In a draft resolution adopted today, the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) expressed its concern with regard to the “lower significance and changing role of trade unions” which “could further increase currently widening social and economic inequalities”.
While insisting on “the need for a strong social dialogue, based on a healthy balance of power, an open and trustful dialogue and full respect of international standards”, the Committee called in particular member States to “ratify and fully implement the European Social Charter and its Additional Protocol Providing for a System of Collective Complaints”.
The Committee called furthermore upon member States to “co-operate closely in designing modern labour market policies and institutions, capable of continuously adapting to socio-economic changes”.
The draft resolution, based on a report by Ögmundur Jónasson (Iceland, UEL) is due to be debated during the 1st part of the 2017 ordinary session of the Assembly in Strasbourg, in January 2017.
