On 4–5 June 2026, the ETF held the first workshop in the series of its EU co-funded project Empowering Transport Workers in Central and Eastern Europe (UNIONDRIVE) in Bucharest, Romania. Bringing together transport unions from aviation, road transport and urban public transport, the workshop focused on the implementation of Directive (EU) 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages and its implications for collective bargaining in the transport sector.
Participants compared the European and Romanian perspectives on the Directive and discussed progress towards increasing collective bargaining coverage. While Romania is among the few Member States to have submitted a dedicated action plan for promoting collective bargaining, participants agreed that significant challenges remain. Trade union fragmentation, insufficient political commitment and weak enforcement mechanisms continue to limit progress. The workshop also examined the role of the European Labour Authority (ELA) in supporting cross-border enforcement of labour rights and tackling unfair practices in transport.
Sectoral exchanges highlighted common concerns across transport modes. Representatives from road transport and civil aviation reported that litigation often remains the only effective avenue for defending workers’ rights, despite being costly and time-consuming. Despite these difficult circumstances, unions in both sectors also shared important achievements, including the signing of first collective agreements and continued efforts to strengthen worker representation and defend the rights of their members. In urban public transport, participants pointed to the long-term effects of austerity policies, underinvestment and the absence of a strategic workforce vision.
The ETF was pleased to welcome representatives from its Romanian affiliates — Flight Personnel Union Romania (FPUR), Uniunea Sindicatul Liber Metrou (USLM) and Sindicatul Lucrătorilor din Transporturi (SLT) — as well as guests from the National Federation Drum de Fier and the Federation of Transport and Road Workers’ Trade Unions of Moldova.
The Bucharest workshop marks the first step in the UNIONDRIVE workshop series, supporting stronger collective bargaining, social dialogue and trade union capacity across Central and Eastern Europe.
With the financial support of the European Union