✊ Standing up with workers on Labour Day | Your PES Group Newsletter
📢 Workers' Rights are Human Rights!
Today marks the International Labour Day: a day that commemorates worker’s rights and their fight for weekends, better working conditions, and shorter working days. Thanks to the action taken by workers and trade unionists over many years, millions of people have won fundamental rights and protections.
However, the recent crisis, the climate emergency and digital transition have challenged our social protection systems. From the rights of platform workers to the working conditions in the early childhood education and care sector, progressives leaders are fighting against social injustice on the ground. Scroll down to learn about the five ways we stand up for workers' rights and three facts about Labour Day you should know. 👇👇👇
📢 3 facts about Labour Day you should know
- On 1st May 1886, around 400 000 employees participated in strikes across the United States to call for the 8-hour workday, marking the anniversary of the International Workers' Day (or Labour Day). In 1890, the demand for shorter working hours as well as the wave of strikes swapped to Europe and 1st of May developed into an annual day devoted to the fight for workers' rights.
- International Workers' Day is a public holiday and is celebrated in more than 60 countries. Every country has its own traditions for celebrating the 1st May, but usually there are parades by trade unions, demonstrations, or festivities to thank workers.
- Labour Day takes place on a Monday so that employees can enjoy a three-day weekend.
💪 5 ways we fight for workers' rights 💪
🚵♀️ Platform Economy: protection of workers’ rights must come first!
Platform workers deserve the same rights as everyone else: fair wages and decent working conditions. We must make sure that digital platforms respect fundamental rights and social regulations instead of promoting precariousness, exacerbating wage differences and increasing inequalities. ➡️ Listen to this podcast with our rapporteur Yonnec Polet.
💶 Minimum Income: a strong safety net for a life with dignity
Against the backdrop of rising living costs and growing inequality, we must make sure that our safety nets are up to the task. Cities and regions are piloting minimum income projects, such as for the most deprived neighborhoods, thereby building a more inclusive and fairer Europe from the ground. Our rapporteur Anne Karjalainen has more. ⤵️
👨🏭 Minimum wages: guaranteeing decent pay for all
The contribution to low-income workers to our societies, as evidenced during the COVID-19 crisis, deserves recognition, but, above all, concrete action. There is an urgent need to tackle in-work poverty and the downward spiral of unhealthy labour cost competition. We need proper wages and equal pay for equal work, argues our rapporteur Peter Kaiser. ⤵️
👩⚕️ We Do Care: Urgent call for a directive on quality long-term care
The working conditions, prestige and remuneration of workers in the early childhood education and care sector - 90% of which are women - must be significantly improved in order to ensure that care is the best possible and provided by qualified staff. Our rapporteur Heinrich Dorner shares concrete suggestions on what can be improved.
👍 No one is unemployable: let’s fight long-term unemployment!
No one is unemployable when jobs are tailored to people's skills. We need a participatory, inclusive approach at the local level to fight long-term unemployment, and progressive cities and regions can lead the way. ➡️ Learn how from our rapporteur Yonnec Polet.
📚 Time to dig in with FEPS
📢 Take action!
Let's meet today at La Maison du Peuple (Bruxelles)!
For the Bruxellois among our readers, you are kindlyinvited to celebrate the 1st May in a European spirit in La Maison du Peuple, in Saint Gilles with our political family! This event will start at 10:00 a.m. Are you involved in any activities in your city? Tag us on social media @PES_CoR and we will relay the information! ➡️ More info
❤️ Progressive Local Stories ❤️
We love sharing what progressive cities and regions do, as they can inspire many others with their stories. This month, we bring you the stories of our members Joško Klisović from Zagreb, Croatia, and Tom Jungen, from Roeser, uxembourg, who declared their cities a #SafePlace4Women. From capital cities to small municipalities, every place can make a difference! Will yours be next? ➡️ Check out our campaign!
What’s coming next?
🙌 Progressives shaping the future of our cities
On 14 June, join our event on Our cities, our future – repairing the urban fabric organised at the invitation of PES Group members Rudi Vervoort and Pascal Smet alongside the Brussels Urban Summit to discuss the future of our cities. Do you have best practices to share? ➡️ Take part in our survey.
🗓️ Join us for EuroPcom on 26-27 June!
EuropCom, the largest annual European conference for experts in public communication takes place from 26-27 June this year and the main topic is EU democracy! Check out the programme and sign up here.