Union Rights, Corporate Social Responsibility, Europe
Workers Rights on agenda of EU-Korea Domestic Advisory Group
Attacks on trade unions and the worsening labour rights situation in the Republic of Korea were one of the main items on the agenda of the Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) of the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that met on 5 October.
Study shows need to change takeover law
(October 2016) A new study from the ETUI trade union research insititute argues that the EU Takeover Bids Directive needs to be revised, as it does not provide an adequate level of workers’ rights in its current form.The report includes case studies of takeovers as well as analyses of national legal frameworks regulating takeovers and of transversal issues related to takeovers.
Workers protest at further anti-union action by Patent Office boss
(November 2016) Employees at the European Patent Office (EPO) in The Hague organised a march on 24 November in protest against further anti-union action by the EPO's President Benoit Battistelli. The staff union SUEPO organised a protest against Battistelli early in 2016 after he sacked union representatives and the latest incident involves the dismissal of Laurent Prunier, elected member of the Central Staff Committee and Secretary of SUEPO. The union received the support of the Dutch confederation FNV and the matter will also be discussed in the Dutch parliament.
EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) calls on European Commission to open labour consultations on trade union rights pursuant to the EU-Korea FTA
In a new turn of events, the EU’s Domestic Advisory Groups (DAG) composed of social partners and civil society representatives has recommended that the European Commission initiates a formal consultation process provided for in the EU Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Europe's unions defending social rights – workers and people first when dealing with Brexit
(13 January 2017) The result of the negotiations between the European Union and the UK will impact on people first and foremost. Workers, students, researchers, civil servants, families could be
ETUI monitors labour market reforms
(January 2017) The European Trade Union Institute has launched a new online service that will monitor developments in labour markets, pension reforms and strike activities as well as changes to legislation on industrial action. The Reforms Watch information service includes country files and will be updated through regular news reports. This is also linked to existing information on collective bargaining and industrial relations.
New decent work guidelines for multinationals
(April 2017) The International Labour Organisation has issued new guidelines for multinational enterprises. The revision has added to the longstanding ILO declaration by adding principles addressing specific decent work issues related to social security, forced labour, transition from the informal to the formal economy, wages, access to remedy and compensation of victims. The principles have been agreed with employers, trade unions and governments and set out responsibilities for public authorities.
Prison unions debate impact of austerity and quality employment
(May 2017) Trade unions representing prison workers across Europe met in Brussels on 10 May to discuss a range of issues relating to continuing austerity, collective bargaining and trade union rights. Key issues that emerged during the meeting included the increase in violence against prison staff, problems of understaffing and developing issues around digitalisation and, in some countries, radicalisation of inmates. The meeting was part of a two-year project run by EPSU with the next meeting in December focusing on childcare workers.
ETUI update on labour law developments in Lithuania
(May 2017) The revised labour code has been a major issue of debate in Lithuania for the last three years. The ETUI research organisation has just published a an update on this and other labour market, industral relations and pensions developments in the country. This is part of the ETUI's Reform Watch website covering all EU Member States.
Federation attacks Commission threat to right to strike
(June 2017) The ETF European federation for transport workers has reacted angrily to recommendatoins from the European Commission in its "Open and connected Europe" document on the so-called service continuity, including measures affecting the right to strike of air traffic control staff. The federation believes the measures infringe the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and says it reserves the right to challenge them in the European Court of Justice. The ETF is also highly critical of the mobility package launched by the European Commission last month, arguing against dangerous proposals on
Semester analysis shows pressure for reform of collective bargaining
The European Trade Union Institute has published an updated analysis of the treatment of social issues in the European Semester - the process of economic policy coordination. This reveals, for example, the extent to which the country-specific recommendations address the question of collective bargaining, with the European institutions calling for reforms in many countries, with the accent on decentralisation of bargaining despite the lack of evidence that this produces any economic benefits.
ETUC calls for strengthening of working conditions directive
On 20 December the European Commission published is draft directive on transparent and predictable working conditions to replace the Written Statement Directive. The initial response from the ETUC is to welcome the requirement on employers to provide information to workers on day one and to extend this right to a range of atypical workers. There are also positive measures related to training, prohibition periods, protection of trade union reps and the rights of flexible workers. However, the ETUC wants to see additional measures to tackle the worst forms of precarious employment, particularly
Trade union rep gets reinstated at Patent Office
There has been some improvement in industrial relations at the European Patent Office (EPO). As we reported in 2016 (November epsucob@NEWS 15) there had been considerable conflict in the organisation with several trade union representatives dismissed and who took up cases through the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The chair of the EPO union in Munich, Ion Brumme resumed his job in the middle of August, two and a half years after his dismissal. Both he and another colleague were cleared by an ILO tribunal. Brumme has urged the new EPO president to restore relations with the SUEPO