CESI accedes to the European Sunday Alliance

The European Sunday Alliance is a large network of national and European-level trade unions, civil society organizations and religious communities committed to raise awareness of the unique value of decent working hours in European societies. It joins forces with committed MEPs and offers a platform for exchange and discussion.

In particular, the Alliance:
• supports the protection of health and safety of workers and their right to a limit on maximum working hours and of a weekly rest period, including, in principle Sunday;

• advocates the respect for collective agreements covering work organisation, which are essential to the social contract of a modern European society;
• speaks up against the growing economic pressure undermining national regulations regarding working conditions
• fosters commitment to safeguard and promote work-free Sunday and decent working hours;
• pushes the EU institutions to safeguard Sunday, in principle, as the common weekly rest day in the EU;
• works to ensure that EU legislation and internal market rules guarantee the central place of health and safety, work- and life-balance and social cohesion by launching relevant initiatives to ensure work-free Sundays and decent working hours; and
• pushes governments of Member States to take their responsibility for improving, implementing and enforcing existing legislation and practices and respecting collective agreements.

More information can be accessed on the website of the European Sunday Alliance and in its Founding Statement.

Klaus Heeger: “Decent working hours a key challenge for workers today”

CESI joined the Alliance as a supporting member and encourages its member organisations to accede to the Alliance as full members.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “As highlighted in a main motion adopted at CESI’s last Congress, the EU Working Time Directive should apply as broadly as possible. CESI has for long recognised that decent working hours and adequate work-life balance are a key challenge for workers already today. Digitalisation and home-based work models are spreading along with emerging and unregulated so-called new forms of employment.”

He added: “It is vital that trade unions, social NGOs and churches join in a forceful coalition with decision-makers and politicians to make sure that employment remains regulated and fair for all. I am convinced that the European Sunday Alliance is a network that can make a difference.”

Logo: CESI / European Sunday Alliance Logo © CESI 2017 / © European Sunday Alliance 2017