18 December 2019
On 25 November, Deutsche Post DHL (DP DHL) the UNI Global (services sector) and the ITF (transport sector) international trade union federations renewed, for a further period of two years, the OECD Protocol as advocated by the German National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinationals that dates back to June 2016. The German National Contact Point has previous experience...
17 December 2019
On 12 December, the Equal Opportunities committee for the international services union federation, UNI Global Union, published a guide designed to help its members get a better understanding and awareness of the challenges and discrimination facing LGBTI+ workers and to provide suggestions and solutions on how to anticipate and act in circumstances of potential or established discrimination.
16 December 2019
On 12 December the information, communications, technology and services (ICTS) branch of the European skills and services trade union federation UNI Europa published a report dedicated to artificial intelligence and its impact on jobs and employment. The report sends a clear message: “Trade unions must engage in within the AI debate to protect and enhance workers’ rights, human rights, and decent working standards.” The trade union organisation invites its affiliates to play a key role in driving collective...
13 December 2019
On 6 December, the European social dialogue committee for the postal sector adopted two joint declarations. The first covers the revision of the postal services directive and the second regards training workers in the digital age. In the second declaration, European social partners in the sector underline the importance of social dialogue when it comes to managing the transformation the sector is undergoing. This could involve transferring postal workers to parcel delivery roles, due to the rise of e-commerce,...
12 December 2019
Following weeks of bitter negotiations between Mexico and the United States, negotiators have finally succeeded in releasing the paralysis surrounding ratification of the future USMCA free trade agreement (c.f. article No. 11009). The US democrats, who are tightly linked to the powerful US trade union confederations had in fact been extremely skeptical about Mexico’s progress towards...
28 November 2019
On 28 November, Robert Textoris, ENGIE’s European Works Council (EWC) secretary, together with ENGIE’s CEO Isabelle Kocher, signed a joint declaration that sets out a ‘frame of reference common to all of the Group’s entities and employees’ and that will support them through digital transformations. It recommends the use of transparent social dialogue, as early as possible along transformation project timelines that cover the potential impacts and consequences in terms of training, and with a...
27 November 2019
On 25 November the former Spanish-based wind turbine manufacturer and wind services provider that merged with Siemens in 2017 signed a Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with the IndustriALL Global Union federation. The new agreement strengthens commitments to fundamental labor rights, raises health and safety requirements and standards, especially vis-à-vis sub-contractors, contains references to a just transition, and intends for a due diligence plan based on OECD guidance for responsible business conduct. This...
25 November 2019
At the UNI Europa Finance Conference, held on 22 October in Torremolinos, Spain, finance sector union leaders adopted a resolution on the organisation’s strategic planning framework for up to the year 2023. The framework is based around three areas: building workers’ bargaining power; multinationals, trade union alliances and European Works Councils; and the key sectoral themes of European social dialogue.
20 November 2019
‘EFFAT is standing at a crossroads.’ This opening statement from the EFFAT ( European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism) Action Plan that was adopted in Congress preceded a list of reasons including, ‘numerous challenges caused by the introduction of new technologies, climate change, neo-liberal policies, the rise of nationalism and capitalist greed, all of which are...
14 November 2019
On 13 November, at the ILO’s head offices in Geneva, Inditex Executive Chairman, Pablo Isla, and the general secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, Valter Sanches, signed the agreement extending the 2007 Global Framework Agreement (GFA), which sets out monitoring mechanisms to ensure the Spanish textile group’s suppliers uphold international norms and which establishes a Global...
