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.
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CESI partner of 2018-19 ‘Healthy Workplaces Campaign’ of EU-OSHA
In 2018-19, CESI will be a partner of EU-OSHA's newest 'Healthy workplaces' awareness raising campaign. Having been involved in several previous 'Healthy workplaces' campaign editions in the past, CESI will now participate for the fourth time in Europe's biggest awareness raising campaign on occupational health and safety. The 2018-19 edition is themed 'Managing dangerous substances'.
Klaus Heeger on Labour Day: Keep employment and social affairs high on the agenda
On Labour Day 2018 CESI is encouraged by a new momentum in political discussions on employment and social affairs in Europe. As the European Pillar of Social Rights, put forward by the European Commission in March last year, celebrates its first anniversary, policy makers across Europe are increasingly -and finally!- acknowledging the need to also think social when pursuing economic policies. CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger, who spoke at a public Labour Day event of CESI's member organisation CONFSAL in Naples today, however recalled that political discussions must now also yield tangible commitments.
CESI welcomes the European Commission’s proposal on the protection of whistle-blowers
On Monday April 23, the European Commission published a proposal backing the European Parliament's recommendation for stronger protection of whistle-blowers in the European Union.
CESI to German Ministry of Defence: Human factor decisive for success of European Defence Union
On April 23, a CESI delegation composed of CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger and the President and Vice-President of CESI's Trade Council Defence, Thomas Sohst and Wolfram Kamm, met with the Secretary of State of the German Ministry of Defence, Gerd Hoofe, and the ministry's Head of the HR Department, Lieutenant General Klaus von Heimendahl, to discuss a more systematic involvement of military and civilian staff and their representatives in the designing and implementation of the future European Defence Union (EDU).
Trade Council ‘Education’ discusses role and support of teachers in the European Education Area
At its annual meeting in Brussels today, CESI's internal member's Trade Council committee 'Education' deliberated on the role and support of teachers in the forthcoming European Education Area.
CESI Trade Councils ‘Justice’ & ‘Security’ discuss priorities in the EU’s Area of Freedom, Security & Justice
On March 22, precisely two years after the Brussels terror attacks, CESI’s Trade Councils ‘Justice’ & ‘Security’ met in Brussels to discuss a number of key sector-specific issues: privatisation and digitisation in the prison and justice systems, the fight against radicalisation, police cooperation and fight against organised crime, the Schengen Borders Code and its revision in light of the 2015-2016 terrorist attacks, smart borders, and violence at work.
CESI and CNV-Connectief joint conference on violence at work: Protecting our members as workers and victims!
Third party violence at work, especially against public sector workers, remains a fundamental problem in most of the countries of the EU. In cooperation with the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI), CNV-Connectief today organised an event in The Hague, both with its Dutch members and international guests, to take stock of the current situations and possible remedies in the different European countries.
Adoption of Quality and effective apprenticeships by the Council of the EU
On 15 March, the Council adopted a recommendation on a framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, aimed at helping young people to enter the world of work. This recommendation encourages the development of a highly skilled and qualified workforce.
European Parliament AGS report echoes CESI priorities on public social investments
On Tuesday this week, the European Parliament plenary adopted a report on employment and social aspects in the 2018 Annual Growth Survey (AGS), issued by the European Commission last November. CESI Secretary General welcomed the report which echoes long-standing priorities of CESI on the need for more public social investments in the Member States.
CESI Presidium priorities for the post-2020 MFF
At its meeting today, the Presidium of CESI adopted a resolution in the context of public consultations by the European Commission on the priorities for the EU's post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). In its resolution, the Presidium stresses the importance of adequate and balanced financial support for all trade unions at the EU level, including for those that are independent.
Galician justice officials on strike over work-life balance and equal pay for equal work
2,500 officials of the Justice Administration in Galicia (North West of Spain) have been on strike for 5 weeks in response to the refusal of the regional government to negotiate an increase in salary and other measures to improve their working conditions. An article by Javier Jordán de Urries Sagarna from CESI's Spanish member organisation CSIF.
SOC and FEMM Commissions in dialogue with European Parliament and European Commission on EU social and employment policy
On March 8, CESI's members' Commissions on Employment and Social Affairs (SOC) and Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) convened for their first meeting of the year in Brussels to discuss CESI's advocacy on EU employment and social policy currently in the making. Guest speakers at the meeting included representatives from the European Parliament and Commission.
CESI@noon: Social protection for all as a key deliverable of the European Pillar of Social Rights
On March 7, CESI and the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg to the EU held the 18th edition of CESI's lunchtime debate series 'CESI@noon', this time on 'Digitalisation & future of work: Social protection for all?'
Swiss ‘Service Public’ vote: Citizens turn down populist initiative to discontinue licensing fees to finance public radio and TV stations
Swiss voters voted against the discontinuation of radio and television licensing fees the weekend of 3 to 5 March 2018.
Kirsten Lühmann on the International Women’s Day: Gender parity needs a joint effort
March 8 is International Women’s Day. Celebrated under the auspices of the UN every year since 1977, the day recalls persisting and widespread gender inequalities around the world. This year’s theme is ‘#PressforProgress’, a common hashtag for a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity. According to Kirsten Lühmann, President of CESI’s Commission on Women’s Rights and Equality, such gender parity is an ambitious but worthy target that needs a joint effort by all: Policy makers, authorities, NGOs, social partners, trade unions.
European Commissioners deny 9.8 million workers EU legal minimum standards on information and consultation rights
The Commission has informed the European central government social partners today that it will not bring their agreement to the European Council for implementation as a directive. The agreement seeks to plug a gap in EU legislation that excludes workers in central government administrations from the EU right to information and consultation.
Protect the work-free Sunday!
On the occasion of the European Day for a Work-Free Sunday on March 3, the European Sunday Alliance calls on all its supporters to take action against Sunday Work.
EU Court of Justice rules on ‘stand-by’ services as ‘working time’
On February 21 2018, the European Court of Justice (CJEU) delivered a judgment on the ‘stand-by’ time of volunteer firefighters. The Court took an important stand related to the notion of working time and the scope of the working time directive, stating that the ‘stand-by’ time at home of a volunteer firefighter who is obliged to respond to calls from the employer within a short period must be regarded as ‘working time’.
Europe Academy project kick-off meeting on challenges for education professionals and trade unions in Europe
On Monday this week, this year's project of CESI's Europe Academy on 'Education professionals and trade unions in Europe: Horizon 2025' kicked-off with a workshop in Brussels.
Upcoming on March 7: CESI@noon on ‘Digitalisation & future of work: Social protection for all?’
Public service strike in Hungary on February 15-19 2018 organized by MKKSZ
Hungarian member organisation MKKSZ (Trade Union of Hungarian Civil Servants and Public Employees) has led a series of protests, such as a recent 2 hours strike at the local government offices across the country. After the latest consecutive failures of negotiations with the government, MKKSZ will launch a new industrial action from 15-19 February 2018 in the Hungarian public services.
The right to association for military staff – the decision of the ECSR in EUROMIL vs. Ireland
February 12 2018 is an important day for military personnel all over Europe. It marks the ground breaking decision of the European Committee on Social Rights of the Council of Europe which recognises the right to association and the right to collective bargaining for soldiers and military staff across the continent.
13th Security Union progress report and its highlights: Cybersecurity, interoperable systems for security & border management, prevention of radicalisation
The European Commission published its 13th report on the progress towards an effective and genuine Security Union. The report focuses on preventing radicalisation/ fighting terrorism offline & online, cybersecurity and, more importantly, on establishing interoperable EU information systems for security, border and migration management. In a first reaction, Gerrit van de Kamp, President of CESI's Trade Council ‘Security’ and President of the European Police Union (EPU), welcomed the report, yet called for further efforts.
Programme Commission discusses CESI priorities for 2018
On January 26, the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of CESI's horizontal Commissions and sectoral Trade Councils -CESI's specialised internal forums of debate for member organisations- met in Brussels to discuss their priorities for 2018. Like every year in January, this meeting of the 'Programme Commission' kicked off the new year's activities of CESI's Trade Councils and Commissions.
CESI reaction to Council of Ministers’ decision to remove countries from the tax haven blacklist
CESI at the first European Education Summit
On January 25 a CESI delegation participated in the first European Education Summit organised by the European Commission in Brussels. Having placed education as a priority of the EU’s political agenda, the European Commission has repeatedly highlighted the tremendous challenges brought up by the digital age. The new era does not only require the necessary new skills and life-long learning, it also requires, as the European Education Commissioner Tibor Navracic underlined in his opening address, “rediscovering the value of our values.“
An eye on the World Economic Forum in Davos
The World Economic Forum is meeting once again in Davos on January 23-26 2018. Being aware of the importance of the Forum, it remains incomprehensible for CESI that trade union and civil society representatives remain excluded – especially in times when sustainability and the investment in the human factor becomes of fundamental importance for the cohesion of societies.
More investment in social infrastructure (SII) needed, new report says
On January 23 the European Commission and the European Long-Term Investors (ELTI) Association published a report on 'Boosting Investment in Social Infrastructure in Europe'. Chaired by the former European Commission President Romano Prodi and French Economic and Finance Minister Christian Sautter, the report comes to the conclusion that both public and private investment in social affairs are insufficient in Europe. CESI welcomes the report which underpins its longstanding demand for more social investments in Europe.
Revised written statement directive: A step forward and missed opportunity at the same time
Today, the European Commission published a long-awaited legislative proposal on a revision of the EU written statement directive 91/533. Along with an extended 'information package' that employees should be obliged to receive when starting a new job and new minimum rights for a better predictability of work, the proposal suggests a rebranding of the legislation as "directive on transparent and predictable working conditions in the European Union". In CESI's view, the European Commission's proposal is a step forward and missed opportunity at the same time.
Trade Council on Local and Regional Administration constitutes
On December 5, CESI's Trade Council on 'Local and Regional Administration' (LRA) held its constitutive meeting after CESI's Congress in December last year. Following the elections of the presidency and vice-presidency for the term until 2020, the trade council, as CESI's internal members' committee for deliberation and positioning in the field of local and regional administration, discussed some of CESI's most pressing European priorities that concern the employment conditions of local and regional administration employees in Europe.
CESI supports the creation of PESCO and more cooperation in defence
On December 11 the Council adopted a decision to establish the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), as laid down in the Lisbon Treaty. This framework of cooperation will enable the 25 Member States party to the decision* to work more closely to "develop jointly defence capabilities, invest in shared projects, and enhance the operational readiness and contribution of their armed forces." Thomas Sohst, President of CESI's 'Defence' Trade Council and affiliate of CESI's member organisation DBwV (the German Armed Forces Association), welcomes the Council's decision.
Trade Council ‘Post & Telecoms’ meets in Brussels on social dialogue, cross-border parcel deliveries
Today, CESI's Trade Council 'Post & Telecoms' met in Brussels. Next to an evaluation of CESI's new participation in the European sectoral social dialogue on postal services, a deliberation on the ongoing negotiations on a new EU regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services were discussed.
European Commission roadmap to deepen the EMU: CESI expresses cautious optimism
On Wednesday, the European Commission published a long-awaited roadmap for deepening Europe's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Referring to a "window of opportunity" for action, the European Commission proposes to establish a European Monetary Fund, the integration of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) into the EU's legal framework and new budgetary instruments for a more stable euro area within the EU framework. The European Commission also wishes to create a new post of European Minister of Economy and Finance to implement a deeper EMU. In a first reaction to the proposals made by the Commission, CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger expressed cautious optimism.
CESI Youth holds first Congress in Rome
Following a three-year establishment phase by mandate from the Presidium of CESI, on November 30 CESI Youth held its first Congress in Rome. Matthäus Fandrejewski from CESI’s German member organisation dbb was elected as the CESI Youth Representative and Valentina Viviani from CESI’s Italian affiliate Cisal as the CESI Youth Vice-Representative and this for a period of four years.
European Semester Autumn Package: Promising shift in language in the 2018 Annual Growth Survey
On November 22, the European Commission published this years' European Semester Autumn Package. The package, which includes the 2018 Annual Growth Survey (AGS), jumpstarts the next European Semester, the EU's annual cycle of national economic policy coordination. Compared to previous editions, CESI welcomes a shift of language in this year's AGS towards social and investment aspects of economic governance in the Member States.
Shakira and the Paradise Papers
The Paradise Papers – On November 5, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released information on a leak of 13.4 million confidential electronic documents relating to tax-avoiding offshore investments, including by multinational companies and VIPs. This is a commentary from Fernand Muller from the Union of Finance Personnel in Europe, who looked at Shakira’s mention in the Paradise Papers.
Erasmus+: CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski welcomes more financial resources in 2018
On October 25, the European Commission decided to increase the budget allocated to the Erasmus+ programme to more than 2.7 billion. In line with the calls for proposals for Erasmus+ for 2018, published the same day, the financial resources of the programme will increase by 200€ million. CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski is delighted to witness more dedication to youth and exchange programmes.
CESI messages to the Gothenburg Social Summit
On the occasion of tomorrow's Gothenburg Social Summit, the Presidium of CESI adopted messages on key priorities that CESI considers vital for a more social Europe: A joint, dedicated implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights by governments, authorities, social partners, trade unions and the organised civil society; more social investments to finance the Pillar especially in children, education, health, and training; a placement of social rights at equal footing with the economic freedoms in Europe; and the regularisation of new forms of work and atypical employment relationships by making them subject to core labour law and social security.
CESI Trade Council on ‘Health’ shapes its European health agenda: privatisation and digitalisation are key priorities
Since the peak of the global financial crisis in 2008, all European Union Member States had to address the issues of shrinking budgets for healthcare and increasing needs of the care sector. The CESI trade council ‘Health’ brought together representatives of practitioners in the health sector from six countries to discuss the issues of shortages of medical staff, working time conditions, privatisation, digitalisation and the danger of brain drain in the health sector.
CESI’s Trade Council ‘Defence’ on the future of the European Defence Union: More rights for citizens in uniform & parliamentary oversight
On the occasion of its last meeting, CESI´s Trade Council “Defence” dealt with the current state of affairs in defence matters. In particular the new reflection paper in European defence as well as new initiatives and proposals, among them also legislative ones, were discussed.
CESI meets Commissioner Bulc to discuss right to strike in air traffic management
On Tuesday, November 7, CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger together with a delegation of CESI's member organisation ATCEUC, the Air Traffic Controllers European Union Coordination, met with the European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc, to discuss implications of the European Commission's recent Communication 'Aviation: Open & Connected Europe' on the right to strike in air traffic management (ATM).
CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski at the World Skills Conference in Abu Dhabi
On October 16-17, CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski was in Abu Dhabi for the World Skills Conference 2017 to present on 'Skills and careers without borders'.
CESI responds to second phase EU social partner consultation on a revision of the Written Statement Directive
On Friday, November 3, the European Commission's second phase EU social partner consultation on a revision of the Written Statement Directive 91/533/EEC came to a close. As part of the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, this followed a first phase of the consultation which ran this summer. In its second phase response, CESI advocates a revision of the Directive as one important component to fight precarious work across the EU.