{"id":3053,"date":"2022-09-29T14:57:02","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T12:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uni-europa.org\/?post_type=news&p=3053"},"modified":"2022-09-30T15:12:29","modified_gmt":"2022-09-30T13:12:29","slug":"eu-paves-the-way-for-collective-bargaining-for-solo-self-employed","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.uni-europa.org\/news\/eu-paves-the-way-for-collective-bargaining-for-solo-self-employed\/","title":{"rendered":"EU paves the way for collective bargaining for solo self-employed"},"content":{"rendered":"

UNI Europa welcomes the EU Commission\u2019s move to protect the right of solo self-employed workers to bargain collectively for fair wages and working conditions. The Commission has today published guidelines<\/a> on the application of EU competition law that removes legal barriers to collective bargaining for solo self-employed workers.<\/p>\n

There are approximately 24 million people who work as solo self-employed in the EU. Until now, contested interpretations of EU competition law have resulted in many of these being excluded from collective bargaining. This has resulted in a two-tier workforce, whereby employment standards in various industries could be circumvented, thus incentivizing employers to seek to outsource to solo self-employed workers on lesser conditions.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s clarification safeguards the fundamental right of collective bargaining for genuine self-employed workers. Together with affiliated national trade unions and the ETUC, UNI Europa has been advocating for this important change.<\/p>\n

“The Commission’s clarification paves the way for collective bargaining. Our mandate as a trade union is strengthened. The times when contracting authorities could avoid negotiations by referring to EU competition law are over,” said Frank Werneke, chair of the German union ver.di.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a vital step to take people\u2019s dignity out of the realm of competition. When working people\u2019s pay and conditions are seen only as a budget line to squeeze and gain a competitive advantage, it drives a race to the bottom. Strong collective bargaining is the solution. Together, working people can negotiate to secure a common floor of dignity for all,\u201d said Oliver Roethig, Regional Secretary of UNI Europa. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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This is a vital step to take people\u2019s dignity out of the realm of competition. <\/p>\n

When working people\u2019s pay & conditions are seen only as a budget line to squeeze and gain a competitive advantage, it drives a race to the bottom. <\/p>\n

The solution = strong collective bargaining. https:\/\/t.co\/QBLs7gVLhz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Oliver Roethig (@ORoethig) September 29, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n