Clear priorities of Eurocadres on the European Pillar of Social Rights
The public consultation of the EU Commission on the European Pillar of Social Rights is coming to an end on new years eve. Eurocadres has now delivered its response to the Commission. While supporting the joint response prepared together with ETUC, Eurocadres in the reponse underlines some issues that are among the priorities of Eurocadres.
Eurocadres took part in the drafting process of ETUC. Some of the issues that Eurocadres had as priority issues are included in the common response. For this reason, the common response is the basis of what was sent in, but with some additions.
The same response was also the basis used in the campaign SocialRightsFirst.EU, where individuals through the click of a button can send in the jointly prepared reply and support the call for Social Rights First. This acition ends on New Year's Eve, as that is the final day of the public consulation.
Topics underlined by Eurocadres:
- Free movement of professionals enhances European competitiveness
- Investments in higher education, innovation and research
- Concrete proposals are needed, including legislation
- Focus on working life
- More incentives for people to make use of the freedom to move across borders are needed
- Transition support must be improved with the right to up- and re-skill
- Higher education must be made more accessible for those that have already entered the labour market.
- The groundless derogation of Professionals & Managers (autonomous workers) from the scope of the working time directive must end.
- Eurocadres supports the Women on Boards directive. A competitive Europe needs to include not just one gender in leading positions in economy.
- The European Occupational Safety and Health framework directive should contain direct mentions of psychosocial health risks. Other paths to increase awareness of and action on mental health in the workplace should also be assessed.
- The EU targets regarding working environment must focus on challenges of modern working life in the knowledge-based labour markets and should include legislative initiatives (e.g. an Ergonomics Directive).
- The social partners have an important role to play in improving the situation. The framework agreement on work-related stress should be taken up for discussion once again.
- The right to freedom of expression: including protection from victimisation and dismissal for ‘whistleblowers’, outlawing ‘blacklisting’ and offering redress and compensation to victims. The protection of whistleblowers must be horizontal and EU-action is necessary.
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