Social Europe is not only about performing in the labour market, it must also urgently tackle the growing unrest in social cohesion felt by our workers within the member states. The European Pillar of Social Rights must be a cornerstone for workers, not a tombstone !

Next Monday, 23 January, the European Commission will reveal its latest thinking on social policy and legislation at a conference “The European Pillar of Social Rights: going forward together” with President Juncker and Commissioner Thyssen.

“President Juncker was elected by the European Parliament on the promise of a fairer and more social Europe” said Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the ETUC. “With the long-awaited Pillar of Social Rights he has the chance to deliver what the promised.”

“The is EU is in last-chance saloon to tackle working people’s anger towards the EU. It can either fiddle while people fume, or it can offer a better deal for working people.”

“We expect an ambitious approach from the European Commission in which social rights are promoted and defended with the same urgency and commitment as economic and fiscal rules.”

The ETUC expects ambitious proposals, that

  • include enforceable rights as well as benchmarks and recommendations,
  • improve social rights and standards of living,
  • invest for strong public services, jobs and quality employment, sustainable growth
  • promote social dialogue, collective bargaining and wage increases to support economic demand and to tackle inequalities,
  • go beyond the Eurozone and minimum standards.

“The ETUC has done everything it can to convince the European Commission of the need to act ambitiously and decisively in favour of social rights for working people” said Esther Lynch, ETUC Confederal Secretary “now it has to deliver its promised AAA Social Europe.”

“Social Europe is not only about performing in the labour market, it must also urgently tackle the growing unrest in social cohesion felt by our workers within the member states. The European Pillar of Social Rights must be a cornerstone for workers, not a tombstone!“ stated Luc Triangle, General Secretary, industriAll Europe.

The European Commission’s proposals will be judged and accepted by European trade unions only in so far as they make a real and positive difference to the lives of working people.

Key ETUC demands are for legislative proposals to promote quality work and halt the excessive demands for flexibility and casualization, for example by better regulation of on-line platforms and better enforcement of existing rights along with rights for the self employed. Importantly it means guaranteeing the social model built on trade union rights and protecting collective agreements especially in the context of free movement. It means better economic rules so that workers can negotiate a pay rise, and investment in much needed public services such as transport and childcare can go ahead.

The European Commission are expected to publish a white paper on the Pillar of Social Rights in March. TWEETS

  • President Juncker promised an AAA Social Europe: now he must deliver with #SocialPillar @JunckerEU
  • EU #SocialPillar must improve enforceable rights & standards of living @mariannethyssen @JunckerEU
  • EU #SocialPillar must promote quality employment & collective bargaining @mariannethyssen @JunckerEU
  • Social rights must be as important as EU economic & fiscal rules @VDombrovskis #eusocialrightsfirst #SocialPillar