02/12/2014 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
The rights to organise, to bargain collectively and to strike are fundamental rights that have come under threat in many Council of Europe member States in the context of the economic crisis and austerity measures, PACE’s Committee on Social Affairs warned today.
In fact, investing in social rights is an investment in the future, the parliamentarians said, and in order to build and maintain strong and sustainable socio-economic systems in Europe, social rights need to be protected and promoted.
Unanimously adopting the text prepared by Andrej Hunko (Germany, UEL), the committee called on Council of Europe member States to take measures to uphold the highest standards of democracy and good governance in the socio-economic sphere.
Such measures include protecting and strengthening the rights to organise, to bargain collectively and to strike, as well as ending financial and economic austerity policies and putting emphasis on pro-active investment policies, such as coordinated minimum levels of investment, stronger involvement of social partners and the promotion of decent work for all.
The report will be debated by the Assembly during its next plenary session (26-30 January 2015).