COVID-19: Anticipating and managing the impact in multinational companies – Joint European Trade Union Federations’ Recommendations

30 Mar 2020

In view of the COVID-19 health crisis, ETF, alongside 5 European Trade Union Federations, has issued: Joint European Trade Union Federations’ Recommendations to EWC/SE Coordinators and worker representatives in SNBs, EWCs and SEs on Anticipating and managing the impact in multinational companies.

The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our lives, societies and economies is unprecedented. Trade unions from all over Europe act united in defending workers’ health and safety and speak with one voice: the COVID-19 crisis must not put jobs and incomes in jeopardy!

The consequences on work differ very much from one company and from one sector to another. Your European trade union federations are carefully analysing sector-specific developments to report on.

Worker involvement through information, consultation and participation in company decision-making is more important than ever to anticipate and deal with the social and economic consequences which may arise from this crisis. Considering the high-level of connection between the supply value chains of the sectors we represent, the European trade union federations have decided to issue very practical joint recommendations to worker representatives in European Works Councils (EWC) and in companies under the European Company statute (Societas Europaea – SE).

Our aim with these recommendations is twofold: advising members in EWC/SE-WC on how they can and should play a role in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis in their company; and requesting members in EWC/SE-WC to support national and European trade Unions to put pressure on management to make sure that the most effective measures are taken in each company site to protect workers’ health, safeguard jobs and support workers’ income, for all workers be them on standard, temporary or atypical contracts.

These recommendations may be revised as the situation develops.

Recommendations are available in English, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish and Spanish language.