The next Labour government will transform the workplace

Labour’s 20 point plan to end the ‘rigged economy’ in work

Labour is backing a comprehensive programme to strengthen rights
at work, make sure new jobs are good jobs, and end the race to the bottom in
pay, conditions and job security.

Low pay and insecurity have mushroomed under the Conservatives.
Labour will invest in the jobs and industries of the future, and take action to
enforce a floor under employment standards across the board – so that all jobs
are decent jobs.

The next Labour government will bring in a 20 point plan for
security and equality at work:

·  Give
all workers equal rights from day one, whether part-time or full-time,
temporary or permanent – so that all workers have the same
rights and protections whatever kind of job they have

·  Ban
zero hours contracts – so that every worker gets a guaranteed number of hours each
week

·  Ensure
that any employer wishing to recruit labour from abroad does not undercut
workers at home – because it causes divisions when one workforce is used against
another

·  Repeal
the Trade Union Act and roll out sectoral collective bargaining –
because the most effective way to maintain good rights at work is through a
trade union

·  Guarantee
trade unions a right to access workplaces – so that unions can
speak to members and potential members

·  Introduce
four new Bank Holidays – we’ll bring our country together with
new holidays to mark our four national patron saints’ days, so that workers in
Britain get the same proper breaks as in other countries.

·  Raise
the minimum wage to the level of the living wage (expected to be at least £10 per
hour by 2020) – so that no one in work gets poverty pay

·  End
the public sector pay cap – because public sector wages have
fallen and our public sector workers deserve a pay rise

·  Amend
the takeover code to ensure every takeover proposal has a clear plan in place
to protect workers and pensioners – because workers shouldn’t
suffer when a company is sold

·  Roll
out maximum pay ratios – of 20:1 in the public sector and
companies bidding for public contracts – because it cannot be right that wages
at the top keep rising while everyone else’s stagnates

·  Ban
unpaid internships – because it’s not fair for some to get a leg up when others
can’t afford to

·  Enforce
all workers’ rights to trade union representation at work – so
that all workers can be supported when negotiating with their employer

·  Abolish
employment tribunal fees – so that people have access to justice

·  Double
paid paternity leave to four weeks and increase paternity pay –
because fathers are parents too and deserve to spend more time with their new
babies

·  Strengthen
protections for women against unfair redundancy –
because no one should be penalised for having children

·  Hold
a public inquiry into blacklisting – to ensure that
blacklisting truly becomes and remains a thing of the past

·  Give
equalities reps statutory rights – so they have time to
protect workers from discrimination

·  Reinstate
protection against third party harassment – because everyone
deserves to be safe at work

·  Use
public spending power to drive up standards, including only awarding
public contracts to companies which recognise trade unions

·  Introduce
a civil enforcement system to ensure compliance with
gender pay auditing– so that all workers have fair access to employment and promotion
opportunities and are treated fairly at work

 John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said:

 “These policies will be the cornerstone of the next Labour
government’s programme to bring an end to the rigged economy that many
experience in workplaces across Britain.

“The scandal of six million people earning less than the living
wage, and four million children growing up in poverty are not inevitable. It
only takes a change of government to bring these outrages to an end.

“The measures we are planning will make that possible, update our
country for the 21st century and prepare us for the economic
challenges ahead.

“They will also underpin the values we want to see in the British
economy, and underline the scale of Labour’s plans to transform the workplace
from the shop-floor up to the boardroom.

“When voters go to the polls on 8th June they
should know that if they vote Labour, they will be voting for a change in the
balance of power not only in society but in their places of work.

“It will mean tearing up the Tory status quo that allows most
people’s wages to fall behind prices, and allow them to start to share in the
wealth they help to create.

“Only a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn will stand up for
the many in our offices and factories, while the Tories are only prepared to
protect big business and a wealthy few.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Secretary of State for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy, said:

“Labour’s 20 point plan on employment rights seeks not only
to extend the rights of workers but enforce them too. For too long people have
fallen through the gaps in the law or suffered because the law is simply
inadequate, we intend to stop this. This election offers a clear choice: do you
want a labour market run for the many or the few.”



Doorstep remarks by HR/VP Federica Mogherini upon arrival at the Special European Council (Art.50)

Brussels, 29 April 2017

I think that today we will send a very strong message of unity of the 27 Member States, as we did already in Rome on 25 March, 2017 celebrating not only 60 years of successful history of our European Union but also the future of our European integration.

We will discuss issues related to our future partnership with the UK only at a second stage, including foreign affairs and security policy. But I can tell you already that the Brexit will not affect significantly our global work. We will stay, even at 27 in the future, the first market in the world, the first trading partner for all in the world, the first humanitarian and development donor and also a very strong the security and defence provider.

The UK contributes not more than between 3 and 5% to our EU missions and operations in the world. So the impact I expect on that is not that relevant.

But we will aim at a strong partnership for the future relations in a second stage and I am confident we will continue to work closely together also in the future.

See the video on EbS  http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I137774



Joint Statement by President Juncker, Prime Minister Rajoy and Prime Minister Costa on the agreement reached concerning the Almaraz case

Following our meeting in Malta on 3 February and the amicable settlement of 21 February 2017, on the initiative of President Juncker, we have reached agreement on the Almaraz case. Our agreement relies solidly on a set of joint operational conclusions. These conclusions lay down the path for the implementation of the agreement and offer strong guarantees for all parties.

Thanks to the continued assistance and mediation by the European Commission in this process we have reached an agreement to the benefit of all of us. We commit to implement it faithfully.

In the spirit of good neighbourly relations all parties worked together constructively with the willingness to find pragmatic solutions. This is the European spirit of finding compromises for the smooth functioning of our common Union at its best.

We will make good on our shared endeavour to accelerate the work of the High-Level Group on Interconnections for the South West of Europe and we reiterate our strong will to further develop European interconnection projects linking our energy markets.

Background: The steps taken

Following a visit by the Portuguese authorities and senior representatives of the European Commission to the Almaraz site on 27 February 2017, the Spanish authorities shared a substantial amount of detailed information on the environmental and safety aspects of the project for a temporary spent fuel storage facility. The amount and the quality of the information allowed for the comprehensive evaluation of potential trans-boundary effects of the Almaraz temporary spent fuel storage facility.

On this basis, the Portuguese authorities organised a public consultation enabling the Portuguese public to access information on the project in the same way as the Spanish public.

The analysis by the Portuguese authorities resulted in a number of conclusions and recommendations in order to safeguard the concerns of Portugal regarding the potential transboundary effects of the temporary spent fuel storage facility in their territory. These recommendations were presented to the Spanish authorities and the European Commission services, which agreed with the issues raised. 

On view of the Portuguese report, the Spanish independent nuclear safety authority – the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) – informed that the measures the CSN will require from the operator will fully deal with the recommendations made.

In a reinforced spirit of cooperation, the parties have also agreed to continue exchanging information on the Almaraz temporary spent fuel storage facility. To this end, the Spanish authorities invited the Portuguese authorities to nominate representatives who will attend the annual information meeting organised in the Almaraz municipality informing the public on questions related to the operation of the Almaraz nuclear power plant. This invitation was accepted by the Portuguese authorities.

In addition, the Spanish authorities agreed to share with the Portuguese authorities any other relevant information about the temporary spent fuel storage facility to ensure access to information by both the Spanish and the Portuguese public.



Déclaration du porte-parole sur la décision dans le cadre du procès d’Hissène Habré

La chambre africaine extraordinaire d’assises d’appel a confirmé la peine d’emprisonnement à perpétuité pour des crimes contre l’humanité, crimes de guerre et torture infligée par la Chambre africaine extraordinaire d’assises à l’ancien Président tchadien, Hissène Habré, le 30 mai 2016 .

 Ce verdict en appel termine de manière définitive un procès historique, qui constitue un précédent important pour la justice internationale et la lutte contre l’impunité en Afrique mais aussi dans le monde.

Les autorités sénégalaises ont montré une réelle détermination pour mener à bien ce procès, de même que  les associations des familles de victimes et Human Rights Watch.

L’UE a constamment soutenu et contribué, aux côtés de l’Union Africaine, du Sénégal et du Tchad, à la tenue de ce procès.

Catherine Ray: 0032498969921



Commission statement on the management of flows of persons at the borders between Slovenia and Croatia

President Juncker met on 29 April in the margins of the European Council the Prime Ministers of Slovenia and Croatia, Miro Cerar and Andrej Plenković, on the management of flows of persons at the borders between Slovenia and Croatia and they stated the following:

“We had constructive talks in a solution-oriented spirit.

We agree that EU law reinforcing the controls at the Schengen borders and the security of our Union must be applied and implemented. In this context, we welcome the fact that Croatia will have full access to the Schengen Information System by 27 June 2017.

The Commission stands ready to and will assist Slovenia and Croatia in providing effective and non-bureaucratic short and long-term solutions for the implementation of the systematic checks at the borders. Slovenia and Croatia both consider the Commission’s technical guidelines as very helpful and as a very good basis for their further cooperation.

Slovenia and Croatia agree that they will notify the Commission – in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code – of the decision to carry out targeted checks whenever the waiting time at specified land border crossing points between the two countries is longer than 15 minutes.”