Trade unions call on the European Commission, under the Treaties, to translate into a directive an agreement reached between the social partners at the end of 2015, in an emergency resolution adopted at the Congress of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in Vienna on Tuesday 21 May.
In December 2015, the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Public Administration Employers (EUPAE) reached an agreement to align the information and consultation rights of central government workers and civil servants with those recognised in the private sector (see EUROPE 11459/11). However, the European Commission blocked and rejected the agreement (see EUROPE 11977/20) and never forwarded the proposal to the EU Council to implement the agreement by a directive, although the European Treaties require it (Article 155 §2), according to the unions.
"It is not acceptable for the Commission to say that it supports social dialogue, but to do the opposite”, said ETUC Confederal Secretary Esther Lynch, referring to the commitment to relaunch social dialogue at EU level made at the beginning of the mandate by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The trade unionist recalls that, if the European Commission's decision were to be upheld, some 9.8 million public employees and civil servants would be deprived of rights recognised at EU level.
This resolution falls two days short of a key event: Thursday 23 May will see the first hearing before the EU Court of Justice between the EPSU and the European Commission (Case T-310/18). This is a first, recalls the EPSU. Never before has a trade union brought a complaint before a court of the EU Court of Justice. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)