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450 people had signed up for the conference including 100 trade unions representing both old and new member states.



UNI Europa Commerce was very well represented next to the DGB, OEGB, CFTC confederations. Vice President Ulrich Dalibor delivered a strong message, pointing out that increased liberalisation will lead to a deterioration of working conditions. He considered further deregulation of shop opening hours to be poison to the European commerce worker.



Newly appointed EU Commissioner László Andor (Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) encouraged the social partners to take part in the review of the Working Time Directive. The first stage consulation regarding the revision was launched the dame day therefore giving the social partners 6 weeks to respond.



Mr Andor stressed, that there were serious health issues to be considered and the debate on work/life- balance should be at the heart of the review process.

EU-Commissioner Mr László Andor and MEP Thomas Mann

He furthermore stated there had been a development to de-standardise working time in order to make people work 24/7, not allowing for Sunday as a work free day and late night work too. Members often would use the subsidiarity principle to defend their way of handling the working time issue, but the way the issue had developed necessitated common guidelines.



A good reason for this was delivered by Françoise Nicoletta (FEC FO) who denounced the new French legislation which creates discrimination between workers.



The conference was a result of the Free-Sunday Alliance, representing trade unions, churches and civil society, and with Thomas Mann(MEP) as instigator.



You can read more at: http://www.free-sunday.eu/en

View from the podium during the conference