Today S&D Euro MPs join the call around the world for decent work and better working conditions and criticize the trend towards precarious employment.
Currently, only 59% of all European workers are subjected to conventional employment on the basis of a full-time contract, as evidenced by a study commissioned by the European Parliament's employment committee.
S&D Group vice-president responsible for economic and social affairs, Maria João Rodrigues said:
"Europe can and must again become a force that strengthens workers' rights and protects people against abuse. We are working on a European Pillar of Social Rights – a major plan to update EU's labour and social legislation to keep up with 21st century developments and ensure that nobody is left behind.
"Flexible contracts cannot be an excuse for depriving people of basic labour rights and excluding them from social insurance schemes. Every worker needs to be protected in case of unemployment, sickness or family caring obligations. Every worker needs to build up pension entitlements.
"Socialists & Democrats know that we can only defend labour rights and the welfare state by acting together at a European level. Europeans must not be played against each other by financial markets or by nationalist parties. We are fighting for decent social standards together, and we need to do the same at the global level."
S&D Group spokesperson for employment and social affairs, Jutta Steinruck stated:
"Contracts without a fixed working time guarantee, work on demand or forced self-employment for many working Europeans means poverty and uncertainty are an everyday reality. Social security systems, occupational safety standards and wage claims are undermined under the guise of labour market flexibility."
"Low wages and poor working conditions are also a burden on the public sector. In many EU countries, due to the extremely high number of part-time contracts, the state has to offset salaries of workers who remain below the poverty line.
"The quality of jobs has a direct impact on labour productivity and labour market resilience. That is why the S&D Group in the European Parliament calls for concrete legislation in the form of a directive on decent working conditions guaranteeing every worker access to a core set of rights from the signature of the contract.
These rights should include:
- equal treatment,
- social protection,
- protection against dismissal,
- health and safety protection,
- provisions on working/rest time,
- freedom of association and representation,
- collective bargaining,
- collective action,
- access to training
- access to lifelong learning.
"Since 2008, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has been organizing the World Day for Decent Work (WDDW). On the 7th of October, workers all over the world come together to call for decent work and better working conditions."
