SEPTEMBER Solidarity with refugees - EFFAT speaks with one voice on the role of trade unions in the current migration crisis

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1 SEPTEMBER 2015 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Solidarity with refugees - EFFAT speaks with one voice on the role of trade unions in the current migration crisis At its 21 September 2015 meeting, EFFAT s Management Committee discussed the role of trade unions as thousands of refugees are currently arriving in the European countries. Confronted with the plight of immigrants fleeing war, oppression, exploitation and economic hardship, EFFAT sends a united message with the trade unions movement and commits to taking up its responsibility to contribute to the organization of refugees in the society as well as to their integration in the labour market. Read more 1

2 GENERAL EFFAT invites to express solidarity with Finnish unions fighting new right wing labour measures Finland s trade unions have mobilised this month against the new right-wing coalition government s plan to unilaterally cut pay and benefits negotiated through collective bargaining, and asked for solidarity and support. On 9 September 2015, after unions refused to agree to the proposals, the government announced a series of measures to be legislated and imposed, violating the authority of collective bargaining. Read more New labour Code - EFFAT urges to express Solidarity with Lithuanian workers The Lithuanian Trade Union Coordination Centre, represented by the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation, the Lithuanian Trade Union Solidarumas and the Lithuanian Labour Federation organised a protest action No to Slavery at Work opposing the adoption of a new social model and the reduction of workers rights. EFFAT supported the protests and encouraged all its members to express solidarity letters. Read more EFFAT protests against UK Government attack on fundamental rights IUF and EFFAT have sent a letter to Employment Commissioner Thyssen to express their strong opposition to the UK government s proposals under a new proposed Trade Union Bill. If approved, the Bill will impose severe restrictions on the ability of trade to exercise their functions. Read more 2

3 FOOD EFFAT takes part to a partnership to drive sustainability in the sugar sector The EU Beet Sugar Sustainability Partnership (EU BSSP) has announced the launch of its first joint initiative on sustainability throughout the sector. At an event hosted by DG AGRI at the EU Pavilion of EXPO Milan 2015 on 9 September 2015, the partnership announced the release of the Good Practices a tool designed to illustrate the sustainability progress of the European beet sugar sector and to help spread the uptake of environmental and social management from field to factory. The partnership is composed of EFFAT representing trade unions, CIBE on behalf of the beet growers and CEFS, the association of sugar manufacturers and refiners. Read more EFFAT's Meat coordinating Committee: further dissemination of the leaflet for migrant workers On occasion of their last meeting, members of the Meat Coordinating Group have decided for further dissemination of the leaflet on the rights of migrant workers employed in the meat sector. The group decided to translate the leaflets in more languages (Hungarian, Italian and Polish) as well as to target governments and consular authorities. EFFAT and IUF agreed to take the leaflets along to relevant meetings and affiliates are invited to share the documents on their website, the social media and active centres. Read more 3

4 NGG supports meat industry's commitment to fight Social Dumping NGG has welcomed a recent initiative of the German meat industry, which committed to combating social dumping in its sector. NGG welcomed the measure, expected to help and improve the working and living conditions of workers in the German meat industry. However it expresses concerns over the actual effectiveness of the measure. Read more 4

5 TOURISM European Tourism Forum - EFFAT shines a light on the need to train employers on labour rights EFFAT took part in the European Tourism Forum in Luxembourg on September 2015, the most important high-level event on tourism co-organised by the European Commission. Pilar Rato from CCOO Servicios featured in the Panel on Skills and Competences in the Tourism Sector in her new function as ETLC President. At the event Martin Siecker, representing EESC, highlighted the need to train employers in tourism, especially on workers' and labour rights and said: Exploitation should not become a European business model. There is nothing more valuable for enterprises than satisfied employees". Nordic Union of HRCT organize summer seminar on trade unions organizing The Nordic Union of HRCT workers hosted a summer seminar which focused on trade union s mobilisation. The seminar was held in Stockholm on the August 2015 and focused on how to organise effective campaigning, carry out effective communication plans and increase union density. Kerstin Howald featured in the panel debate representing EFFAT the tourism sector. Read more 5

6 GENDER EQUALITY Domestic workers in the spotlight of the EP Trade Unions Intergroup On 17 September 2015, Kerstin Howald represented EFFAT at the Trade Unions Intergroup meeting. Outlining EFFAT s activities and demands on the issue of Domestic Workers, she addressed the urgency for all Member States to ratify the ILO convention C189 and called upon the EU and Member States to revise any directive and legislation containing discriminatory rules for domestic workers. Central to the discussion was the need for countries to integrate domestic workers into the formal economy, and for trade unions to organise them, to build stronger industrial relations and to negotiate collective agreements in the sector. A report on Women Domestic Workers and Carers in the EU is currently being discussed in the European Parliament. For quality! European project for quality of jobs and services in personal care and household services (PHS) Third Seminar hosted in Vienna More than 30 participants from Germany, Austria and Czech Republic took part in the third and final seminar of For quality! European project for quality of jobs and services in personal care and household services (PHS) co funded by the European Commission and of which EFFAT is partner. Participants exchanged good practices and presented their reports which predominantly focused on the care sector. Read more 6

7 AGRICULTURE Agriculture sector's European project on the European Employment Strategy 2020 In close cooperation with its member organisations in Bulgaria, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, EFFAT produced a report entitled: Identifying and addressing priorities for overcoming the crisis and a successful implementation of the European Employment Strategy a European Strategy 2020: A European Initiative of EFFAT. Read more Right for Water wins in the European Parliament EFFAT joins EPSU and welcomes the 9 September 2015 vote of the EP demanding that the European Commission makes concrete legislative proposals to recognise the human right to water and sanitation, as defined by the UN. Read more Gangmasters in Italian fields: FLAI, FAI, UILA pave the way toward long term strategy The death toll of migrants in the Italian fields last summer was incredibly high. Thanks to EFFAT affiliates' ongoing efforts, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture launched on 1 September the "Italian network for quality agricultural work", an autonomous body created to properly fight against all kind of irregularities and undeclared work in the agro-food business. Read more 7

8 COMPANY POLICY A-B InBev to possibly take over SABMiller SABMiller has confirmed that it has received notification from Anheuser-Busch InBev of a possible takeover. A-B InBev flagged, however, that neither an offer nor a subsequent agreement were a certainty at this point. A potential deal would control half the industry s profits. Read more EFFAT holds first coordination meeting further to Coca Cola recent mega merger s announcement Further to Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), Coca-Cola Iberian Partners SA (CCIP) and Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke AG (CCEAG) s agreement to combine their businesses into a new company, Coca- Cola European Partners Plc, EFFAT held a first coordination meeting in September. EFFAT engaged in an intense exchange of information at local level and committed to carrying out an in-depth study on the new bottler s geography as well as of the plants that are most likely to be at risk from an employment perspective. McDo s anti-union practices in the spotlight at hearings in Brazil's Senate Following a series of actions and protests held at Sao Paulo s McDonald s restaurant and a roundtable with McDonald s workers and politicians from Sao Paulo State Council and City Council, a hearing in the Brazilian Senate on 20 August 2015 investigated over McDonald's responsibility for abusing its workers. EFFAT together with workers, fellow union leaders, elected officials and politicians attended and provided strong evidence of how McDonald's business model is detrimental to its workers, consumers, governments, suppliers, and competitors in many countries all over the world. 8

9 FROM THE SECRETARIAT EFFAT has a new Website Let us know what you think! In the last couple of months EFFAT secretariat has been busy discussing our website and working on its improvement. We would like EFFAT website to be your website, a platform through which you can interact, share and learn. Some of the pictures and graphics have changed, so did some menu tabs. We added a link to help you raise your voice and take action in your member states on some topical issues. An online survey on the new elements of the website will be circulated soon. We d love to hear from you Stay Tuned! 9

10 EFFAT UPCOMING MEETINGS Do you want to keep up to date with EFFAT activities? Do you have a suggestion for the next edition? Never miss a post! Subscribe to our newsletter here EFFAT is the European Federation of Trade Unions in the Food, Agriculture and Tourism sectors. As a European Trade Union Federation representing 120 national trade unions from 35 European countries, EFFAT defends the interests of more than 2.6 million members towards the European Institutions, European employers associations and transnational companies. EFFAT is a member of the ETUC and the European regional organization of the IUF 10