Trade, Procurement
Public procurement, digitalization, young workers, equality on the agenda of EPSU committee on Local Government
A first reflection on the themes and priorities for EPSU’s upcoming Congress in May 2019 was one of the items on the agenda of the local and regional government committee meeting on 19 September in Brussels.
European Commission publishes new public procurement package – but not much new on the social!
On 3 October the EC published a new procurement package. This contains a number of different elements, including a Communication, a targeted consultation on the woolly concept of ‘innovative’ procurement
Unions, civil society and ten thousands to G20: we need fair trade, social and climate justice and more democracy
The leaders of the G20 will meet for their annual meeting, 7-8 July in Hamburg. Trade unions and civil society will be present to underline their demands for Another World.
Japanese and European public service unions condemn secrecy in trade negotiations and the lack of a progressive agenda addressing people’s concerns
Today Public services unions from Europe and Japan have sent an open letter to Cecilia Malstrom and Fumio Kishida demanding greater transparency in the negotiations to reach a trade agreement between Japan and the EU (JEFTA).
Workers and residents affected as more care companies collapse
(May 2017) Around 200 workers and the 1100 people they provide care for are the latest victims of private care company bankruptices. The collapse of Hjemmehjælpen Aarhus, the largest private care company in Aarhus, Denmark's second city, is the third private care company bankruptcy in May and the 41st since 2013 when a new tendering system was introduced. The FOA public service union is calling for a change to the system with requirements to monitor professional and management skills, company finances and to protect working conditions.
Union turns spotlight on cleaners
(April 2017) Beginning this month the municipal services union Kommunal will be investigating the employment and working conditions of cleaners, looking at their employment status, working hours as well as health and safety problems. The union will carry out a survey as well as making workplace visits to talk to workers and assess how they are affected by what are often seen as the main problems facing the sector - the impact of privatisation, lack of control over work - but also good examples where workers do have more control over working time and other working conditions.