working conditions

COVID-19: Finnish train guard speaks out

Railway workers are on the frontline and are in constant contact with passengers: “It’s scary for us all to work at the moment in these dirty trains with all the bacteria running around. Drivers are scared to touch the buttons and the driving table. We can’t go to visit them anymore. Conductors are scared to get COVID-19 from passengers or give it to them”.

Worker's Story
31 Mar 2020

ETF writes to Croatian Government on suspension of labour & social rights during pandemic

ETF condemns the Croatian government’s legislative initiative which would suspend labour and social rights and expresses that it is a clear attempt on workers’ rights in a letter to the Croatian government. Launching such an initiative when the whole of Europe is undergoing a health crisis, and while Croatia’s workforce is already under pressure as they cope with this epidemic is appalling. Such a crisis should never be used as an excuse to take away workers’ rights.

Statement
27 Mar 2020

COVID-19: Transport workers need protection and Europe needs to act now!

ETF is now once again calling upon the Commission to take concrete action to protect Europe’s transport workers as new developments arise every day. Reports received from around Europe show that some employers are not taking the pandemic seriously, and are putting workers in danger with their failure to act appropriately.

Statement
13 Mar 2020

‘Indispensable’: Workshop highlights role of unions in ongoing digital transformation of Urban Public Transport

The social partners in urban public transport, ETF and UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, held the workshop “Digital transformation in customer services and its impact on work in urban public transport” last week in Vienna. Trade unionists and employers spent two days discussing the impact of digitalisation on the public transport sector. The role of trade unions is indispensable in these ongoing transformations, and we are committed and up to the challenge!

News
12 Mar 2020

First CBA in the River Cruise Sector – smooth sailing ahead?

ETF welcomes the CBA and acknowledges it as a first step in the right direction. Further positive changes are on their way as on November 7, the official negotiations for a European-wide agreement between IG River Cruise, European Barge Union (EBU) and ETF commenced.  European Social Partners hope to reach a meaningful agreement by Autumn 2020.

News
12 Nov 2019