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 Union Learning – Adding Value to the Union Card Union Learning: adding value to the union card Education, Learning and Skills Forum Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Manchester Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Lancashire Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Cumbria Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Chester Launch Event Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 - Merseyside Launch Event  |
TUC Education European ReviewNumber Issue 41 February 2008 Welcome to the fifteenth issue of the new-look European Review which will be emailed four times a year as a supplement to those registered to receive TUC Education Update. Everyone with an interest in European affairs as they affect trade unionists can still access the magazine online at http://www.tueip.dircon.co.uk/ or at http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/education/index.cfm?mins=88
Bargaining Round UpFINNISH NURSES WERE RECENTLY ASKED BY their trade union to take a course of action that many in the UK would think too dangerous to contemplate. After failing to get satisfaction from employers in their demand for a 24% salary increase, the TEHY union recommended that their members resign en masse. The purpose of the move was to avoid legislation which forbade strikes in sensitive services. Over 15,000 nurses had indicated that they were willing to resign by mid-November when the government passed a new law banning the tactic on pain of a fine. Other unions vowed to join in with the action against the 'coercive' measure. However faced with such escalation of the dispute negotiators came up with a deal which will see salaries rise by about 22% over 4 years. GERMAN INDUSTRY STILL RECORDS low levels of industrial action despite recent strikes in the engineering sector but the railway industry recently experienced the longest stoppage since the Second World War. A small independent union, the GDL, demanded a 34% pay increase compared to the 4.5% agreed in July by the larger rail trade unions. The employers, 'Deutsche Bahn' believed that inter-union rivalry was responsible for the impasse but the GDL claim that German train drivers are significantly underpaid compared to their colleagues in similar countries. Eventually Chancellor Angela Merkel intervened as goods such as cars piled up at factories and ports. A one-off payment of €800 and an 8% pay rise with another 11% to come in September was enough for union chairman Manfred Schell to say 'It's a good result with which we can live well'. WHILE TRADE UNION MEMBERSHIP has been growing in Lithuania in recent years (see our last issue) the retail sector has remained largely unpenetrated. While employers maintain that shop workers are quite satisfied or do not intend to stay in their jobs for long, unions have evidence of non-recording of working hours including overtime, systems of fines and wage cuts. When attempts have been made by reps to recruit workers in shopping centres, security staff have been used to 'neutralise' such visits and asked them to leave and not disturb workers' according to the President of the Lithuanian Service Structure Trade Union, Aleksandras Posochovas. However, in August spontaneous action by cashiers at an 'Iki' shop in Vilnius closed the store for three hours. Unions hope to capitalise on the publicity that this has provoked to increase unionisation in the sector. Unions' 'extreme disappointment' at Commission 'no' to Public Services directiveEVER SINCE THE CONTROVERSY over the original 'Bolkestein' directive which sought to open up services in the EU to unfettered free competition, European trade unions have been pushing for a new directive to define exactly what public services are and so exempt them once and for all. Although the outcome of the campaign against the law was seen as a victory for European unions, for instance the principle of 'country of origin' was abandoned and social, health care, security and transport services were exempted, the ETUC still felt that separate legislation was needed. To this end they collected over half a million signatures on a petition which aimed to ensure 'the right to choose whether public services stay public'. Mayors from ten EU capitals, including London's Ken Livingstone, also signed a declaration in support of 'high-quality public services, accessible to all'. Despite the campaign it became apparent that the EU Commission President Barroso was not in favour of a new law. Instead the Commission chose to emphasise a protocol to be added to the new reform treaty and the public service exemptions in the existing directive, also publishing a 'package' on the single market which deals with 'Services of General Interest', 'Social Services of General Interest' and 'Services of General Economic Interest'. While areas like police, justice and social security, which are not directly paid-for, remain outside the market, the Commission's paper states that 'the vast majority of services can be considered as "economic activities" within the meaning of EC treaty rules on the internal market'. Furthermore the Commission considered 'high-quality, accessible and affordable services of general economic interest' compatible with an 'open and competitive internal market' while trusting Member States to use national law to protect local traditions. Reaction to the decision and associated papers was not good among trade unions and the left of the European Parliament. John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said 'The Commission is negative and short-sighted if it does not respect the essential role of public services and accord them adequate protection from market forces ... a more detailed Framework Directive would have clarified the necessarily general intentions of the EU Reform Treaty and the Commission should have seized the moment, and not ducked it'. MEPs from the Socialist and United Left groups also showed disappointment: 'It is an illusion to want to conclude a debate that is not finished' and 'It's very negative. The conclusion that there is not a problem [with services of general interest] is not my conclusion' being typical comments. While the Commission intends to set up a web-based 'interactive assistance service' to answer questions on EU public service law and to carry out an analysis of further liberalisation in the sector, few would agree with Mr. Barroso that the reinforced single market will include 'a strong social dimension' and 'a specific way forward on services and social services of general interest'. Unions welcome Commission 'yes' to Works Council reformCONTRARY TO ITS POSITION ON A SERVICES DIRECTIVE, the European Commission has indicated that it will make proposals to reform legislation on European Works Councils (EWCs). Originally passed in 1994, the initial directive has been strengthened by the European Company Statute (2001) and the Framework on Information and Consultation (2002). By 2006 more than 60% of workers in eligible firms (they must have more than 1,000 employees with over 150 in each of at least two member states) were covered by EWCs. However they were far more common among the larger companies (61% with over 10,000 workers) than smaller ones (23% in the 1,000-5,000 bracket). The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) believes that this is due to management hostility in smaller enterprises and recommends an active trade union organisation as a guarantee of a good EWC. Some idea of what can be achieved by negotiation with co-operative employers comes with the agreement at BASF, a German-based company with 60,000 employees across 22 EU Member States. There will be three Europe-wide EWC consultations annually as well as national meetings. Members of the industry union federation EMCEF will have the right to be present at board meetings and any decision that affects employment will not be implemented until 'in-depth and conclusive discussions with the workers' side'. Holes in the law that the ETUC would like to eliminate include the lack of sanctions against companies that ignore it, for example when Renault closed their Vilvoorde plant in Belgium in defiance of the directive (see issue 37). They would like to see decisions that impact on workers be declared legally invalid if there is no consultation and no information supplied to the EWC; or special compensation could be paid. The confederation also want to see better training for works council members, better access to expert advice, a shortening of the time taken to conclude agreements with employers and clearer definitions of information and consultation. Now they want the Commission to get on with revising the law so that it can be passed by the end of 2008: 'the fierce resistance from European employers to improving the European Works Council (EWC) Directive looks more and more incomprehensible' added Reiner Hoffmann, Deputy General Secretary. Tough nuts still whole as UK blocks Portuguese planRECENT EU PRESIDENT PORTUGAL found its plan to link two contentious issues backfiring at the Employment and Social Ministerial Council in Brussels in December. While trying to get some movement on the long-deadlocked Temporary Agency Worker (TAW) directive and on the amendment of the Working Time directive from which the UK has an opt-out, the Portuguese government thought it had found a way forward by seeking an overall deal. In return for guaranteeing that the exception could be permanent, negotiators believed that the British government might agree to drop its insistence that equal rights for temps should only start after six months work. On the other side of the fence, the group of countries led by France seemed to be prepared to allow the UK its working time derogation so that temporary workers would gain full employment protection. In the event the plan just seemed to make things worse as UK ministers condemned the linkage as a 'a terrible way to do business' while the opposite tendency, already anxious about Britain gaining what would amount to its own law on working time, demanded that the 'six month rule' be dropped. Nevertheless there was still a chance that the TAW law would go through as a change of government in Poland had denied the UK a large enough alliance to block it in a vote. However the chair of the committee, Portuguese Minister for Labour Mr Viera da Silva, did not allow matters to develop that far. Although he stated that 'considerable headway in the European debate on these two Directives' had been made, there was much speculation as to why he had passed the buck to Slovenia and France, the next two Member States to assume the EU Presidency. It was thought that Prime Minister Gordon Brown had intervened with EU Commission President Barroso on the grounds that a reverse for the UK would make it harder for him to ratify the upcoming reform treaty in the face of Eurosceptic opposition. There were even rumours, denied by both governments, that he would not attend the treaty signing ceremony in Lisbon if the vote was lost. Whatever the reasons, reaction to the failure to make progress was harsh in both union circles and among Socialist MEPs. ETUC General Secretary John Monks said 'We are getting fed up with the UK business refrain being echoed uncritically by the UK government ... How is it possible that other EU countries can do well in terms of economic growth and low unemployment without working time opt-outs, and with rules on equal treatment of agency workers in force?' Brendan Barber, for the TUC, agreed 'our long hours culture and unfair treatment of agency workers will only end when government stops its capitulation to a one-sided business agenda'. MEPs pointed out the paradox that a new 'flexicurity' policy was agreed at the same meeting yet practical implementation of it was not: 'British and German ministers supported that but at the same time acted to block the agency directive' commented Stephen Hughes, a UK Socialist. Romanian/Bulgarian wages up due to migrationAS POORER EASTERN EUROPEAN states have joined the EU various economic effects have been experienced in both east and west. Starting the century with high unemployment and low wages, the former Communist countries have begun to lose large numbers of workers as migrants and the tightening of the labour market is reversing this situation. With as many as 2 million Romanians now working abroad it is becoming hard for employers to find recruits in sectors such as construction. Unemployment has fallen from 7% in 2003 to about 4% and there is a similar story in neighbouring Bulgaria with the figure reduced to 8.9% from 19.5% in 2001. As a result wages are rising and trade unions believe that this means that the minimum wage should also be increased. Romanian unions are asking for a rate of €206 a month, the cost of a basket of subsistence goods. The current government rate is €97, the second lowest in the EU. Analysts now expect salaries in other countries, such as Poland, to go up by about 12% a year. Ireland-based multi-nationals avoid unionsA RECENT SURVEY BY RESEARCHERS at the University of Limerick has highlighted the differing records on union recognition of home and UK-owned companies as compared with the newly arrived foreign-owned multi-nationals. While 80% of the former said that they engaged with trade unions, only 61% of the latter had such relations but this overall figure masks important further differences: only 41% of US companies accept unions. Furthermore only 50% of these recognise unions at their new Irish sites. From these results the researchers conclude that there is growing trend to avoid unions even among already unionised firms. More evidence for this supposition came from Coca-Cola in August when they announced the closure of their Drogheda facility. With three plants in Ireland, could it be coincidence that the largest unionised one was to be closed while a non-union factory was to become the main production centre, asked Irish unions. EU unions make car deal to manage restructuringTHE EUROPEAN METALWORKERS FEDERATION have announced a new agreement with employers in the car industry to try to improve the management of change, in particular restructuring which often leads to a loss of jobs. This is no small matter as the sector employs two million people directly and another 10 million indirectly. It accounts for 3% of the EU economy, exporting goods worth €60 billion a year and investing €20 billion in research and development, making it the largest private innovator. Growing global competition, the impact of environmental legislation, road safety concerns and the replacement of an ageing, skilled workforce have all contributed to the need for change in the industry. There have been at least three widely publicised cases (Renault, Volkswagen and Delta) in the last few years in which automotive manufacturers did not consult with or inform trade unions sufficiently when a major closure was planned. Now both sides, together with the EU, national and regional governments, have committed to set up a new 'observatory on change'. This body will keep tabs on best practice in company restructuring especially with regard to increasing skill levels and employability. The EU Commission also promises to keep the industry up to date with the best way to use money from the Research Framework programme, the Structural Funds and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. '12 million European families depend on the automotive sector for their livelihoods', said Employment Commissioner Vladimir Špidla. 'While the sector faces tough challenges such as increased competition and restructuring, there are also big opportunities. This partnership commits companies, trade unions, governments and regions to act together to better prepare for change and manage it in a proactive way'. New migrants needed in Germany, Czech Republic
EMPLOYERS IN BOTH GERMANY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC are complaining of a lack of skilled recruits and seeking to fill the gap with migrants. The Czech government agrees with them and is trying to encourage the immigration of qualified workers. With the departure of Czechs to work abroad since EU entry in 2004, unemployment has declined quickly to 5.3% in mid-2007. The economy also suffers from low worker mobility within the country. These factors have led to a skills shortage particularly in construction and IT; almost 50,000 unfilled vacancies for qualified staff were reported last year. While neighbouring Slovakia and Poland often provide recruits it is more difficult for would-be migrants from further afield because of work permit problems, lack of accommodation and difficulty in obtaining a job while still living abroad. A recent government scheme to fast-track residency applications for skilled employees attracted less than a quarter of the number for which it was designed. The German government takes a different attitude. Although high-tech companies have around 43,000 vacant posts and it is estimated that an extra 50,000 engineers are required by industry, they have not loosened immigration rules which stayed in place after 2004. According to the president of the IT employers federation Bitkom 'Some companies have lost entire projects' and a government study has put the cost of labour shortages to the German economy at €18.5 billion per year. Nonetheless Economy Minister Michael Glos ruled out changes to make it easier to employ foreign workers 'The next priority is the qualifications of our own workforce' he maintained. Strikes follow accidents after Italian safety lapsesAFTER ACCIDENTS IN ITALIAN WORKPLACES highlighted the poor health and safety record of that country, strikes and demonstrations forced employers and government to take action. In October the crushing of a worker at a DHL transport hub in Bergamo prompted the FILT-CGIL union to call a strike after the company refused to meet them to discuss safety problems. Union spokesperson Marco Sala commented 'The management has been trying to destroy the strength of the unions in DHL in Bergamo ... DHL has also been cutting corners on safety'. After the action the company agreed to work with the union side and a deal was reached on both safety measures and wages.
A deal was agreed at the DHL aviation hub in Brescia
In December a huge fire broke out in a steel mill in Turin which eventually killed seven workers. German multi-national company ThyssenKrupp had announced the closure of the plant in July but unions said that 200 workers were still working up to 12 hour shifts while conditions had worsened since the announcement. Thousands of metalworkers marched through the city during an 8-hour stoppage joined by the health minister and the Speaker of the Italian parliament. Labour minister Cesare Damiano claimed that 'Existing (safety) rules are sufficient but they must also be enforced' and 'unions must be allowed to negotiate work conditions' for this to happen, while Prime Minister Romano Prodi said that 'work accidents, along with road accidents, are the two biggest tragedies' in Italy. Choppy seas ahead for Nordic unions as court muddies the waterIn December the European Court of Justice (ECJ) finally ruled on two important cases that we have been following in these pages. Both the 'Viking' and 'Vaxholm' disputes centred on the lawfulness of trade unions taking action to prevent companies employing foreign labour at lower wages than local workers and both took place in the Nordic countries. We examine the judgments below. The European Union is often spoken of as a 'single market' but over a wide range of activity it intervenes to improve living and working conditions by pursuing a 'social policy'. The cases arose when these two objectives collided. Both involve EU firms from one EU Member State operating in another (see issues 33 and 34). Although the Advocate General's opinions were thought to be favourable to the unions, unusually the full judgments have not followed these. Finding against the Swedish construction federation Byggnads the ECJ ruled that, while it had a right to take industrial action for 'overriding reasons of public interest' including 'protection of the workers of the host State against possible social dumping', it could not act to force Latvian builders Laval and Partneri to sign a collective agreement. As long as the company abided by the terms of the Posted Workers Directive which lays down minimum standards for foreign workers it could not be put at a disadvantage by protracted negotiations. In the 'Viking' case the court's ruling would seem to be easier for unions to live with but there are lots of ifs and buts. The ECJ confirmed that the right to collective action including strikes could override the freedom of a business to relocate to another country. However the justification for the International Transport Workers Federation boycott of the 'Viking' ferry company will be decided by the national court. They must weigh up the action to see if it was proportionate in protecting local Finnish workers who would lose their jobs if the company's ships were reflagged as Estonian. Varied reactions to the judgments reflected their qualified nature. The General Secretary of Swedish union federation LO said they would lead to 'a form of apartheid' as foreign workers would be treated less favourably but the President of the Party of European Socialists believed that the court had just created uncertainty and 'shot itself in the foot'. While Swedish business leaders welcomed greater freedom of movement the government was 'disappointed'. Recent rulings from the European CourtsSpanish retirement case loss could mean UK win A European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling which went against a Spanish man who was compulsorily retired by his employer could have surprisingly beneficial consequences for a soon-to-be-heard British case. The reason lies in the logic that the court used to come to its decision. The Equal* Treatment Directive of 2000 outlaws discrimination in employment on various grounds including age. Therefore, when Sr. Palacios de la Villa reached 65 he contested his firm's decision to terminate his employment. However, although the ECJ upheld the Spanish law which allowed them to do this, they did so only because its aim was to promote full employment. Furthermore it only applied where agreed by a trade union and when the individual would receive a sufficient pension. None of this applies in the UK where employers are allowed a compulsory retirement age regardless of its effects on those involved. It seems that Heyday, part of Age Concern, may be on more solid ground when its case against the UK government is heard. 'Volkswagen law' crashes at ECJ A German law that sought to protect flagship company Volkswagen from takeover has been found to be incompatible with EU principles on 'the free movement of capital'. The law stopped any one shareholder having a stake bigger than 20%, reserved places on the board for national and local government and set an 80% threshold for resolutions to pass at AGMs. Porsche is now expected to acquire the company. Now ECHR to rule on French Ryanair case The Ryanair case mentioned in our last issue has taken another turn. The French court which rejected the firm's claim that its workers in Marseilles should be covered by the EU Posted Workers Directive and not French law, also denied it the right to take the case to the ECJ. Now the company will pursue the matter at the European Court of Human Rights. Electromagnetic radiation directive delayedIN AN UNPRECEDENTED INITIATIVE THE European Commission have delayed the implementation of a directive, first passed by both the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers three years ago, until 2012. The third of the so-called 'physical agents' directives, the measure sought to limit the exposure of workers to electromagnetic radiation both in the health care sector and generally. However, since the law went through worries have come to the fore about the effect that it would have on Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI scans. This technique is the leading method of detecting brain tumours and is carried out on 8 million patients annually in the EU. This year the European 7th framework research programme will invest €6,000,000 in the development of similar technology. Therefore when the Employment Commissioner Špidla was presented with a study from the UK which concluded that MRI could be curtailed by the directive he immediately confirmed that the law would have to be changed. He also instigated an EU study in four Member States to see if exposure limits would have to be increased. Trade union reaction was negative on the grounds that millions of workers will be unnecessarily exposed to high doses in the meantime while preventative measures and information and training, prescribed by the new law, will be delayed. 'This is an unprecedented move by the Commission. Never before has the entry into force of a Health and Safety at Work Directive been put back' commented Marc Sapir, director of the health and safety department at the European Trade Union Confederation's research institute. Ukraine mine disasters cast doubt on health and safetyTWO SEPARATE EXPLOSIONS IN THE SAME Ukrainian mine recently killed a total of 105 miners. The first disaster at the Zasyadko pit was the worst in the country's history despite frequent similar accidents including one in 2000 in which 80 workers lost their lives. Zasyadko itself has also experienced several previous explosions.
A relative waits for news at the Ukrainian mine Although the Prim e Minister, Viktor Yanukovych, assured the public that a safety inquiry had found that the regulations were being observed, President Yuschenko criticised the government for making 'insufficient efforts to reorganise the mining sector, particularly the implementation of safe mining practices'. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) was also not convinced, recommending that an enquiry, which would consult with unions, be set up as soon as possible. 'The ITUC shares the grief of the families mourning the miners killed in this disaster', stated Guy Ryder, the ITUC General Secretary. 'Everything must be done to ensure that safety is ensured in the mines on a permanent basis'. The urgency of the task was underlined two weeks later when maintenance workers clearing the debris were hit by two further explosions, one of them fatal. EU encouraged by Chinese safety driveFOLLOWING LARGE PRODUCT recalls by toy manufacturers (see our last issue) a report into the EU's consumer product safety regime has concluded that the legislation is 'fit for purpose' and that the main problem is enforcement. The RAPEX system for dangerous goods alerts is working well with an increase of 56% for the first ten months of 2007 over the same period in 2006. October's 179 notifications were a record of which 39% concerned toys and fully 69% Chinese products. In view of this the EU has instituted a RAPEX-China link to inform the authorities there of unsafe products found in Europe. The report states that 184 cases were followed up in China between July and September, 750 manufacturers have been banned from exporting and 690 companies ordered to renovate factories in the last two months. According to the Commission: 'They are co-operating. They know that Brand China has been hurt'. However the EU does intend to further regulate toys with magnets. There have been reports of the magnetic parts detaching, being swallowed by children and coming together causing damage to internal organs. Commissioner for Consumer Safety Meglena Kuneva, promising to report further next Spring, commented 'In this world you cannot give 100% guarantees. But you can make sure the system is fit for purpose. You can ensure that all the links in the chain raise their game'.
Internet gender figures tell familiar storyA NEWLY PUBLISHED REPORT BY THE EU"S STATISTICAL ARM Eurostat confirms a long-lived trend in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Men are more regular users of both computers and the internet and many fewer employees in computing jobs are female than male. In all age groups and across nearly all Member States men used the internet, and computers in general, more regularly than women, on average. The gap was smallest among those under 24 and largest for the over-55s. Statistics by country showed large variations with Cyprus being the only one to record more female daily computer users than male. Interestingly eastern European members registered only small gender differences whereas Luxembourg's 24-point percentage imbalance was the highest. Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and the United Kingdom all had over 10% more men than women using computers every day. Internet use followed broadly the same pattern.
The older the age group being considered the greater the bias towards men and the smaller the proportion of both genders who use computers regularly. Thus, across the whole EU, around 65% of those younger than 24 use computers daily, with only 5% more male than female users, but only 20% of over-55s are in this category with the proportion of men being 12% greater than that of women. Turning to employment, the ICT* industry shows a larger bias towards men than the general usage figures. Nearly four times as many men as women work in computers (2.6% of male workers compared to 0.7% of female). Neither is this gap shrinking nor is it likely to in the future. The proportion of employed women in IT has remained the same since 2001 while the male figure increased by 0.3%. Furthermore among young people the gap is still larger at 3.5% compared to 0.8%. Dutch lead rise of 'union blogs''INTERNET WEB LOGS OR 'BLOGS' have been around for a few years now but trade unions seem to have been slow to get in on the act. Now two Dutch unionists have set up a web site under the banner of 'union renewal' to provide a forum for comments on the new challenges facing the movement. These include globalisation, outsourcing and the participation of migrants and young people. Editors Dirk Kloosterboer and Tonny Groen of Netherlands Trade Union Confederation FNV cover the World in English and welcome contributions. EU job days are big successURES IS THE NAME OF THE EU's job mobility portal, a web site that now hosts 1.4 million vacancies, over 40% more than last year, bringing together 300,000 jobseekers with 12,000 employers. For ten days in the autumn it swapped cyberspace for 230 towns and cities around Europe as 500 events attracted more than 200,000 participants. Ranging from recruitment fairs to seminars and lectures on job mobility the 'Job Days' were topped off by the Brussels event at the European Commission headquarters which was attended by 10,000 people. 'The Job Days are a perfect example of how the EU can bring real benefits to people's lives on the issues that matter' said Employment Commissioner Vladimir Špidla. 'At the flagship Brussels Job Day, 90% of employers were entirely satisfied with the quality of candidates they saw and most will be calling back an average of 40% of candidates for second interviews'. Web sites mentioned above are available at: Gender differences in the use of computers and the Internet Union Renewal EURES - The European Job Mobility Portal Stats and factsEqual Opportunities Year success must be turned into results The end of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All was celebrated in Lisbon in November and could boast of over 1,000 activities having been organised in 30 countries. The aim was to raise 'people's awareness of a right to a life free of discrimination' and to highlight 'the benefits of diversity for society as a whole'. Linked to the campaign was the publication of a Eurobarometer survey which measured the awareness of, and attitude to, discrimination across the EU. The 'diversity truck', which made 99 stops during 2007, was visited by over half a million people while a partnership with the Eurovision Song Contest brought the message to 100 million television viewers.
Ethnic discrimination more common than 5 years ago? However the survey revealed a lot of work still to do. In the field of employment large majorities of respondents believed that being over 50, disabled, non-White or a foreigner reduced your chances of getting a job, being promoted or accepted for training. Significant numbers of people saw being female or homosexual as a handicap in the labour market as well. Most people taking part thought that more should be done to combat discrimination in their country and were willing to provide personal information on their ethnic origin, religion, health and sexual orientation on an anonymous basis, though there were significant variations between Member States. On the whole the majority in the 'old' 15 EU countries thought that ethnic discrimination had increased in the last five years while the opposite was true in the 'new', mainly east European members. According to Equal Opportunities Commissioner Špidla 'The success of the Year gives us all an impetus to push forward our efforts to make equality a reality for everyone in Europe'. The Commission plans to tackle discrimination beyond the workplace in 2008 and use the best ideas in its 'Progress' programme. Migrant workers get an education in union powerAngie Birtill is a tutor at the Trade Union Studies Centre (TUSC) of South Thames College and has previously been a Labour councillor at the London Borough of Camden as well as working for the London Irish Women's' Centre. She has recently been providing classes for ESOL* students on employment rights. Learning to speak English has become very contentious since the government introduced its plans to restrict free access to English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). As 'Save ESOL campaigns' are spreading throughout the country, the demand for ESOL classes has continued to exceed supply. South Thames College is one of the largest ESOL providers in South London with 12% of students originating from Eastern Europe, 60% of those have come from Poland in the last two years.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) and individual unions have long recognised the importance of providing ESOL classes in reaching migrant workers. The college's TUC learning centre has worked jointly with its ESOL department in putting on classes in workplaces throughout London in response to demands from union learning reps. The unit has also been piloting basic employment rights sessions during ESOL courses. Angie ran the unit's first session for a group of under-19 students in June 2006. 'We put together some basic activities under the heading "employment rights and responsibilities" and the group really responded well' she told European Review. Later that month she helped to organise an event entitled 'Decent Jobs for Refugees and Migrant Workers' which included speakers from Asylum Aid and the Canary Wharf Cleaners Campaign. The college's ESOL tutors and students were amongst the sixty-strong audience and they gave very positive feedback. Last year TUSC ran further sessions and developed its original activities in response to requests from previous classes. One of the students taking part in last December's session was 29-year-old Sonata Sakalauskaite from Lithuania. She told Angie about her experiences and the reasons why ESOL classes are so important. Sonata had come to England four years ago because she wanted 'to get a better job' and to 'change her life'. She has three children, two daughters aged ten and three, and a son aged eight. At home, Sonata had worked with young children in a nursery. 'I was also a cashier in a food shop'. The pay wasn't good in either of these jobs according to Sonata. She later became a manager's assistant in a mail order company where her rate of pay varied according to the number of deals she could make. Sonata found it very difficult settling in England when she first arrived. 'I lived in East London. I couldn't get onto an ESOL course and the local nursery was full. It is also very hard to find a job if you speak little English'. Sonata eventually found employment with a cleaning agency where she was paid the national minimum wage. 'I was sent to clean houses. The houses weren't too messy but the job was a bit boring. I worked on my own and had no-one to talk to. I didn't have a chance to speak English'. Sonata decided to move on when a friend told her about a Lithuanian cleaning company who were recruiting workers. She was taken on as a cleaner and continues to work for the company today. Sonata also moved over to South West London and successfully applied for an ESOL course at South Thames College. Her children are now settled in school and her youngest daughter attends the local nursery. 'I earn about £6 to £7 an hour in my job. It is easier to understand what people are saying and the company let me work hours which allow me to study and look after my children'.
Participants in the 'Decent Jobs for Refugees and Migrant Workers' event Sonata's confidence has greatly improved since she began her ESOL course. She is determined to complete the course and to continue improving her English. 'Then I will be able to find a better job. I would like to be a beautician or something like that'. Sonata enjoyed the TUC employment rights session and made a lively contribution to the disciplinary rôle- play. Today I have learned about employment rights' she told Angie 'and whatever job I get I will certainly join a union'. Learning to speak English is not only important in building personal confidence and increasing the chances of people finding work, it is also valuable in enabling employees to improve their working conditions. The South Thames College initiative is significant in that it reaches ESOL students who are not already members of a trade union. In this way employment rights advice and information can be given directly to those who are working in the most exploitative areas of the economy and to those who have yet to find work. Diary: conferences and coursesCampaign against climate change - Trade Union Conference 9 February Feedback from workers' health and safety reps: A vital asset for preventative strategies 11-12 February European 'Lighten the Load' Summit 26 February SERTUC LGBT History Month Event 26 February
Newsletter (6,400 words) issued 5 Feb 2008  TUC Education in the Midland region ONLINE PENSIONS COURSES FOR UNION REPS Pension Champions online course |
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