CESI@noon on trade union perspectives on housing, gender & precarious work

The event brought together CESI trade union representatives with policy makers, researchers and civil organisations for a youth-led dialogue on housing accessibility and gender inequality in Europe. Discussions focused on how precarious work, soaring housing costs and insufficiently inclusive public policies– together – disproportionately impact young women throughout the EU.

Sara Rinaudo, CESI Youth Board member and trade union leader in Italy, expressed serious concerns about the EU’s housing affordability crisis, which, according to Eurofound figures, saw rents rising by 19% and house prices by 47% between 2010and 2022 – with women and single mothers often hit hardest. She stressed: “If you want to build a stronger Europe, you must start by making sure people have a roof over their heads – one they can afford, one that is safe, one that supports their family life and working life. Housing is not a luxury. It is a fundamental right. And ensuring that right – for all, not just a few – is an obligation for us all.’

Dutch MEP Marit Maij, member of the European Parliament Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union, emphasised the importance of sustaining the ‘housing first’-approach to homelessness and recalled that most of the people that are affected by rough housing are young persons.

Alice Pittini, Research Director at Housing Europe, reflected on recent insights from housing research focussing on vulnerable populations, including on issues such as rising rental and housing prices coupled with low wages and part-time work that limit especially women’s and young mothers’ housing options and often lead to limited supply of housing, insecure and substandard housing security, geographic displacements as well as childcare and housing interconnection issues.

Marie Hyland from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), provided new EU data on unaffordable and inadequate housing, revealing that the housing cost over burden rate in Europe is roughly 40% or more of the income spent on housing, with single parents and single women households being at a particularly high risk. Overall, she noted, women also at greater risk of poverty amongst those overburdened with housing costs.

Ruth Paserman, Director at the European Commission’s Directorate for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, offered an overview of housing strategies at the EU level, noting that while housing remains a national responsibility, these strategies align with the objectives of the EU Green Deal, which remain unchanged.

A representative of the Making Mothers Matter highlighted the importance of addressing intersectional, compounded barriers for example for young women, especially mothers and migrant workers with a lack of equal pay, access to affordable childcare, strong tenant protections and consideration of tailored housing regulations.

The event highlighted the central importance for EU institutions to tailor housing and employment policies to support women’s rights and youth empowerment – in other words young women in particular.

Exploring available EU policy avenues and the role of trade unions highlighted the need for a comprehensive EU-led approach to housing. This should also include integrating affordable housing into the EU Green Deal, ensuring adequate financing for affordable and social housing, implementing stronger regulations to prioritise people over profit in the housing market, and reinforcing the role of local, regional, and national initiatives to housing accessibility and affordability.

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