CESI@noon on affordable housing
As rents and real estate prices continue to skyrock, CESI Youth held a CESI@noon lunchtime debate on possible EU measures for more affordable housing.
All
Main news
posts
CESI mourns the decease of its Vice-President José Fernåndez Vidal
The European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI) mourns the decease of its Vice-President José 'Pepe' Fernåndez Vidal from its member organisation CSIF, the Spanish Central Independent Public Employees' Trade Union, who passed away yesterday.
New CESI position papers on social dumping, a deepened EMU and the European Education Area
At its last meeting of the year today in Brussels, the Presidium of CESI adopted new position papers on steps for a more democratic and investment-related EU economic and monetary union (EMU), on trade union priorities for the European Education Area, and on measures to bring down social dumping in Europe, .
CESI condemns Strasbourg terrorist attacks
At its meeting in Brussels today, the Presidium of CESI issued a statement condemning the terrorist attacks at the Christmas market in Strasbourg earlier this week.
Trade Council Post & Telecoms engages in EU postal legislation evaluation
On Friday December 7 CESI's Trade Council 'Post & Telecoms', bringing together CESI's sectoral telecommunications and postal services trade unions, convened for its last meeting of the year in Brussels. The agenda featured, above all, strategic work on CESI's position in the upcoming evaluation and potential revision of the EU postal services directive.
#CESItalks with MEP Helga TrĂŒpel: Invest in education, invest in young people and mobility
In our latest #CESItalks interview Helga TrĂŒpel, Greens/EFA MEP from Germany and Vice-President in the European Parliamentâs Committee on Culture and Education spoke with CESI about the necessity to budget up for youth and education in the EUâs next MFF, the role of the forthcoming European Solidarity Corps in helping young people to engage socially and the success of the Erasmus+ programme.
One step closer to better working conditions for truck drivers in Europe
After protracted internal negotiations the transport ministers of the Member States adopted, at a Council meeting on December 4, a common position on a reform of working conditions for truck drivers in Europe, as part of a broader 'Europe on the Move' mobility package proposed by the European Commission in 2017. According to CESI, the position can be the basis for better employment conditions in road transport in Europe.
CESI Europe Academy symposium: âEducation professionals: Horizon 2025â
On November 22-23 CESI held this year's Europe Academy symposium in Lisbon, which was this time was devoted to the future of the teaching profession. Under the theme 'Education professionals and trade unions in Europe: Horizon 2025', CESI had invited affiliates from its over 40 member organisations from more than 20 countries to discuss about the role and value of the teaching profession, employment and working conditions in educational institutions and perspectives for education systems in times of recent digital, societal and economic evolutions in Europe.
CESI to AFET Council: Donât forget about a social dimension in PESCO
On November 19-20 the Foreign Affairs Council met in Brussels to discuss a number of key issues for European security, reviewing EU-NATO cooperation with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as well as the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations, in particular the EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia. In a joint session, the defence and foreign ministers discussed the implementation of the EU Global Strategy in the area of security and defence. Reacting to the meeting, the President of CESI's Defence trade council, Thomas Sohst, who is affiliate of CESI's member DBwV (German Armed Forces Association), highlighted the importance of a social dimension in EU defence and security policies and measures.
EU area of freedom, security & justice under scrutiny at the CESIâs Justice and Security trade councils
On November 15 affiliates of CESI's member trade unions from the law enforcement and justice sectors met to explore the state of play and the future of the EU's area of freedom, justice and security. Participants from 8 EU member states and an organisation with observer status from Russia joined active discussions in the trade councils 'Security' and 'Justice' on the state of rule of law in Europe, personal protective equipment for law enforcement officers, violence at work and access to electronic data.
Consultation statement in favour of qualified majority voting in EU social policy
The European Commission work programme for 2019 includes an initiative to explore possibilities to switch from unanimous-based voting to qualified majority voting (QMV) in EU social policy making by the Member States in the Council. The procedural mechanism which the European Commission envisages for this switch relates to a so-called Passerelle Clause which the EU Treaties specify and according to which the Member States may, upon a proposal by the European Commission, decide by unanimity to transition future decision making in the Council in specified fields â such as parts of social policy â from unanimity to qualified majority voting and from a special legislative procedure to the ordinary legislative (co-decision) procedure. In its response to an ad-hoc social partner consultation by the European Commission which closed last week, CESI makes a case for a more integrated EU social policy making.
Commemorating the end of World War I â Remembering Europe
When on November 11 1918 the First World War came to an end, a conflict which to the day is also referred to as The Great War, had caused millions of casualties -civilian and military- and great suffering in societies across Europe and beyond. With many considering this war not least a result of excessive nationalism and isolationism in the years preceding it, its end however also set initial foundations for more democracy in Europe and the first-ever real international cooperation efforts which we continue to benefit from still today. According to CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger, we should recall this as today's politics in many countries in Europe and around the world is once again increasingly shaped by authoritarian and protectionist voices.
Paid annual leave: News from the Court of Justice of the EU
In recent judgments, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has strengthened the rights of workers (and their heirs) in relation to the application of the EU Working Time Directive.
EU Equal Pay Day 2018: Again on November 3
November 3 is EU Equal Pay Day. It symbolises the average wage gap between women and men across the EU Member States by commemorating the day on which the âaverageâ woman -in relation to the âaverageâ man- does not get paid anymore until the end of the year. In 2018, women earned on average 16.2% less than men, which translates into 58 out of 365 days of the year until December 31. According to Kirsten LĂŒhmann, President of CESIâs membersâ Commission on Womenâs Rights and Gender Equality, policy makers and authorities are not doing enough to close the gap.
âBetter regulationâ: More transparent, impartial and inclusive policy drafting needed at the EU level
Today, a public consultation on 'Better regulation' -the European Commission's central instrument to slim down EU legislation to the minimum of what is required "to achieve objectives and bring benefits at minimum cost"- comes to a close. In its consultation response, CESI calls for more transparent, impartial and inclusive EU policy drafting.
European Summit: A human dimension for Brexit, migration, internal security and external relations
The European Council which took place on the October 17-18 in Brussels focussed on Brexit, migration, internal security and external relations. According to CESI President Romain Wolff and Secretary General Klaus Heeger, all discussions need to feature a real human dimension focussing on the impacts of policies and political decisions on citizens and concerned workers.
Tripartite Social Summit: All workers count!
Earlier this week on Tuesday, October 16, the latest edition of the Tripartite Social Summit took place, bringing together the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP and UEAPME with European Commission President Juncker, European Council President Tusk and the Austrian Chancellor for the Austrian Council Presidency ahead of this week's European Council to discuss about key challenges in employment and social affairs in Europe. CESI welcomes this dialogue with EU leaders but calls for a more inclusive framework of interaction in the future.
CESI Personal Data Policy
At CESI, we are fully committed to ensuring the protection of personal data in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679).
Fortnightly editorial of the Secretary General
On October 3, Germany celebrated its 28th anniversary of reunification. As a Western German, a âWessiâ, I remember very well the fall of the Berlin Wall, my instant travel to Eastern Germany to meet with my Eastern German friends. But even after 28 years, divergences between the East and the West are still strongly felt. Eastern Germany is lagging behind economically, and some areas still suffer from major brain drain of young people. Not few there still feel as second class citizens.
International Decent Work Day 2018
Today, October 7, is International Decent Work Day. It is a day during which the principles laid down in the UN's International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) should be brought to the front line of our agendas.
CESI@noon: What constitutes working time under EU law?
On Wednesday September 26, CESI held a further edition of its lunchtime debate series âCESI@noonâ, this time on the very heated topic of the interpretation of working time legislation â more specifically on possible impacts of the recent âMatzakâ judgment of the European Court of Justice (CJEU) of February 21 2018 which had ruled that, under EU law, stand-by time of a worker at home who is obliged to respond to calls from the employer within a short period must be regarded as 'working time'.
Trade Council LRA meeting in Brussels: Digitalisation, transparent working conditions, precarious work through privatisation in regional and local administrations on the agenda
On Tuesday September 26 the members of CESI's members' Trade Council 'Local and Regional Administrations' (LRA) convened for their annual meeting in Brussels. CESI's trade union affiliates employed in local and regional administrations took the opportunity to deliberate on digitalisation effects on employment, EU measures for more predictable and transparent working conditions and spreading precarious work in their sector.
CESI Youth Board meets in Palermo
Last week, on September 13-14, the CESI Youth Board gathered in Palermo, Italy, for its second meeting. A productive exchange of experiences and ideas was conducted among the members, who reported on past activities and constructed plans for future endeavours.
Fortnightly editorial of the Secretary General
This week, Jean-Claude Juncker, outgoing President of the European Commission, held his last State of the Union address at the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg this week. Once a year, the State of the Union speeches display the Commission Presidentâs views on where the EU is heading and where it needs improvement. Not an easy task in times where the EU is being bashed around at all fronts for multiple organ failure (sometimes rightly, sometimes unjustifiably).
FEMM and SOC Commissions take a stand for better work-life balance, decent employment and social protection for all
At their meeting on September 6 in Brussels, CESI's members' commissions on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and on Employment and Social Affairs (SOC) reviewed progress in negotiations on the European Commission's proposals on work-life balance for parents and carers, on transparent and predictable working conditions, and on access to social protection for all. Under the chairmanship of the Presidents of the SOC and FEMM Commissions, Javier JordĂĄn and Kirsten LĂŒhmann from CESI's Spanish and German member organisations CSIF and dbb, CESI's affiliates voiced strong opinions and take-home messages in discussions with decision-makers from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Austrian Council Presidency. Also on the agenda: The ineffectiveness of gender equality plans in companies across Europe and abuses of fixed-term work regimes in public services.
2018 State of the Union: Time to check in
On September 12 European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker addressed the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg with his yearly State of the Union address to assess 'how far weâve come'.
Upcoming on September 26: CESI@noon âWhat is working time? The interpretation of the European Court of Justiceâ
On September 26 the next edition of CESI's lunchtime panel debate event series 'CESI@noon' will take place, this time on 'What is working time? The interpretation of the European Court of Justice'. Registration to the event is now open.
Call for tender
The European Social Dialogue Committee in Central Government Administrations (SDC CGA), comprising CESI and the Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) for the employees and the European Public Administration Employers (EUPAE) for the employers, has opened a tender procedure to examine the national legal framework on work-life balance and digitalization with a special attention to the evaluation of existing rules and the role of social dialogue. The deadline for participation in the procedure is September 14
CESI Post and Telecoms Trade Council discusses cross-border parcel deliveries
At their last meeting on May 25, CESI's affiliates in telecoms and postal services convened in Vienna to discuss some of the most pressing challenges that employees in the two sectors are facing. Next to the need for a more worker-friendly management of demographic change within telecoms and postal service providers, the implications of the recently adopted new EU regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services on employment in the postal services was high on the agenda.
CESI affiliates Carmen Jaffke and Kirsten LĂŒhmann re-elected into EWL Board of Administration
At the General Assembly of the European Women's Lobby (EWL) on June 8-10 2018 in Brussels, CESI affiliates Carmen Jaffke and Kirsten LĂŒhmann were re-elected into the Board of Administration.
Joint stakeholder letter to EU leaders: Deepening the Eurozone with democratic legitimacy in mind
Yesterday a stakeholder group led by Transparency International EU and including CESI sent an open letter to the Heads of State and Government participating in the European Council summit later this week, calling for more transparency and democratic accountability in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)
CESI welcomes two new member organisations and one new observer
At its Board meeting on June 15, CESI welcomed two new full member organisations: The Spanish Nursing Technicians Trade Union (SAE) and the Serbian Trade Union of Doctors and Pharmacists. Moreover, the Trade Union of Physicians in the region of Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegowina became an observer at CESI.
CESI parliamentary breakfast debate: How to counter abusive employment relationships?
At a European Parliament breakfast debate on Wednesday June 20 CESI took stock of previous contributions made by MEPs, Eurofound and trade union leaders on precarious work contracts and the abusive use of fixed-term contracts in the EU Member States.
World Public Service Day â Public Service is Work
The UN General Assembly has designated 23 June as Public Service Day. Prestigious UN Public Service Awards are given away on this very day. This award is bestowed on Public Service Day for contributions made to the cause of enhancing the role, prestige and visibility of public services.
The Matzak ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union: A positive development regarding the concept of working time
On February 21 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered a significant verdict in favour of all workers of the European Union who are requested to provide âon-callâ services from home. In a guest commentary for CESI, Pierre Joassart, lawyer at Deckers & Joassart who successfully steered the case through the Court of Justice, explains the background and consequences of the judgment.
Trade Council Central Administration and Finances meets in Brussels
Today CESI's Trade Council 'Central Administration and Finances' (ACF) met in Brussels. Chaired by Wilhelm Gloss, topics on the agenda included minimum wage levels in Europe and the rise in violence against employees of central administrations by third parties.
CESI Board: Roberto Di Maulo elected Vice-President of CESI
At its meeting on June 15, the Board of CESI unanimously elected Roberto di Maulo as a Vice-President of CESI. As a representative of the Italian Workers' Autonomous Trade Unions Confederation (Confsal), a founding member organsation of CESI, this completes the Presidium of CESI after Marco Paolo Nigi, also from Confsal, had retired as Vice-President of CESI at the end of last year. In his application speech, Roberto Di Maulo stressed the role of Confsal and CESI with its member organisations as a strong bond for improved worker rights and employment conditions in Europe.
New CESI Youth Board meets for the first time in Brussels
On June 13 the members of the new CESI Youth Board met for the first time in Brussels. The meeting was fruitful as the work programme for the two years to come was discussed and the topics the CESI Youth will focus on were decided.
Protests of CESIâs member organisation CSIF in Madrid over early retirements of local police officers
CSIF, the most representative union in the public administration sector in Spain and the main trade union of local police officers at national level, organised a successful demonstration in Madrid in which tens of thousands of local police officers from all over Spain demanded the lowering of their retirement age to 59 years without being penalised in their future pension - a step which would set them on equal footing with the National Police, the Guardia Civil and the Spanish firefighters.
Germany: Ban on strikes for civil servants is conform to the German Constitution
In a long-expected landmark ruling on June 12, the German Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) declared the existing general ban on strikes for German civil servants as not being in violation of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz).
The European Youth Event 2018 as a hub for debates and sharing knowledge was a great success
Last week, CESI Youth has participated to the European Youth Event 2018 held in Strasbourg. During those 2 days, we have organised discussion and debates around two major topics, Apprenticeships in the EU and on our generationâs fears for their future.
Celebrating 70 years of the European Movement
On 24 and 25 May, the European Movement International (EMI) celebrated its 70th anniversary in The Hague with the two-day event âSharing Europeâ. Citizens, policy-makers, trade unions, civil society and business came together to discuss the main issues facing Europe today, including: sustainability, migration, security, labour rights, new economic models and democracy over two days of panel debates and agora sessions.
Meeting of TC Defence: Consider the human factor when framing a European Defence Union!
On June 5th, the yearly meeting of CESIÂŽs Trade Council Defence took place, uniting those trade unions from CESI which represent military and civilian staff within the armed forces.
A big win for a more social Europe! Posted workers will be better protected
After two years of hard and sometimes even frustrating negotiations the European Parliament has today backed the very positive outcome of âtrilogueâ negotiations on the revision of the Posting of Workers Directive. Who would have thought that? If you had asked me two years ago, I would never have believed in such a success.
Feedback consultation on Whistle-blowers legislation proposal
On 23rd of April 2018, the Commission presented a proposal for a directive on whistle-blower protection followed by a public consultation. CESIÂŽs main positions are to be found here.
CESI Youth members speak up on the European Education Area
After its ambitious November 2017 Communication on 'Strengthening European identity through education and culture', the European Commission released a so-called 'Education Package', of which a first part was published in early 2018 and a second set of initiatives was presented earlier this week on 22 May. In the framework of the European Commissionâs vision to create a European Education Area by 2025, first set out in the November 2017 Communication, CESI conducted an interview on this topic with two young teachers, representing two of its member organisations active in the education sector, namely GrĂ©gory Corps from France and Katarzyna Pawlaczyk from Poland. GrĂ©gory and Katarzyna are both teachers and both members, since November 30 2017, of the Board of the CESI Youth.
Working time, violence, dangerous substances: Health Services Trade Council discusses employment challenges in healthcare in Europe
At CESI's last Health Services Trade Council meeting on May 17 in Podgorica, Montenegro, hosted by the Montenegrin Trade Union of Physicians (SDMCG), CESI's affiliates representing workers in the healthcare services discussed current challenges in employment which the personnel in the sector is facing across European countries.
European Parliament holds hearing on worker rights for soldiers
Yesterday, the European Parliament's Security and Defence Committee held a public hearing on improved worker rights of soldiers in Europe. The hearing came at a timely moment, with the implementation of the European Defence Union advancing swiftly but common rights for soldiers in EU joint military operations still missing.
CESI supports EPSU legal suit against the European Commission over information and consultation rights for central government administration employees
In March, the European Commission stated its refusal to bring an agreement of the European sectoral social dialogue committee 'Central Government Administration' on information and consultation rights for central government administration employees to the Council for an implementation as a binding EU directive. Today, as EPSU, the European Public Service Union, announces legal action against the European Commission's decision at the European Court of Justice, CESI states its support for this move.
News from the CESIÂŽs Spanish member organisation: Protest of civil servants working in the penitentiary system
Since May 29, ten CSIF representatives have locked themselves in the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions headquarters to bring attention to their cause on fair working conditions.
MFF proposals: Donât slash the social
Yesterday, the European Commission published its proposals for the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period 2021-2027. In advance of ensuing negotiations between the European Parliament and Council on a final MFF, CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger calls for adequate funding for a strong social dimension of the EU.