News

15 000 trade union members took to the streets of Strasbourg yesterday, the day before the crucial vote of the European Parliament on the Working Time Directive. The slogan was ‘Priority to workers’ rights, not longer working hours’. It seems like the politicans listended to the voices of European workers.













Because today the rapporteur, Spanish socialist Alejandro Cercas, reached an absolute majority for his second reading report on the Working Time Directive. His amendments to the Council's common position from June this year were carried. In other words, the European Parliament said no to the individual opt-out and to defining inactive on-call time as not working time. It is a great initial victory for the European trade union movement and all the workers of Europe. Now the conciliation process with the Council will start with a strong European Parliament.







For more information about the Working Time Directive and the legislative process, contact UNI-Europa policy officer Nina Johansson (nina.johansson@uniglobalunion.org). The Cercas report is available here.