asbestos.
New Commission Communication “The power of trade partnerships: together for green and just economic growth
In June 2022 the European Commission published a Communication “The power of trade partnerships: together for green and just economic growth” that strengthens the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) provisions of EU trade agreements.
Call for Tenders: Research on evolving jobs, skills, and training needs in the social services sector
The Social Employers and EPSU are looking for a researcher/research team to produce a study on the evolving jobs, skills and training needs in the social services sector and the role of social partners in managing such changes.
EU Social Partners signed new agreement on digitalisation for central government
On Thursday, 6 October the EU social partners for central governments, TUNED for the trade union side and EUPAE for the employers, signed a new agreement on digitalisation with the participation of the European Commission.
New European Care Strategy
The population of the European Union is ageing: the number of people aged 80 and over is expected to increase by 88 per cent over the next 30 years. Principle 18 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the right to long-term care (LTC), will be ever more important.
Union set to mobilise over forest firefighters’ rights and conditions
The FSC-CCOO and FeSP-UGT public service federations representing forest firefighters say they will launch a campaign of strikes and protests unless the government and the autonomous regions deliver legislation that really protects the rights and conditions of this essential group of workers. The unions warn that action is needed urgently in the light of the surge in serious and large forest fires this summer. They argue that the legislation put forward on 25 August does not fully address the demands of the unions for homogenous working conditions covering training, salary structure
New social partner project: skills and training in care sector
The Social Employers and EPSU with the affiliate partner Nexem are pleased to annouce the launch of the FORTE Project. The project outcomes will feed into joint discussions and outputs in the framework of sectoral social dialogue in social services.
Climate change and austerity take their toll
Forest fires and heat waves are hitting Europe hard – yet again. With record high temperatures and no rain, life and work for many people in Europe is reaching a point of no return, putting the health and - in certain cases - life of many at risk.