Health and Social Services, Social Dialogue
EPSU is a strong voice for the about 10.5 million social service workers in the EU and in other European countries. Our aims are to protect and improve social services across Europe as well as the employment conditions of workers in the sector. EPSU is actively involved in initiatives exploring the scope and format for social dialogue in social services at EU-level.
There are millions of social service workers across Europe who provide vital care for children, the elderly, the disabled and others with urgent needs – whether at home or in institutions. Their work and contribution to society is undervalued and more often than not poorly rewarded. Women make up the majority of the social services workforce and in many countries migrant workers also make an invaluable contribution to the sector. Gender equality runs through all of EPSU’s work and is central to its activities in social services as is action to defend migrant workers’ rights.
EPSU is making a clear case for more resources for the sector and for better pay and conditions for social service workers, for more and better collective agreements, for proper training and professional development. Supporting quality, affordable and accessible social services is an essential investment that brings both economic and social benefits.
EPSU’s thematic priorities in social services are long-term care for the elderly, including personal care and household services, childcare as well as organising in the sector on which you find more information by clicking on the links below:

Joint Statement on the 10th anniversary of the Multi-sectoral guidelines to tackle third-party violence and harassment related to work
A decade ago, the European Sectoral Social Partners, EPSU, UNI EUROPA, ETUCE, HOSPEEM, CEMR, EFEE, EuroCommerce, CoESS identified third-party violence and harassment at the workplace as one of the key health and safety challenges to face within the European Economic Area

HOSPEEM-EPSU Third Regional Workshop in Central Europe, 11 September 2020, Zagreb, Croatia - POSTPONED - Spring 2021
HOSPEEM and EPSU Third Regional Workshop - capacity building of national social partners in the hospital/health care sector in Croatia, Czechia, Slovakia and Slovenia - POSTPONED - Spring 2021

Another step towards a European social dialogue in social services
The trade unions and employers in social services took another step towards setting up a European social dialogue in the sector. EPSU met with the Federation of Social Employers in the final conference of the PESSIS+ project on 27 June 2019 in Brussels.