David Martin MEP | TU Matters March 2011

TU Matters March 2011

TU Matters Masthead

Trade Union movement unites across Europe

Workers across the European Union (EU) are uniting in their determination not to take the blame, nor pay the cost of the financial crisis caused by greedy bankers. The European trade union movement (ETUC) is organising jointly with its 6 Hungarian – Hungary currently holds the chair of the Council of Ministers - member organisations (LIGA, ASZSZ, SZEF, ESZT, MszOSz, and MOSz) a Euro-demonstration on Saturday 9 April 2011 in Budapest, where the Council of Ministers of Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) will take place. The Euro-demonstration will embrace the continuing campaign against austerity and the massive cuts now being applied in most countries. But it will also promote the ETUC alternative policies of growth and more and better quality jobs. The slogan for the demonstration is ‘No to Austerity – For Social Europe, For Fair Pay and for Jobs’. For more information: http://www.etuc.org/a/8313

United call for mandatory company reporting

Civil society and trade unions across the EU are urging the European Commission to introduce new regulation requiring companies in both industrialized and developing countries to report on their environmental, social, human rights and governance impacts. The Global Reporting Initiative, the European Trade Union Confederation, and the European Coalition for Corporate Justice have all submitted responses to the EU Commission consultation on non-financial report calling for mandatory reporting. In their proposal, they exclude small companies from new reporting regulation. The organizations have each submitted replies to the consultation asking for new regulation to bring non-financial reporting by medium and large companies in line with the needs of contemporary society. Companies’ stakeholders, including directly affected communities and the public at large, need comprehensive and credible information on corporate social and environmental impacts to identify problems with and monitor progress of the companies they deal with.

Equal treatment must apply to all workers including posted workers
Last December 14th, the European Parliament rejected, by majority vote, the report of Mrs Mathieu (EPP) on the single residence and work permit for third-country nationals. This majority recommended a new report to be submitted within two months. This is an issue for all Trade Unions across the EU because the very the future of the labour market is at stake. The European Commission and Council should not be allowed to use such measures to drive down wages. The left and the unions must unite on this across the EU. We saw in the European Parliament an attempt by the right to adopt a Directive that could have serious consequences for the labour market and for European society. More worryingly, under the smokescreen of claims to defend equal treatment, the Directive actually excludes certain groups of workers, from equal rights, namely: seasonal workers, workers posted from third countries, intra-group workers, and workers who arrive under a General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Warning signs were apparent when the European Commission did not engage in social consultations before initiating this Directive. We must be on guard for such moves in the future and the European Parliament must work closely with the trade unions.

Robin Hood Tax
While in Strasbourg this week I promoted the Robin Hood Tax campaign, which Labour MEPs strongly support. It is time banks paid their fair share, and a very small tax on global transactions would raise billions for vital services. I encourage everyone in Scotland to support Oxfam and the STUC in promoting this initiative - it's time the Tory-led government in Westminster stopped sticking up for the banks instead of the people of the UK!