According to a recent estimate by the International Labour Organization, around 28 million people worldwide live in forced labour, including more than 3 million children. Forced labour is a global problem that also affects Europe. In September 2022, the EU Commission presented a proposal for a regulation banning products made with forced labour on the EU market.

In November, the members of the European Parliament voted by a narrow majority in favour of amending the EU Treaties. This involves important organisational principles of the EU. Among other, Parliament is calling for more rights of co-determination and decision-making and a social progress protocol. The ball is now in the European Council's court to decide whether to convene a convention.

Better integration of people of working age into a labour market with good jobs is the best way to secure pensions. This is the conclusion of a recent study by the European Trade Union Confederation. As part of the SociAll project funded by the EU Commission, the effects that would result from the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan were analysed with the involvement of experts from the Chamber of Labour. Better integration of people of working age into a labour market with good jobs is the best way to secure pensions.

This year’s EU-wide Equal Pay Day was marked on 15 November. From this day forward, women symbolically work for free compared to men. In the EU, women on average still earn around 13 percent less than their male colleagues, and in Austria it is even around 19 percent less. The Pay Transparency Directive could provide a remedy. It must now be implemented consistently.

A report by the EU Commission clearly shows that often people at risk of poverty or social exclusion do not have access to essential services. These include water and energy supplies, transport services and digital means of communication. Without secure access to these basic services, the digital and green transition ("twin transition") cannot be managed in a socially just manner.

Last week, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) presented its manifesto for the 2024 European election in the EU Parliament. There was a great deal of interest and approval. The aim of the manifesto is to develop a vision for the next five years in Europe. It is an invitation to the parties and candidates to endorse 12 commitments: A fair deal for workers should make Europe more social and fairer.

In the AI Act, the EU Commission focuses on standards for product safety. The EU Parliament has supplemented the draft with important rights for affected workers, citizens and consumers and clearly limited the democratically unjustifiable use of AI for biometric identification and emotion recognition of persons.

International financial investors and corporations are gaining ground in areas of critical infrastructure such as care, healthcare and housing. At a recent event, the trade union organisation Uni Global Europe drew attention to the dangers posed by private equity investments to the security and quality of supply and to employees. The new study by the Austrian Chamber of Labour was also presented at the event, underlining the need for effective early warning systems and protective measures.

In recent years, transnational corporations and financial investors have been capturing more and more areas of social infrastructure. Profit-maximizing business models – in particular profit skimming, tax avoidance and “cherry picking” – pose a risk to general welfare as well as to the stability of society and the economy.

The Brussels Offices of the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) are pleased to invite you to the joint event "75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - How can we put an end to products of forced labour?"