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Parliamentary question - E-001295/2020Parliamentary question
E-001295/2020

Anti-labour measures in all EU Member States, including in the track-based transport sector

Question for written answer E-001295/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Kostas Papadakis (NI)

Anti-labour measures are spreading in EU Member States, including in the track-based transport sector. In Sweden, in particular, the transport sector is largely owned by private companies. The Swedish Social Democratic government's 2018-2029 National Rail Infrastructure Programme has adopted a harsh anti-labour stance with the aim of boosting corporate profits through the increased exploitation of workers. This has dealt a blow to the collective bargaining agreements and wages have been cut through the promotion of individual agreements struck with employers. Similar measures are being promoted to the detriment of workers’ rights, including their social insurance rights, in Greece and, more specifically, in the Athens Metro, as well as in the recently privatised OSE (Greek Railways), but also in France, in the state-owned railway company, the SNCF. The policy pursued by national governments seeks to promote the EU blueprint for liberalising the transport market, handing over transport infrastructure to business conglomerates and running state-owned companies along private economic lines. That is why this approach has been welcomed by the Commission in its country-by-country recommendations for 2019-2020 in the context of the European Semester.

In view of the above, will the Commission say how it views the fact that the promotion of its policy, and that of its governments, is undermining workers’ rights, including social security rights, in the track-based transport sector, which is gravely jeopardising the health and safety of workers and also passengers?

Last updated: 25 September 2020
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