Thomas Cook may have collapsed in the UK, but it’s a European story. Companies, travel agencies, and hotels all over Europe and beyond have been affected, and around 22.000 workers are suffering from the consequences. The ETF stands in solidarity with all Thomas Cook workers and we continue to defend their interests together with our affiliates.

One of the gemstones of the European Parliament agreement on the Mobility Package is this: all heavy goods vehicles shall perform at least one loading or one unloading of goods every four weeks in the Member States of establishment. This is so effective in combating letter-box companies, it has recently become subject to attacks as the Mobility Package enters now the critical stage of Institutional negotiations. So, what’s the real problem?

The ETF together with AK and ÖGB organised a workshop “European Transport Workers moving Europe forward” on 30 September 2019 in the European Parliament. The event was kindly hosted by MEP Ismail Ertug.

On 24 September, the TRAN Committee of the European Parliament gave green light to their newly appointed rapporteurs to start negotiations with the Council of Transport Ministers, on the Mobility Package.

Voters did not deliver the feared right-wing tsunami…but the new European Parliament is more liberal and green, with a larger nationalist and xenophobic component. We look at the results and see what they will mean for coalition building and our lobbying.

Worker-friendly parties have not suffered the disaster that was predicted, but the new European Parliament will require brave and creative coalitions. Now the EU must deliver a concrete and progressive response to voters’ social concerns. That is the only way to see off the populists and the far-right.