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Fighting discrimination and promoting equality at work, the role of trade unions

Madrid, 22 March 2010

Catelene Passchier, confederal secretary European Trade Union Confederation

www.etuc.org

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Equality before the law is at heart of democratic society

• Non-discrimination in employment is about citizenship and democracy in the labour market and the workplace

• This is where trade unions and social partners have a particular responsibility

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Non-discrimination outside employment:

a) a pre-condition for equality in the workplace (access to affordable and quality education, transport, housing, childcare, public services, etc.)

b) will benefit from equality in the workplace (and vice versa)

c) ‘services’ are companies and workplaces too

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Trade unions: a special role and responsibility

• Characteristics:– Independent

– Democratic

– Membership based

– Accountable

– Multi-interest

– Solidarity

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ETUC’s commitment

• combat social exclusion, poverty, inequality

• recognise diversity in world of work, and build solidarity between groups of workers

• combat discrimination in all its forms

• analyse and act against prejudices in trade unions and their structures

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ETUC: active at 4 levels

• Support of EU policies and legislation: – equal treatment men/women – EU-Treaty reforms; Charter of Fundamental Rights – lobby for article 13 and Directives– demand for policy coherence (migration policies, working time, ..)

• Negotiating and cooperating with employers’ organisations (joint declarations, agreements, framework of actions)

• Cooperation with social NGO’s • Internal: equality- and action plans

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Gender Equality

• Within ETUC: – 44 percent membership women

– Strong structures

– Equality plans

– Charter gender-mainstreaming

• Cooperation with EWL

• Cross cutting issue, to be taken into account in all other discrimination grounds!

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Gender Equality

• With employers: - Agreements as basis for Directives on

Parental Leave, Part time work, fixed term work

- Framework of actions on gender equality (2005) and follow up. 4 priorities: gender stereotypes, women in decision-making, reconciliation, equal pay

- Revision Parental Leave Agreement (2009)

LGBT workers

• Project “Extending Equality” 2008- exchange good practice- tools for improving position LGBT workers in trade unions and improving their rights at work

• Cooperation with ILGA-Europe • Recommendations ETUC Executive

Committee December 2009

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Workers with disabilities

• Joint action with employers, i.e. compendium good practices on integration in the workplace (2000) and joint statement (2003)

• Joint work with EDF

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Race,religion

• Florence declaration 1995 with employers against racism in the workplace

• ETUC action plan 2003

• Recent years: focus on proactive migration policies, integration, combating xenophobia

• Cooperation with wide range of NGOs

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Young and old

• ETUC structures:– Youth committee

– Special structures for older workers, pensioners (FERPA)

• Reconciling contradictory interests: intergenerational solidarity, demographic change

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New issues equal treatment

In framework migration and mobility: Equal treatment in the workplace, regardless of

nationality Ensure equal treatment in the workplace for migrant and

mobile workers Invest in enforcement of working conditions Address problems “posted workers” Information, advice, support for migrant/mobile workers

EU should add ‘nationality’ as non-discrimination ground !

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No equality without social policy

• Social policy, quality public services, labour standards and their proper monitoring and enforcement, are key conditions for a fair, just and equal society

• Biggest challenge for EU and MS’s is to link equal opportunities policies more explicitly to social policy, and to ensure policy coherence

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What messages on equal treatment?

• Embed equal opportunities in wider fundamental rights and social policy approach

• Focus on commonality and solidarity, but do not ignore discrimination

• Prevent fragmentation of equality instruments, but do not ignore specific needs

• Invest in coherent and transparent legal framework• Be aware of economic gains of inclusion, and of

social costs of discrimination and exclusion

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New legislation, better implementation, stronger involvement of social partners and civil

society, more financial resources• A general and coherent legislative framework on non-

discrimination outside employment, with specific measures to cater for needs specific groups (such as the disabled).

• An EU monitoring and evaluation system, guidance to tackle unclear and divergent transposition, and awareness raising

• Stronger involvement of social partners and civil society in implementation and monitoring, and development of targeted action plans

• More financial resources, for training managers and worker representatives, and to support social partner initiatives that aim at achieving equality at work.

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A matter of survival ...

• European year equal opportunities:– Rights– Recognition– Respect– Representation

• Challenge for unions: tackle the representation gap !(in membership, leadership, image)

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Collective dimension of equality

“Equal opportunities”: • not just about individual issues and needs• only focusing on individual rights and access to complaint

procedures and judges is not enough• people must be asked and equipped to actively take part

themselves, both individually and collectively, in the shaping of their living and working conditions

• when it comes to the work place, organising in a union, and worker representation are key

• therefore, trade union membership and collective bargaining must be recognized as essential for inclusion excluded groups

Trade unions as actors against discrimination

Euro barometer 2007:

• who do you expect to fight against discrimination? 8 % said: union

• who do you turn to when you experience discrimination? 37 % said: union

Should bring that closer together!!

Joining forces, bridging gaps

NGO's with their specific expertise and connections to the groups that we as trade unions sometimes have difficulty to reach, can help us bridging the gap.

>> <<

On the other side of the bridge, you will find a trade union movement that is an interesting and potentially very powerful ally...

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Cooperation with civil society

• Different but complementary roles• Recognize each others strengths• Together stronger• Reaching out, bridging gaps

JOINT DECLARATION of ETUC and Social Platform on Equality (Stockholm summit autumn2009)

Actions with employers (EU level)

Examples: - Florence declaration anti-racism (1995)

- Joint statement and compendium good practices disability (2000 and 2003)

- Framework of actions gender equality (2005)

What next ?!