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23 May, 2000Europe's steelworkers make demands on the European Commission, Parliament and Member States.
EUROPE: May 25, 2000, has been proclaimed the first joint "Steel Action Day" for European steelworkers, with demonstrations organised in numerous production sites throughout Europe. As the 50-year-old European Coal and Steel Community Treaty expires in July 2002, workers want to see concrete steps taken to safeguard the European steel industry before this date.
According to the European Metalworkers' Federation, key demands being made by steelworkers are for:
- creation of binding and representative work structures, in which employers and workers can agree industrial, trade, research and social policy;
- commitment from the European Commission to consult employees and employers on all questions of industrial, research as well as social policy in the steel sector;
- inclusion of issues relating to protection of work, health and environment into research work for product and process innovation;
- retention of the code on subsidies to protect the European steel industry from unfair competition, with binding environment and social standards being enforced;
- strengthening of the instruments for forecasting future development, with information and consultation through the European Commission becoming more effective;
- extension of social policy measures to accompany any necessary restructuring steps in the sector and affected regions;
- increasing the number of skill-raising and training programmes, to ensure development of human resources in this sector.
According to the European Metalworkers' Federation, key demands being made by steelworkers are for:
- creation of binding and representative work structures, in which employers and workers can agree industrial, trade, research and social policy;
- commitment from the European Commission to consult employees and employers on all questions of industrial, research as well as social policy in the steel sector;
- inclusion of issues relating to protection of work, health and environment into research work for product and process innovation;
- retention of the code on subsidies to protect the European steel industry from unfair competition, with binding environment and social standards being enforced;
- strengthening of the instruments for forecasting future development, with information and consultation through the European Commission becoming more effective;
- extension of social policy measures to accompany any necessary restructuring steps in the sector and affected regions;
- increasing the number of skill-raising and training programmes, to ensure development of human resources in this sector.