05/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – The EPSU, the union of public sector employees, strongly criticised governments in a statement on Tuesday 5 February ahead of what should be the final interinstitutional meeting on the 'Working Conditions' Directive, scheduled for the evening of Wednesday 6 February. The reason? The Council wants to introduce exemptions from the Directive for public service bodies (such as the police), which would result in “excluding millions of civil servants”. "Council is applying a sledgehammer to the European Pillar of Social Rights just before the European elections", laments EPSU Secretary General Jan Willem Goudriaan, before describing the Council's position as a "travesty” for a social Europe. On Wednesday 6 February, the co-legislators are meeting for a long night meeting to reach an agreement that will be difficult, as there are so many open political points (see EUROPE 12185). (PH)