This session was part of the 5th UNI Europa Regional Conference, which was hosted by UNI-affiliated unions from the three trade union families of Belgium. Unions representing 7 million service sector workers from across Europe came together for the first virtual edition of the UNI Europa Regional Conference.
The success of national responses to Covid-19 has been in large part determined by the implementation of work-related measures. Many workplaces have shut down, others have stayed open but with major changes to how they are run. Working people have only been able to apply safety measures where they have been provided with the means to do so. Paid sick leave that covers self-confinement, income security throughout temporary layoff, addressing new risks that come up on the work floor, without these our societies would have been completely powerless. These measures do not happen on their own. The evidence is clear: wherever workers had a say over their conditions, safety measures were brought in faster and with more impact. Both countries and companies with higher collective bargaining coverage moved faster and more impactfully to contain the virus. When working people have a say, they use it to protect themselves as well as the communities they live in and serve.
Key topics: Essential workers, remote work, the aftermath of Covid-19, the gender discrepancy, social dialogue impact.
