PSR in focus on Workers’ Memorial Day
ETUI event highlights need for a directive.
April 28th, International Workers’ Memorial Day (also the World Day for Safety and Health at Work) saw the European Trade Union Institute highlight the largest issue left uncontested by European legislation – work-related psychosocial risks.
Since 2019 Eurocadres have advocated for dedicated EU-level rules on this subject, with a strong unified union position now calling for the Commission to act. Speaking during the event From data to directive: Confront work-related psychosocial risks in the EU, Eurocadres President Nayla Glaise outlined how “we need to be strong in our messaging as a movement. As an example, we have record employment rates in Europe yet hear about a employment gaps – not the lack of quality jobs, the lack of attractive wages, the lack of re-up-skilling opportunities, good health outcomes. Stronger messaging changes this narrative, and we have all the statistics to do so.
With the political rationale of the Commission now being competitiveness, we have to make clear that workplace absenteeism is a direct cost of psychosocial risks being unregulated. Member States having different rules should be harmonised, that is an example of simplification. Workers being hurt will hurt their wallet, and make us less competitive”.
In an event featuring experts from a number of organisations, MEP Estelle Cuelemans, the European Commission and many others, the arguments in favour of a directive were made clear, with ETUI’s Sonia Nawrocka’s latest piece outlining why inaction cannot be allowed to continue.
Far from a new issue and far from a subject to discuss once a year, unions must now be confident in the research results we have collected, and move from conceptualisation to concrete campaigning.
This year’s Quality Jobs Roadmap must contain a legislative initiative on psychosocial risks, a standalone issue which cannot be amalgamated with other areas such as artificial intelligence, the right-to-disconnect or others. When we face risks, we set preventative measures, not hope they will disappear.
With experts, the over 50 members of our EndStress.eu platform and political groups, we will continue the call beyond research and into the workplace.