Giuseppe Palmisano on respect for workers' rights in Europe

European Committee of Social Rights publishes annual conclusions

6'37" 25 March 2019 Council of Europe Strasbourg

Countries across Europe are struggling to comply with their international legal obligations concerning rights for workers, according to the latest annual conclusions from the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR).

The ECSR, part of the 47-nation Council of Europe, has published 580 conclusions assessing compliance with the European Social Charter on issues including the right to reasonable working hours, fair pay and protection against harassment in 35 countries and territories (*) between 2013 and 2016.

In total, the committee adopted 276 conclusions of conformity (47.6%) and 206 findings of violations (35.5%). It was unable to assess the situation in 98 cases (16.9%) due to lack of information.

The conclusions finding the highest proportion of violations concerned the right of all workers to a reasonable period of notice for termination of employment (95.8%), the right of workers and employers to collective action, including the right to strike (73.3%), and rules limiting the scope for deductions from wages (64.3%).