Main News

2017-06-08 12:00

June 20 will see the next edition of CESI’s event series ‘CESI@noon’ with a lunchtime panel debate on ‘European Pillar of Social Rights: Phrase-mongering or real social progress?’ Registration to the event, which will be held jointly together with the Bertelsmann Stiftung, is now open.

2017-05-30 12:00

After a tumultuous year, that has proven to be challenging on many levels, CESI would like to take the opportunity to recall the many achievements that have been fulfilled throughout the European project on this day of Robert Schuman’s historic declaration. CESI has always and will continue to advocate for a stronger Europe, not only for its institutions, but for the benefit of its workers and citizens.

2017-05-23 12:00

Today, CESI’s Trade Council ‘Education, Training and Research’ (EDUC) held its constitutive meeting after CESI’s Congress in December last year. Following the elections of the trade council presidency and vice-presidency for the legislative term until 2020, the trade council, as CESI’s internal members’ committee for deliberation and positioning on EU education policies, discussed some of CESI’s most pressing European priorities that concern the teachers and educators that CESI represents.

2017-05-23 12:00

On May 12, CESI’s Spanish member CSI-F (Central Independent and Public Employees’ Trade Union) and CESI’s Board member of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), Carmen Jaffke, called on the Spanish government to end the gender pensions gap in the country.

2017-05-22 12:00

On last week Thursday, May 18, the Belgian Syndicat Independant pour Cheminots (SIC), an affiliate of CESI’s member organisation UNSP (Union Nationale des Services Publics), won a landmark case at the Belgian Constitutional Court which will strengthen the rights of independent trade unions in social dialogue and strike instances in Belgium.

2017-05-12 12:00

On May 4, the first meeting of a newly created internal network of legal experts took place at CESI in Brussels, bringing together expert jurists from member organisations of CESI in five European countries: Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Germany and Turkey.

2017-05-01 12:00

The current challenges for the EU are numerous – on today’s Labour Day it is time to recall what is the essence of the EU that is meant to keep us all together. The gap between the EU and the citizens must at least be reduced, and the glue that may keep the EU going is solidarity – solidarity among workers, between workers and those excluded from the labour market, as well as within and between Member States. And: Solidarity also refers to investing in people! That is CESI’s leitmotiv.

2017-04-28 12:00

Today is World Day for Safety and Health at Work. Initiated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2003 as an annual day to commemorate the victims of occupational diseases and accidents, concerns over health and safety for workers remain to the day. CESI takes the occasion of this year’s World Day to recall the fundamental importance of occupational heath and safety for all.

2017-04-26 12:00

Today, the European Commission presented a long-awaited set of measures to improve the EU’s social dimension. Under the heading ‘European Pillar of Social Rights and accompanying initiatives’, the European Commission issued 20 principles to guide the future of employment and social affairs. While these principles are not legally binding or directly enforceable targets, there are a number of accompanying legislative proposals, most notably in the area of work-life balance. In a first reaction, the CESI leadership expressed cautious optimism about the European Commission’s proposals.

2017-04-25 12:00

At the 2017 Annual Convention for Inclusive Growth (ACIG) on Monday this week, the European Commission discussed with civil society and trade union organisations how to create better opportunities for disadvantaged young people to participate in societal life and access the labour market. CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski spoke as a rapporteur on the outcomes of a workshop on ‘Opening up quality pathways for young people’.

2017-04-24 12:00

A commentary by Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI, in response to the first round of the French presidential elections yesterday.

2017-03-31 12:00

A personal commentary by Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI, in response to the submission of the ‘Brexit letter’ by the UK government to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, earlier this week.

2017-03-29 12:00

Social Platform, CESI and Eurodiaconia call on the European Union and Member States to honour their Rome pledge for a social Europe by reforming European Economic Governance and supporting social investment.

2017-03-24 12:00

In advance of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties on March 25, the Presidium of the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI) has adopted a resolution on the need of a real social dimension as the key to a successful EU.

2017-03-22 12:00

In commemoration of the Brussels bombings today one year ago, CESI President Romain Wolff and Secretary General Klaus Heeger pay tribute to the victims of the attacks and insist on a continued and united fight against radicalisation and terrorism.