(15/5/2013)

In the last few weeks the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP6) to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade took place in Geneva. The inclusion of chrysotile asbestos in the list of hazardous substances covered by the protocol (ANNEX III) was discussed in the sessions of 7-10 May. In previous meetings the listing of chrysotile asbestos was opposed by some countries, but the change of position by...

(20/3/2013)

On the initiative of S&D Group vice-president Stephen Hughes, the European Parliament on 14th March called to eradicate asbestos by 2028. Even though asbestos is banned in Europe, it is still present in millions of buildings and public facilities and it still kills thousands of people every year. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are between 20,000 and 30,000 cases of asbestos-related diseases recorded every year in the EU alone.This problem was also underlined...

(15/3/2013)

Tripartite Social Summit, 14 March 2013 The EFBWW General Secretary, Sam Hägglund, spoke in the “Tripartite Social Summit” on 14 March as part of the trade union delegation. The Summit was co-chaired by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso. Sam Hägglund pointed at the extent of exploitation of cross-border workers in Europe today, and the contradictions...

(15/3/2013)

Last week, the Supreme Court of Norway reached a unanimous decision on the so-called “shipyard case”. The Norwegian State and the trade unions won the case ; the employers lost the case for the third time in a row. This Judgement brings an end to the three years court proceeding. The Supreme Court ruled that the provisions on the compensation for travel, board and lodging of a generally applicable collective agreement are public policy provisions within the meaning of the Directive...

(27/2/2013)

In its annual report, the ILO’s Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) has found the restrictions to the right to strike following the rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) violate fundamental trade union rights. The observations of the Committee of Experts relate directly to Sweden and the legislation that was adopted as a consequence of the Laval ruling of the CJEU, but the observations have important general...