News February 12, 2026 EFBWW EFFAT ETF’s Voices heard Press release: European Parliament calls for European Legislation to tackle Exploitative Subcontracting and Labour Intermediation – Today, the European Parliament adopted the EMPL Committee’s own-initiative report Addressing subcontracting chains and the role of intermediaries in order to protect workers’ rights, sending a clear political signal to the European Commission on the imperative need to propose an ambitious EU Directive on Subcontracting and Labour Intermediaries as part of the Quality Jobs Act.
News February 12, 2026 Spanish railway unions win major safety agreement on first day of strike Spain’s railway unions CCOO and UGT have secured a historic agreement with the government after just one day of strike action, preventing what would have been a three-day nationwide rail shutdown. The strike started on February 9, but by the end of that same day, the unions had reached an agreement with the Ministry of Transport. This rapid success shows what can be achieved when unions stand together with clear demands and strong worker support.
News February 11, 2026 ETF addresses Romanian authorities over Wizz Air’s use of psychological tests ETF has recently engaged with the Romanian Government and the Romanian Parliament following concerns raised by its national aviation affiliate, Flight Personnel Union Romania (FPU Romania), regarding the use of employer-controlled psychological assessments on cabin crew members.
Press Release February 10, 2026 800 Workers Mobilise In Strasbourg as MEPs Face Plenary Vote on Ending Labour Exploitation The action was organised to mobilise support ahead of the upcoming vote on the European Parliament’s own-initiative report on subcontracting and intermediaries, and to urge the European Commission to propose a binding EU initiative to limit contracting and subcontracting, regulate labour intermediation, and ensure equal treatment and fair competition across the EU labour market.
News February 6, 2026 ETF addresses key concerns of inland waterway workers in the Danube basin At the recent Danube Commission meetings in Budapest, the ETF addressed the regulatory and social challenges facing inland navigation workers. From labour rights enforcement to the recognition of professional qualifications, the ETF’s participation ensured that workers’ concerns were integrated into the region’s transport framework.
News February 5, 2026 Court of Auditors: EU Must Do More to Support Urban Mobility Yesterday, March 4th 2026, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) published its special report on the effectiveness of the EU’s urban mobility policy. With over 75% of the EU population living in cities and urban transport making up an eighth the EU’s total CO2 emissions, the report clearly recognises the need for a comprehensive European strategy to organise and improve mobility in urban areas. The Court of Auditors also sets out the significant costs of inaction, noting that congestion alone from private cars costs around €180 billion a year.
Statement February 5, 2026 Aviation Social Partners call for the immediate suspension of the EU–Qatar Agreement ETF, together with the European Network Airlines’ Association (ENAA) and the European Cockpit Association (ECA), has issued a joint statement calling for the immediate suspension and reassessment of the EU–Qatar Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement.
News February 3, 2026 Regulating subcontracting is key to tackling undeclared work in parcel delivery, new study finds The research reveals that major logistics companies, e-retailers, and postal operators routinely outsource delivery operations to networks of subcontractors, creating chains that obscure accountability and foster non-compliant labour practices. In some European countries, subcontracting has reached saturation: Germany outsources 50% of transport services, while in Poland the figure approaches 100%.
News Interview: Gerhard Tauchner elected new Chair of ETF Railways section The ETF Railways Section just elected its new Chair, Gerhard Tauchner, to replace Giorgio Tuti, who has been elected as ETF President. In a powerful moment, trade union members thanked the previous Chair for his important work and elected new leadership to defend the future of railway workers at the European level. We decided to interview the new Chair to understand his priorities for the following years.
Statement ETF calls for strong worker protections as Commission launches new Military Mobility initiative A first read of the Commission’s Communication shows that it fails to mention workers even once. It also ignores the persistent problem of labour shortages and how to address them, as well as the well-known deterioration in working conditions in the sector. Disregarding such fundamental issues is a serious threat to the success of this proposal for military mobility. If we can’t attract workers in times of peace, how can we expect to do so in times of war?
News ETF Survey on Violence and Harassment Against Women Transport Workers To better understand the violent realities women transport workers face and to push for real change, the ETF Women’s Committee has launched a new survey: “Violence and harassment against women transport workers.” The aim is to collect testimonies directly from women working in all areas of the transport sector. Fill it in! It’s quick and available in 9 languages!
News Giorgio Tuti Elected New ETF President Belgian trade union leader Frank Moreels stepped down from his function of ETF President, in view of his upcoming role as President of the ITF. A Swiss national, Giorgio Tuti has been a high-profile unionist in the trade union movement since 1988. He served as President of the Swiss Transport Workers’ Union (SEV) for 14 years, from 2009 to 2023 and has been Vice-Chair of the Swiss Trade Union Confederation since 2009. Tuti has been chairing the ETF Railways Section since 2017.