UNI Europa supports ETUC position not to endorse competitiveness compass

UNI Europa supports the decision of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) not to endorse the Competitiveness Compass if it continues to undermine jobs, rights and standards. 

While the Compass published today by the European Commission recognises that quality jobs are an important part of a competitive economy, that is undermined by a focus on deregulation.  

That is why UNI Europa and the ETUC will not accept the invitation included in the document for European Social Partners to endorse its proposal. Negotiations on the proposal should have taken place before the publication and the ETUC is now seeking an urgent meeting with President von der Leyen. 

The problems with the Competitiveness Compass include:  

• The proposal for the 28th company regime which would allow some companies to operate outside of national labour law. This would be a recipe for disaster” and risks undermining all employment legislation throughout Europe;
• The plan includes an explicit call for pension reforms based on longer working lives;
• While there are countless promises made to business groups, the plan does not contain a single commitment to legislation that would benefit working people, such as answering how working people will success in the green and digital transitions;
• The plan would pour public money into corporations without any social conditions needed to ensure it is used to create quality jobs rather than create higher CEO bonuses or share buybacks. 

UNI Europa Regional Secretary Oliver Roethig said: “Europe’s services workers cannot accept public money fueling an acceleration of a race to the bottom on pay and working conditions. That is why essential workers have been mobilising for a pro-worker reform of the public procurement directives. Real competitiveness improves workers’ satisfaction with quality jobs and provides quality services for people and companies.”

ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said: “Europe needs to accept we can never win a race to the bottom and instead set its sights on a future built on high investment, high social standards and high quality jobs. This is not over. Workers and their unions have ideas about competitiveness and they should be listened to at company, sector, national and European level.”