DECENT WORK FOR PRECARIOUS WORKERS IN EU 27 ACTRAV, 2011

Why project? Pilot project to encourage conversion of precarious work into work with rights; Requested by the European Parliament; Labour markets in Member States are changing; More and more workers in precarious employment, limited/ no social rights

Definition PRECARIOUS WORK should be considered in the widest sense as covering all types of employment relationships which are atypical in the sense that they differ from the open-ended, full-time employment contract, in particular part-time contracts, fixed-term contracts, zero hour contracts and temporary agency work. Undeclared work in the meaning of paid, lawful activities that are not declared to the public authorities is also to be considered as a type of precarious work. Those among the self-employed who are in fact bogus self-employed or are economically dependent workers in spite of their being formally self-employed are covered as well.

Identification of a problem Division of the labour market between permanently employed ‘insiders’ vs. precariously employed ‘outsiders’ Precarious work is a growing phenomenon in the EU 27 Further emphasized during the economic and financial crisis

Challenges for TUs Organise precarious workers Represent precarious workers’ interests in social dialogue Protect precarious workers’ rights through collective agreements

Partnership ITC-ILO Programme for Workers’ Activities ETUC EC/ DG Employment, Social Affairs and Integration

Development Objective Increased institutional capacity of ETUC affiliates to engage in more effective representation and protection of precarious workers

Specific objectives Improved understanding of precarious work; Improved knowledge of measures recently adopted in Member States to extend the rights of precarious workers; Promotion of transnational cooperation among trade unions and dissemination of best practices on organizing and recruitment of precarious workers and the protection of their rights through collective agreements and through other outcomes of bipartite and tripartite social dialogue

Target groups The project is addressed to ETUC affiliates in EU 27 and sectoral trade unions affiliated to European Industry Federations (i.e. EMF, EFBWW…), more specifically to experts in charge of precarious work at different levels of trade union organization

Training Activities Course on Decent Work for Precarious Workers Seminar on Young Precarious Workers Seminar on Migrant Precarious Workers Final Conference on Conversion of Precarious Work into Work with Rights

Other Activities Survey on decent work for precarious workers European Precarious Work Web Portal

Expected results Report on the effects of the economic and financial crisis on precarious work of migrant, domestic and young workers and measures taken in EU member states to improve their rights; European Precarious Work web portal containing a collection of case studies/ best practice in transformation of precarious work in work with rights; European network of 100 trained precarious work experts in workers’ organizations, Training materials on precarious work.

Thank you ! ACTRAV – ITC-ILO Project team: Giacomo Barbieri, project manager Evelin Toth, activity manager Daniela Ciot, course assistant Chiara Garbero, course assistant Kristin Carls, expert