News

The European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) and the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) issued a Joint statement on third country national workers and companies in the EU construction market.

The Joint Statement welcomes the ambition to develop a more efficient and effective EU migration policy for workers and to develop a comprehensive EU strategy to ensure a level playing field and fair competition between all construction companies on the EU Internal Market (09/06/2021).

The Employers’ Group of Professional Agricultural Organisations (GEOPA-COPA) and the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT) have adopted two joint opinions:

• Opinion of the European Social Partners in Agriculture on the European Labour Authority Campaign on Seasonal Work (15/06/2021).
• Opinion of the European Social Partners in Agriculture on the "Report on Strengthening Social Dialogue in the EU" of February 2021 (16/04/2021).

The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the Association of national organisations of fishing enterprises in the EU (Europêche) have adopted four joint texts:

• Joint Resolution on impact of offshore wind farms on fisheries (29/06/2021).
• New medical guidelines for fishers: new Guidelines on the medical examinations of fishers, paving the way for the harmonisation of standards for health and fitness checks across Europe and worldwide (20/05/2021).
• Guidelines on the medical examinations of fishers (20/05/2021).
• Fishers call for priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine (29/04/2021).

The Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP) and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) have issued a Joint Statement calling the EU and Member States to put public transport at the heart of the upcoming climate talks at COP26.

The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), reached the Women in Rail – EU Social Partner Agreement.

⯈ The European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX), Confederation of National Associations of Tanners & Dressers of the European Community (COTANCE), the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC) and IndustriAll European Trade Union adopted a Joint declaration on the future industrial strategy of the EU Textiles Ecosystem (TCLF sectors) (28/05/2021).

At the initiative of the European social partners Confederation of European Business (BUSINESSEUROPE), European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Services of General Interest (SGI) Europe and SMEunited, a tripartite opinion of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training has been adopted on individual learning accounts (ILAs) and training provision in Europe (16/08/202).

The final conference of the European social partners’ project on skills, innovation and training discussed the research outcomes as well as the recommendations that the social partners derived from the project in relation to the three main themes that were explored:

The European social partners organised a conference on circular economy. They presented and discussed the outcomes of their project on the impact of the transition to the circular economy on employment, skills and working conditions, as well as the recommendations deriving from it.

The European Confederation of Security Services (CoESS), UNI Europa and the European Security Transport Association (ESTA) called on the European Commission to enforce universal acceptance of cash in the second EU Cash Roundtable to enforce legal tender status of cash, protecting jobs and citizens’ rights (14/06/2021).

PostEurop and UNI-Europa are carrying out a project, “The world of work in the postal sector in 2030”, which aims at conceiving profiles of evolving jobs, imagining new jobs and considering those which may disappear in the postal sector of the future.

The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) and European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), set out on an EU-wide project MapMar to bridge the gaps and inconsistencies in the way data on employment of maritime professionals is collected.

Nine social partners in public services and telecoms have started reviewing the implementation of the Multi-sectoral guidelines to tackle third-party violence and harassment at work (TPVH).

Last news from OSHA concerns the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis on working conditions as well as how to regulate telework safety/health and preventing musculoskeletal disorders in sedentary work.

Last actions from European concerns the impact of Covid-19 crisis on social dialogue, an annual review of the minimal wages as well as a study of companies' practices concerning the the “right to disconnect”.

General advocate opinion was issued on 20 January 2021 in the case C 928/19 P on the appeal brought by EPSU against the judgment of the General Court of the European Union of 24 October 2019 in case T-310/18.

UNI-Europa reported as well on the RETAIN project.

UNI-Europa reported on the 10th Year Anniversary of ILO Domestic Workers Convention.

UITP also reaffirmed that the Urban passenger transport systems will be crucial to move towards a zero-carbon future.

UITP also launched a new campaign called “Mobility for (Y)EU – Benefits for all" showcasing the benefits of public transport for cities and regions.