The European Union has failed to correctly respond to the social, economic and political challenges created by liberalisation, deregulation, privatisation and globalisation. These policies have not only led to increased exploitation of European workers but also to the political alienation of European citizens, which has lead to increased support for authoritarian right-wing parties.
The revitalisation of trade unionism and increased worker power in the workplace is necessary to curb this rise and give workers a voice over decisions that affect them. Strong trade unions, substantive social dialogue, and workplace democracy are essential to meet these challenges and to block the growth of far-right parties. European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) outlines its demands for a new deal for transport and its workers and calls on candidates for EU election to commit to and support these demands during their mandate and in their work.
Ahead of the 2024 European elections, ETF have launched their manifesto ‘A New Deal for Fair Transport’, a comprehensive series of critical demands aimed at reshaping the transport sector in Europe to ensure fairness, safety, and respect for all transport workers. This manifesto is a call to action to all candidates for the EU election and European political parties to commit to these demands, advocating for a fair and just Europe that places transport workers at the forefront of its policies.
The ETF and its affiliates will be meeting policymakers, candidates, and citizens to discuss and mobilise around this document. The goal is to put transport and transport workers at the centre of the debates in the months until the European Elections of 2024.
View the full ETF Manifesto “A New Deal for Fair Transport” here.
Key Highlights of the Manifesto
Role of transport for society is often ignored by European and national policy-makers
This results in poor governance, ineffective oversight, lack of coherence between policies, and no systematic and strategic vision for the future of transport and its workers.
Transport policies focus too often on liberalising transport markets, lowering costs, and forcing competition into transport and related sectors
Competition in transport, when based on driving down costs and undermining wages and working conditions, has not led to efficiency gains but has rather led to increased ineffectiveness in transport while also putting a downward pressure of wages and safety. These policies are the fundamental cause of the acute systemic and existential crisis in transport - a shortage of decent jobs!
Transport must be an inclusive sector reflecting the diversity of European society
The vision of European transport workers is a vision of Fair Transport that actively supports all transport workers, especially the young, women, black transport workers, transport workers of colour and ethnic and religious minorities, migrant transport workers, LGBT+ transport workers, and transport workers with disabilities, and support a higher number of women to work and remain working in the transport sector.
Vertical integration has expanded throughout transport
This has developed an imbalanced power-dynamic, where fewer transport companies are able to enforce their demands on national governments and dictate the present and the future of European transport and transport work.
Ongoing climate emergency demands urgent action
A Green Transition is only feasible if it overcomes social and political injustice and ensures fair distribution of emissions and resources. Therefore, above all, a green transition must be just. It must build an economy that is fair and inclusive and must ensure that the opportunities and costs are shared equitably. This can be best achieved through substantive social dialogue and collective bargaining agreements that ensure and promote decent work and working conditions, leaving no area or person behind.
Digitalisation and automation are already changing work, threatening disruptive changes
The present trajectory of company-led and profit-oriented digitalisation and automation promise to intensify work, increase worker surveillance, and lead to greater socio-economic disparities between workers and regions. Technologies must uphold and reinforce decent work.
The digitalisation and automation of our society has the potential to increase employment, decrease work intensity and workload, and bring about social benefits for workers and citizens. Digitalisation and automation must be worker-led and people-centred for this to occur.
Promoted by European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF)
