News

On Tuesday, 28 May 2013, FGTB and CSC with the support from their European Trade Union federations and confederations, UNI Europa, ETUC, EFBWW, EPSU, and EFFA, organise a day of action in front of the building of the Directorate General (DG) for the Internal Market of the European Commission located at Spa street, 1000 Brussels, and requesting that EU rules on public procurement fully respect workers.



The European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament are currently discussing the revision of the directive on public procurement. European trade unions are worried. Indeed, the current rules on public procurement are pushing governments to outsource activities such as cleaning, security, construction and catering, only considering the price in their choice of sub-contractors. This logic pushes for accrued competition between subcontracting firms at the expense of quality and working conditions.



The concrete and direct results of this logic, which leads to abnormally low tenders and subcontracting abuses, are extremely harmful to both workers and public budgets: job losses, reduced working hours, unbearable work rhythm and flexibility, unpaid wages and often massive fraud. This affects areas that represent hundreds of thousands of workers in Europe.



That is why the Belgian Trade Unions, FGTB and CSC, as well as European Trade Unions, wish to voice the workers’ concerns and organise a symbolic action on Tuesday, 28 May from 10am to 13pm in front of the premises of DG Internal Market. This action aims towards the defence of public procurement rules that prioritise the respect of workers' rights, so that we put an end to lowest price bidding, and thus help foster quality work, respect for collective agreements and social criteria.



The Day of Action will bring together 250 workers from a wide range of sectors, including cleaning, private security, and catering. These workers, which are the first concerned by the future rules under discussion, and without whom the European institutions could not function, will vote on a "Directive of workers" that meets their needs and concerns. FGTB, CSC, and European Trade Union leaders will then meet with the Director General of DG Internal Market, John Faull, and a representative of the Cabinet of Commissioner Michel Barnier, to transmit them this directive, which is the choice of the concerned workers.



Unionists hope that through their action the European Commission, the Council, and the Parliament will take into consideration the impact that the European reform will have on the lives of workers in Europe.



Additional information on the Day of Action, our demands and previous activities can be found in the related files tab.