Following the success of the recent adoption of the Adequate Minimum Wage Directive, socialist ministers are now focusing on the Platform Work Directive
PES Employment and Social Affairs Ministers met online today to discuss the current and next set of priorities for the Socialist family.
After Socialists and Democrats scored a huge victory with the Adequate Minimum Wage Directive adopted only a week ago, PES Ministers remain mobilised and are ready to pick up the fight initiated by Commissioner Nicolas Schmit for the protection of platform workers.
The Directive Commissioner Schmit proposed a year ago aims at clarifying the status of platform workers either as employees or self-employed, at ensuring greater algorithm transparency and guaranteeing workers’ rights to redress against abusive employers. It would be a major step to ensure platform workers enjoy the same rights as other workers across Europe.
Since its publication, the proposed directive has triggered huge lobbying efforts against it from the platform economy’s giants.
Ana Mendes Godinho, Chair and Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Portugal, said:
“Now that the Minimum Wage Directive is finalised, the next fight we will have to lead for workers is the one of Platform Work. This file is crucial for the shaping of today’s and tomorrow’s labour markets and working conditions. We, as socialists and democrats are convinced that a business model branded as technological progress should not lead to lowering social standards. We are resolved to fight for the rights of all workers, against digital dumping.”
As MEP Elisabetta Gualmini and the S&D do in the European Parliament, PES Ministers push for an ambitious position to be adopted under the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU, for a Directive that brings fairness and ensures good working conditions in platform work.
The EPSCO Ministers also exchanged on other issues on the social agenda, notably the social impact of the energy crisis and the legislative process of the Pay Transparency Directive.
The meeting was attended by:
- Ana Mendes Godinho, Chair and Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Portugal
- Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, European Commission
- Ville Kopra, State Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Finland
- Rolf Schmachtenberg, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany
- Andrea Orlando, Minister of Labour and Social Policies, Italy
- Agnes Jongerius, Member of the European Parliament, The Netherlands
- Pedro Marques, Member of the European Parliament, Portugal
- Luca Visentini, General Secretary, ETUC
- Yonnec Polet, Secretary General, PES
