The European Parliament called for stronger action on fair pay, collective bargaining and protection during extreme weather on Wednesday. Lawmakers approved their position on employment-policy guidelines, setting priorities for governments without creating new enforceable rights for workers.
The position passed by 434 votes to 212, with 23 abstentions. Finnish rapporteur Li Andersson (Left) said employment policies must help tackle exclusion and protect Europe’s social model. “In uncertain times, it is crucial that our social model is future-proof,” she said.
Existing pay protections need to deliver
The report calls for implementation of the EU’s Minimum Wage and Pay Transparency Directives, according to The Left’s statement after the vote. It also supports collective bargaining and workers’ organisations, alongside action to close gender pay and pension gaps. The emphasis is on making existing protections deliver results through national employment policies.
The report also calls for better protection for people working during extreme weather. Separately, the Commission is preparing its Quality Jobs Act. On Monday, Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu said it could require employers to assess risks from extreme weather and work-related stress and plan how to address them. The final proposal is still being prepared.
From European priorities to national action
The Council, representing national governments, will adopt the guidelines after consulting Parliament. Under the EU treaties, governments must take them into account when shaping employment policies and report on their actions. The guidelines do not themselves give workers new rights they can enforce against an employer.
In uncertain times, it is crucial that our social model is future-proof.
— Li Andersson, proposal Rapporteur
The challenge of turning European priorities into practical improvements has drawn criticism from trade unions. In a January submission on the Quality Jobs Act, the European Trade Union Confederation said the European Semester could help monitor job quality and support enforcement, but currently “falls far short of that promise”. It called for binding legislation to address gaps in job quality. That criticism concerns the wider coordination process, which includes employment guidelines, and predates Wednesday’s vote.
Parliament’s position now heads to governments. Its demands combine enforcement of existing pay legislation with broader priorities on equality, bargaining and safer work. Whether those priorities change everyday conditions will depend on national implementation and the separate legislative proposals that follow.
