Commerce social partners reply jointly to undeclared work consultation
EuroCommerce and UNI Europa Commerce are of the opinion that the informal economy has a detrimental impact on working conditions as well as the competitiveness of businesses.
In their joint reply to the Commission’s consultation, EuroCommerce and UNI Europa Commerce encourage a better coordination of all the stakeholders such as social partners, public authorities, labour inspectorates, and regard the better understanding of the problem and a clear commitment to removing mechanisms encouraging unscrupulous employers to use undeclared work, as necessary. Better coordination can also serve actions aimed at the eradication of undeclared work.
It is important that social partners are fully involved in the discussions and take action where relevant with a view to achieve the objective of transforming undeclared work into regular employment
UNI Europa welcomes this joint position which will enable to fight jointly against unscrupulous employers and encourage more quality jobs in Commerce. However, the position does not go far enough in assessing the impact on working conditions of undeclared work on commerce workers. UNI Europa pleads for a more in-depth discussion on the implications for commerce and all affected categories of workers, based on concrete facts and figures not least in the framework of the dedicated Platform.
UNI Europa would like to emphasise that in labour intensive sectors, such as Commerce, the use of undeclared work is widespread. The Commerce sector is already characterised by low skilled, low wages, part-timers and more vulnerable categories of workers such as women and young people. As the first entry or re-entry point into the labour market, the Commerce sector is able to create jobs. However, especially, but no only, in times of economic recession, such unstable working environments could encourage unscrupulous employers to further use undeclared work. The consequences on working and living conditions are very dangerous: loss of income, risk of poverty and social exclusion.
You can find the joint reply of Commerce social partners to the Commission’s consultation on possible future EU measures to prevent and deter undeclared work in the Related Files tab.