Actions

EKA participated in a training course on Occupational Health and Safety at Work organised by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) on behalf of the European Capital Trade Unions Network (ECTUN).  In the course participated also TU’s  such as CCOO and UGT Madrid, CGIL, CISL and UIL Rome and Lazio, CGT, UNSA and CFDT Paris, CGTP/IN Lisbon, GWU Valletta-Malta, FH Hovendstadten Copenhagen and CATUB Belgrade.

In addition participated as speakers researchers from the European TU Institute and the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin).

ΕΚΑ was represented by the President Elias Gkioulakis and the Head of the Department of International Relations and Environment and Head of ECTUN network Dr Christina Theochari.

In interventions in the working groups and in the plenary session, issues concerning the working conditions of workers in our country were presented, stressing that OHS has followed in recent years the general decline in the protection of labour rights and collective bargaining, which contributes to the creation of new areas of delinquency and employer arbitrariness, along with the underestimation of the necessary safety measures.

The results of a survey carried out by EKA on the subject were presented, which had shown that the deterioration in working conditions is due to the intensification of work, prolonged job insecurity, redundancies and unemployment, which are debilitating for workers. At the same time, reference was made to the areas with the highest rates of occupational accidents occurring in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle repair, construction and transport and storage. Reference was also made to the high rate of work-related road accidents, and that around 30% of all work-related accidents occur in companies and workers operating in the Attica Region.

Similarly, problems and difficulties encountered by workers in working conditions in other capitals were presented by the participants.

In conclusion, the need to strengthen the intervention of the TUs  and the commitment of the state to implement legislation and combat arbitrariness was stressed by all. The network will then join in codifying the conclusions of the seminar for use by all its members.