We are members of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) of the OECD and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Another important part of our international activities is cooperation within the International Labour Organisation, the only global tripartite organization. Its main objective is to promote respect for internationally recognized labor rights.
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is an advisory body to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Its main task and mission is to draw up opinions on proposals for European legislation, thus bringing the views of civil society into the legislative process. The Committee may also be asked for an opinion on an issue by the EU Presidency and issues opinions on its own initiative. It is therefore a ‘bridge’ between civil society organizations and EU decision-makers.
The Committee is made up of 329 members from all 27 EU Member States, divided into three groups: ‘Employers’, ‘Employees’ and ‘Civil Society Organisations’. The term of office of EESC members is five years. The EESC has 12 members from the Czech Republic. Lucie Studničná is the chair of the EESC’s ‘Employees’ group.
For more information, visit the EESC website.
EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) brings together 93 national organizations from 41 European countries and 10 European sectoral federations. The ETUC’s members are organizations from the countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, countries preparing to join the EU and some other countries. The ETUC thus represents the interests of around 45 million members. We have been a full member of the ETUC since December 1995.
The ETUC was founded in 1973 at its founding congress in Brussels. It is recognized by the European Union, the Council of Europe and the European Free Trade Association as the only representative cross-sectoral trade union organization at the European level.
Our membership of the European Trade Union Confederation makes us part of the European social dialogue, which is conducted at both sectoral and inter-sectoral level. At the intersectoral level, the European social dialogue is conducted on a bipartite basis between the following organizations: the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), BusinessEurope, SGI Europe (formerly CEEP) and SMEunited. At the sectoral level, the European sectoral federations of trade unions and employers participate in the negotiations.
The ETUC main objective is to promote the European social model, to develop a united, peaceful and stable Europe where workers and their families can fully enjoy human and civil rights and live in a high standard of living.
For more information, visit the ETUC website.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is the largest trade union federation in the world. It was formed on 1 November 2006 by the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL).
The main areas of activity and interest of the ITUC are trade unions, human rights, economy, society, working environment, equality, non-discrimination and international solidarity.
For more information, visit the ITUC website.
TRADE UNION ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE OECD
The Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international trade union organization with consultative status with the OECD. TUAC represents the views of the trade union movement at the annual meeting of the OECD Council of Ministers and at the regular meetings of OECD committees.
TUAC membership includes 58 trade union centers from OECD countries representing 50 million workers, as well as affiliates in Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa. TUAC operates a secretariat based in Paris. TUAC traces its origins back to the Trade Union Advisory Committee set up under the Marshall Plan in 1948. When the OECD was established in 1962, TUAC continued its work of representing trade union priorities in OECD policy-making.
TUAC’s main mission is to:
- influence the formulation of OECD policies and recommendations in areas that are most important to trade unions,
- help trade unions use OECD recommendations and data in their own efforts to influence national governments and employers,
- coordinate trade union involvement in the G7 and G20 together with the International Trade Union Confederation.
TUAC has three permanent working groups:
- Economic Policy
- Education and Skills
- Multinational enterprises
The working groups prepare TUAC’s positions for both the bi-annual TUAC members’ meetings (plenary sessions) and for consultations with the OECD. The working groups are open to all TUAC member organizations, international trade union federations and partner organizations.
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a global, specialized, tripartite organization whose main objective is to promote social justice and internationally recognized human and labor rights.
It was established on 11 April 1919 as a permanent agency of the Commonwealth of Nations in the framework of the Versailles Peace Process and was the first of the specialized international organizations to be admitted to the UN system in 1946. It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969.
The core mission of the ILO is:
- To formulate international policies and programmes for the promotion of fundamental human rights, the improvement of working and living conditions and the enrichment of employment opportunities,
- to establish international labor standards, which are also guaranteed by a unique way of supervising their application, serving as a guideline for national authorities in the implementation of this policy,
- to provide extensive programmes of international technical cooperation, formulated and implemented in active partnership with Member States, to assist countries in the effective practical implementation of this policy,
- to provide training, education, research and publish materials to assist in this effort.
For more information, visit the ILO website.
EUROPEAN PILLAR OF SOCIAL RIGHTS
The European Pillar of Social Rights is an initiative of the European Commission focusing on the social dimension of the EU. The pillar is based on the social objectives and social rights enshrined in EU primary law. The European Commission’s first outline proposes three main chapters:
- Equal opportunities and access to the labor market
- Fair working conditions
- Adequate and sustainable social protection
For more information click here.
News from our international activities:
Global Rights Index 2024: Labour rights have worsened also in Europe
The International Trade Union Confederation’s Global Rights Index 2024 provides a worrying insight into workers’ rights around the world. The report, now
Val Duchesse Summit towards the social dialogue
Trade unions and employers agreed yesterday on measures to end the deadlock in European social dialogue and better tackle common
Strike alert
Our trade unions representing employees in public services and administration have resolved that the appropriate response to the current progress of negotiations regarding salary increases for 2024 and 2025 is to declare a strike alert within the individual unions. After several requests to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, two meetings were held in June with the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs,
Global Rights Index 2024: Labour rights have worsened also in Europe
The International Trade Union Confederation’s Global Rights Index 2024 provides a worrying insight into workers’ rights around the world. The report, now in its eleventh year, captures the growing efforts by governments and companies to restrict workers’ fundamental rights and freedoms. In almost nine out of ten countries, the right to strike has been violated and in about eight out of ten
21st May Protest Cancelled
In the light of the events that took place yesterday in Slovakia and in view of the heated situation in the Czech Republic, we have decided to contribute to calming the situation by cancelling the demonstration planned for 21 May 2024. We are doing so after a discussion with our Slovak colleagues from the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak
Protest on 21 May at high noon
CMKOS and its affiliated trade unions have planned a protest on Tuesday 21 May 2024 against the changes to the Labour Code and pension arrangements by the current government. We will meet at 12 noon in Malostranské náměstí in Prague. We are protesting against Dismissals without giving a reason. Such a measure will help no one and may harm many. It is unacceptable