CHAPTER I (24-29)

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS TO THE LABOUR MARKET

  • Ensuring the EU takes action to guarantee the right of all to high quality and inclusive lifelong training without costs for the workers and during working time, as an individual, enforceable right to training vis-à-vis the employer. It is also key to ensure paid educational leave for all workers and the right to access to full qualifications, validation of non-formal and informal learning and work experience, and free and quality career guidance and counselling. It is necessary to contribute to strengthening social dialogue, aiming at fostering re- and upskilling driven by social dialogue and that social partners have a more strategic role in European and national policies and in funding mechanisms for training, in particular in identifying skill needs for the future, defining qualifications and competence frameworks, adapting training curricula and its design to the worker’s needs.
  • Taking stronger action at EU level to eliminate the gender pay gap. Guaranteeing a swift and ambitious transposition and implementation of the Directive on Gender Pay Transparency at national level leading to a re-evaluation of work predominantly done by women, and to stronger support to collective bargaining to closing the gender pay gap and to promoting professional growth.
  • Taking the necessary initiatives to end all forms of gender-based violence in the world of work, including online. Regarding the fight against gender-based violence, a comprehensive approach is needed taking into account domestic violence, cyber violence, psychological violence, and economic violence. Advocate for a strong Directive combatting violence against women and domestic violence that foresees a strong role for trade unions.
  • Ensuring a swift ratification of the ILO Convention 190, eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work in all European countries.
  • Developing a new and ambitious Gender Equality Strategy post-2025, which should recognize and support the key role played by trade unions, social dialogue, collective bargaining and equality bargaining.
  • Promoting collective bargaining and collective agreements to actively foster diversity, tolerance and inclusion at all levels and oppose all possible grounds of discrimination and work-related violence. The implementation of the EU anti-racism Action Plan, of the EU strategy to combat antisemitism and of the EU Roma strategic framework on equality, inclusion and participation should include a meaningful role for social partners and trade unions.
  • Working towards stronger public employment services, effective labour market policies, and interventions on employment creation, with social conditionalities in terms
    of quality jobs for public hiring subsidies.