Trade unions are taking part in the COP24 conference in Katowice that runs from 3-14 December. COP24 is the informal name for the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). We will discuss with governments and many others the transition and
It was good news that the Turkish trade unionists, including leaders of EPSU and PSI affiliates SES and TÜM BEL-SEN, who were arrested on Monday were released two days later on Wednesday 28 November. They faced up to the aggression of the Turkish state who raided houses in an attempt to intimidate
It is now one year since the EU Pillar of Social Rights was declared in Gothenburg. We take stock in this newsletter. Progress to realise the Pillar has been slow. The European People’s Party (EPP), the centre-right grouping in the European Parliament, is trying to delay adoption of the few
Readers will recall that back in March we pointed out anomalies in the nomination of Martin Selmayr as Secretary-General of the European Commission. We made the connection with his more than likely involvement in the non-transparent manner in which the Commission acted on our social partner
EU Member States and the European Parliament are currently working on their positions regarding the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive proposed by the European Commission in December last year. The proposals should improve the employment situation for workers with a precarious
On 8 May, the EPSU Executive Committee agreed to launch a legal challenge to the European Commission’s decision to reject the social partner agreement on information and consultation rights for workers in central government administrations (A press conference will be held on 15 May). This agreement
Previous EPSU newsletters have shown that public service workers are taking the lead for better pay. Actions are continuing with many unions currently involved in pay disputes in:Romania: health and social service workers are demanding a pay rise and the right to negotiate collective agreements
The results of the Hungarian parliamentary elections brought back its authoritarian prime minister Orban with close to 50% of the votes and a large majority in Parliament Sunday 8th April. The main opposition is the extreme right wing party Jobbik. The observers of the Organisation for Security and
Public service workers know that the EU coordinated austerity policies lead to restructuring of public administrations, agencies and services. Information and consultation rights are essential to address and understand the reasons, consequences and implications for such acts. However, European
Several EPSU affiliates are planning symbolic strike actions on International Women’s Day and many will be organizing events and rallies. Others will focus on politicians and social media campaigns. We will all be active on this symbolic day and by using our common symbols, logos and slogans we can
We have had enough of the continuing discrimination against women on the labour market, of the gender pay and pensions gaps and violence at home and at the workplace. That was the message from the trade union activists – women and men, young and old – at our conference in Prague last week. They
On 30th January the EPSU President and General Secretary, as representatives of the Right to Water campaign, met European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella to hear about proposals to improve access to drinking water for vulnerable people in Europe
The new year started with the news that the UK based company Carillion, a major provider of public services had collapsed. Thousands of workers face the loss of their jobs and the government had to step in to keep public services running. A sad example but one that underlines our demands that public services should be kept public.
On 14 December, Economic and Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici attended the ETUC Executive Committee to discuss the Commission’s package to deepen the Economic and Monetary Union. Union leaders recalled their rejection of the Fiscal Compact, one of the key elements of the package, that