With today’s vote, the European Parliament calls for an EU framework to tackle abusive subcontracting chains & fraudulent labour intermediaries that are undermining workers’ rights and fair competition across Europe.

EU leaders must listen to the needs of working people. General Secretary @estherlynch.bsky.social just met Enrico Letta ahead of his meeting with heads of governments at their retreat later today. Here’s what is needed 👇

Social Europe, not deregulation, is our continent’s competitive advantage. UNI Europa calls on EU leaders to use this week’s informal meeting to back a mission-led European industrial policy that delivers quality jobs in services.

Europe needs to raise investment in workers & companies through a real industrial policy – not lower standards. “Europe is facing a real competitiveness challenge. But a genuine problem does not justify the wrong response," @estherlynch.bsky.social told political and industry leaders today.

This is a meaningful intervention that takes up long-standing trade union demands and it must be on the table in discussions at tomorrow's EU leaders' retreat. It is crucial that measures to make Europe more competitive be based on people, investments and quality jobs and not on deregulation.

After the demonstration, a hearing in the EP brought together several political groups, all stressing the urgent need to curb exploitative subcontracting practices and tackle abusive intermediaries✊🇪🇺 #STOPEXPLOITATION #LIMITSUBCONTRACTING @effat.org @etuc-ces.bsky.social @etf-europe.bsky.social

👻We are deconstructing some of the myths that are being used to create the idea that no change to the rules on subcontracting is necessary. Limiting subcontracting chains is necessary and urgent.⛓️ ⏰It's time to act! #timetoact #limitsubcontracting

It's happening tomorrow! #STOPEXPLOITATION See you in Strasbourg to call on Members of the European Parliament to VOTE for a fair internal market with clear simple rules promoting fair competition. #EndAbuse

New data shows almost half of workers say their workplace gets too hot - but just one in ten say changes were made to work Employers can’t be allowed to pretend that climate change isn’t happening. We need EU legislation to stop further work-related heat deaths 📰 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

Europe’s industrial crisis stems from high energy costs, weak demand & global competition — not workers’ rights. Deregulating labour protections worsens instability. @judekd.bsky.social www.euractiv.com/opinion/dere...

Today, ETUC met with President Antonio Costa @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu to underline the trade union vision for European competitiveness: quality jobs in every region and every sector, strong collective bargaining and quality public services must be at the heart of Europe’s economic strategy

Some politicians seem to think the cost-of-living crisis is a distant memory but a new EU poll shows again that's certainly not the case for working people EU leaders need to focus on people's real priorities: better wages, better jobs, and better public services 📰 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

People are clear about their priorities: cost of living, jobs, public health. Yet the Commission is pushing #austerity and a corporate agenda. This doesn’t match people’s concerns. Europe needs a #PublicServicesAgenda for people - not deregulation for big business. 📷 Eurobarometer 2025/Q4 survey

The European Commission wants to make it easier for companies to use substances which cause cancer On World Cancer Day, trade unions are calling on MEPs to stop this reckless deregulation drive putting workers' lives at risk 📰 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

Raising the quality of jobs – not lowering standards – is the real answer to Europe’s economic challenges That's why the ETUC is today launching its proposals for the Quality Jobs Act needed to address the impact of poor quality jobs on both workers and companies 📰 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

European preference must go hand in hand with ensuring quality jobs, supporting workers and industrial capacity, not weakening protections & standards or the damaging deregulation agenda.

ETUC congratulates Nicolas Schmit on his election as President of @feps-europe.eu At a time when social cohesion, democracy and workers’ rights are under growing pressure, strong cooperation between trade unions, progressive forces and think tanks like FEPS is more important than ever.

Solidarity @aflcio.org ✊🏻✊🏿✊🏽 We unequivocally condemn authoritarian practices associated with policies advanced under the Trump administration, including the conduct of ICE, where the excessive & unlawful use of force has been deployed against protesters, migrants & working-class communities.

As Amazon announced 16,000 layoffs today, worker representatives and MEPs blasted Amazon management for undermining worker health and democracy at work during a European Parliament hearing on working conditions in its warehouses.

America’s unions stand in solidarity with our @mnaflcio.org union family as they stand up to the federal government’s militarized immigration enforcement, fight for truth and freedom, and demand ICE peacefully leave Minnesota. Our solidarity is our strength. When we fight, we win.

📸 We met with the Ambassador of Palestine to discuss the urgent situation of workers in Palestine. 👛 Crucial: Israel must release withheld funding designated for the Palestinian Authority, as @consilium.europa.eu has called for. Workers must be paid their wages.

EU anti-racism strategy: Trump's targeting of company anti-racism measures in Europe shows the workplace is key. Trade unions are the 1st port of call for people who experience discrimination at work. EU must respond by strengthening the capacity unions to bargain for & enforce equality measures.

BREAKING: European Parliament backs a Just Transition Directive ✅ The EU must equip itself with strong tools to anticipate & manage change while building cohesion. Its for workers like Rainer that the Commission must now move ahead with a Just Transition Directive as part of the Quality Jobs Act.

Breaking: European Parliament recognises serious risks in the 28th Company Regime approach. The message is clear: creating a parallel EU company system raises major legal, social and economic issues. We call on Commissioner McGrath to rethink the approach.

Solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. Any attempt to coerce Europe through threats, intimidation or trade measures is a direct challenge to sovereignty, democracy & the rules-based international order. The EU institutions must respond with clarity, unity & resolve. www.etuc.org/en/document/...

The EU is set to launch a 'Buy European' policy Trade unions have one test: does it expand good employment in Europe and strengthen our industrial and service sectors, or does it subsidise low standards and offshoring? 📰 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

Ahead of next week’s discussions on the EU-Mercosur agreement, we're calling on the EU & Member States to include strong safeguard mechanisms and flanking measures for workers. Trade can only support European policy objectives if it delivers decent work and fair competition.

Venezuela: We condemn the US military intervention, in breach of the UN Charter and international law. We call for the immediate protection of civilians and all those detained, with full guarantees of due process and transparency. The EU must act to uphold international law.

Happy New Year! Our best wishes for 2026! #qualityjobs #solidarity #tradeunions

ETUC Season's Greetings 🎄 #solidarity #tradeunions #qualityjobs

International Migrants’ Day: for quality jobs for all.

Today’s European Parliament vote sends a clear signal: the EU must act now on AI at work We're calling on the Commission to respond by bringing forward binding legislation on AI at work as part of the forthcoming Quality Jobs Act.

The argument is that Europe underperforms in tech and biotech because it is “too expensive” to fire people.That may sound intuitively appealing but it is profoundly misleading.

NEW: UK rejoins Erasmus➕ An important step forward for workers, skills and opportunities. ✅ Expanded access to education, training and mobility opportunities, including for vocational education and training (VET) learners and apprentices.

NEW: the proposal for an Affordable Housing Plan rightly recognises that Europe’s housing crisis has become a daily grind for working people. Fixing it requires public investment & ensuring all public money comes with binding conditions for collective bargaining + strong health & safety standards.

Happening now: across Portugal workers are taking a stand for social justice and democracy. #GreveGeral - solidarity with the workers on general strike

“The EU’s Quality Jobs Roadmap is testament to a growing European consensus on public procurement. The Commission acknowledges that promoting collective bargaining in public contracts can build quality jobs for workers across Europe,” said UNI Europa Regional Secretary Oliver Roethig.

Thousands of workers across Europe are still exposed to cancer-causing substances every day Strong, enforceable limits save lives. The European Parliament now has the chance to make that happen 📰 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

#QualityJobs Act: vital first step The launch of the quality jobs package today by @roxanaminzatu.bsky.social represents a vital opportunity to turn every job into a quality job.

Members of the European Parliament have today called to regulate abusive subcontracting and labour intermediation. This is an important step to prevent the exploitation of workers by fraudulent companies and criminal networks.

MEPs support directive to stop industrial crisis 👇 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele... A Just Transition Directive would be a win-win for businesses and workers @europarl.europa.eu

📢Today: Employment Committee in the @europarl.europa.eu voted to curb abusive subcontracting and unregulated labour intermediaries

We're outside the European Parliament this morning to call for an end to abuse in subcontracting and end gangmaster practices. #EndingAbuse

Europe’s mantra of “simplification” is becoming a cover for deregulation. As abusive subcontracting & unregulated intermediaries spread, the EU must decide whether simplification or fairness will define its future labour model. 🖋️ Enrico Somaglia @effat.org ⤵️

New report: even schools aren't safe from ‘Uberisation’ of the economy. Solution: EU member states must end the exploitation of the platform employment model by fully enforcing the #PlatformWork Directive.

Following US pressure, the EU Commission has proposed to slash regulation that holds Big Tech accountable to the people of Europe. #DigitalOmnibus: Rather than bowing to Silicon Valley, the Commission must respect EU rule-making and accept its result. www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

🔴Unions in the European Commission say staff are suffering burnout due to an “extreme workload” The reports should mean Commissioners know better than anyone how badly Europe needs a directive to end stress at work - the root cause of 10,000 deaths a year 📰 www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...

After a historic three days of collective actions across Belgium, workers and their unions are today uniting in a general strike. We're brining their demands to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Eliminating Violence Against Women: we're calling on the EU and national governments to raise the quality of jobs as a fire wall to stop violence against women & introduce new legally binding measures to prevent violence and harassment in the world of work at EU level.

Handing over our policy solutions: we welcome Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu to our Executive Committee meeting. We are committed to supporting @roxanaminzatu.bsky.social minzatu.bsky.social & the whole Commission in securing the ambition working people need for the Quality Jobs Act & Roadmap.