workers' rights

May 1st is a hard-won symbol of workers’ struggle, solidarity, and collective power - a day carved out of history where labour stops, and dignity is affirmed. Today, that meaning is under attack in France. At this week's meeting in Nicosia, the ETF Executive Committee expressed its solidarity with our French affiliates and committed to supporting them in defending this fundamental day for workers.

Trade unions play a vital role in representing workers' rights and interests. They are the credible voices demanding social protection for workers: unemployment benefits, pensions, or access to healthcare. Aviation workers across Europe are saying that the chances of decent working conditions and fair pay are non-existent unless a union represents workers.

Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) are vital in ensuring fair working conditions and wages for aviation workers. On the unions' side, negotiating a CBA is a complex exercise. At the end of this multi-faced process, the right balance between union members' expectations and what the employer can offer must be found.

A Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is a must within the aviation industry. Whether flight attendants, pilots, ATM workers, or ground staff, our aviation workers consider a labour agreement as the only guarantee for being treated fairly by their employers regarding working conditions, wages, job security, health, and safety.

At the one-year anniversary of the onset of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the world’s transport unions call for PEACE!

The European Trade Union Federations (ETUFs), EFBWW, EFFAT, EPSU, ETF, industriAll and Uni Europa, representing millions of workers and supporting over 20,000 European Works Council members every day, jointly welcome the adoption by the European Parliament of the own-initiative legislative report on the revision of the European Works Council Directive. It is time for the European Commission to act!

The issues trade unions and transport workers face are not just Lithuanian but European and therefore require a European solution.

Organising our 6th Congress in Budapest is our way to thank our unions in Eastern and Central Europe, and a very big act of support to these courageous men and women trying to be independent trade unions.

ETF and ITF call on our affiliates to express solidarity with our brothers and sisters from Belarus, to demand the immediate release of trade unionists. Please support the call of global unions by signing the petition to stop the biggest attack on a trade union in Europe this century.

Ten years after signing the European social partner’s agreement (SPA) on working time for inland waterways together with the European Social Partners – the European Barge Union (EBU) and the European Skippers’ Organisation (ESO) -the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) fully supports the European Commission’s recent urging all EU Member States (MS) to implement the Directive, regardless of the size of the inland water sector in their territory.