Newsletter – November 2021

08.11.21

Newsletter – November 2021

 

 

 


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Forward through collective bargaining

November 2021

 

 


Amazon’s public contracts



We’ve just released a new report that reveals Amazon received over a billion in taxpayer euros, pounds, Swiss francs and Danish crowns through public contracts in the last year. While the corporation is at the centre of union-busting, tax-dodging and market fixing scandals, it is being allowed to carve itself out a too big to fail role in the provision of services.

Last month, we also sent a letter calling on the EU Commission to investigate fresh reports that Amazon was using internal data to replicate products.

Across the continent, workers have been taking collective action to push back against Amazon’s abuses. The Make Amazon Pay alliance has laid the foundations for people’s grievances to be relayed strongly within places of power. Black Friday is coming up on 26 November and will mark another important day in our work.

Make sure to sign up to UNI’s dedicated newsletter to stay up to date.

 

 


#MaiPiùFascismi



The workers’ movement is uniting in its defence of democracy.

UNI Europa’s Oliver Roethig, joined hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in the streets of Rome on 16 October. The mass demonstration was a major show of strength following a far-right attack on the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) headquarters.

Defending democracy is core to trade union work. At UNI Europa’s Conference earlier this year, affiliates adopted a resolution to uphold and strengthen democracy. The strong response in Rome and its echoes across Europe were an example of this work in action.

 

 


Platforms



Platforms are increasingly impacting workers in the services sectors. Be it through the platform model itslef being adopted, through algorithmic management being designed in platforms and then adopted more broadly, or through downward pressure on wages and conditions imposed by bogus self-employment, things are heating up.

Unions across Europe are responding. We are assisting fresh winds of activism among platform workers and winning court cases at national level. At EU level, a legislative initiative is in the works. UNI Europa joined platform workers and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) outside the EU Commission on World Day for Decent Work. In his message, Oliver Roethig laid out expectations clearly, explaining “a worker is a worker”.

 

 


 

 

In case you missed it

 

Public procurement in Europe must strengthen collective bargaining

 

Insurance multinational Ageas must respect trade union rights

 

State of the EU: what’s new for service workers?

 

Democracy Day: EU leaders must protect democracy at work

 

EU Commission must restore social partner autonomy

 

Eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work

 

New priorities & leadership of ICT sector unions in Europe

 

Joint Statement on Sustainable Corporate Governance

 

Italian unions reach historic national agreement with Amazon

 

Taking stock of the impacts of the pandemic

 

 


 

Upcoming events

 

 

Meetings & Events

2024

11

Apr

Social Dialogue Commerce plenary meeting

Commerce

04

Jun

Commerce Steering Committee

Commerce

11

Jun

Sectoral SD Committee Postal Services Working Group Meeting

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