We Work Europe

Now in autumn, the main season of tourism in Southern Europe is already over. 2023 was also a season massively marked by climate events: forest fires, drought, heavy rain. These effects were also felt during our visit to Portugal in May. So the future of tourism must become more sustainable. And that is not only good for nature, but also for workers. A visit to the Algarve in Portugal looks at how...

In order to fight inflation in the EU, the ECB has raised the key interest rate several times. But it is precisely these interest rate hikes that could have a negative impact on workers and small and medium-sized enterprises. In this episode we talk to experts from NGOs, trade unions and politicians about the rate hikes, the ECB's role, the impact of the rate hike and a possible downward spiral in...

This is the second episode of EZA's two-parter on due diligence and Europe's responsibility in in international supply chains. Almost exactly 10 years ago, the Rana Plaza textile factory in Bangladesh collapsed and claimed more than 1000 lives. Although this accident was not the first in a textile factory for international mass production, the circumstances and dimensions of the disaster drew atte...

Almost exactly 10 years ago, the Rana Plaza textile factory in Bangladesh collapsed and claimed more than 1000 lives. Although this accident was not the first in a textile factory for international mass production, the circumstances and dimensions of the disaster drew attention to the production of clothing and triggered a wide-ranging debate on grievances in the global textile industry. below-ave...

Before the war against Ukraine Moldova wasn’t on the radar of many people. This has changed dramatically. Since the Country has reached EU-Candidacy-status, EZA has reached out to trade unions there. In this episode of We Work Europe, you will get an impression of the challenges the small country has to face. It's about the influence of Russia, the state of social dialogue and the hope that a bett...

Dennis Radtke (EPP) and Agnes Jongerius (S&D) are members of the European Parliament. Although they are in different parties they agree when it comes to minimum wages. In fact, they have been working together as co-rapporteurs for the directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union: They were responsible for drawing up a report with amendment proposals to the Parliament’s Committee on Em...

KRIFA’s transition didn’t come out of the blue. In fact, they invested large sums into research. The findings seem to support KRIFA’s strategy as a service provider for a full work-life. There is one keyword which the Danes want to promote: Meaningfulness. Because they argue that having a meaningful job isn’t just good for your health but it’s also enriching society. In this episode you’ll find ou...

Since 2015 the Danish trade union KRIFA is in a huge transition. They want to reinvent themselves as a new service provider for well-being at work. However, many critics argue that KRIFA has given up what characterizes a trade union. The question remains how a labour organization can stay relevant in a country which has one of the highest developed social systems on earth. Time for a visit what co...

Four out of five goods are delivered to your home in a truck. Igor is one of those people driving a truck. He spends three months in the cabin of his vehicle in order to spend one week with his family in Kaunas, Lithuania. Igor is member of the trade union Solidarumas whose purpose is to assist drivers in need. In this episode you will listen to perspectives on road transportation from Igor, his f...

Christa Schweng is President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). This institution is a consultative body of the EU. It describes itself as a bridge between Europe and organized civil society. In the interview we talked about the impact of the war in Ukraine on the EESC, about the role of youth in the EU and about the conference on the future of Europe.

Bulgaria’s population is shrinking. For decades people at working age are emigrating the country in hope for better working conditions and higher wages abroad. Some sectors like healthcare are dearly needed, yet the payments there stay on a low level. Protests increase, while trade unions like Podkrepa, a member of the EZA network, try to negotiate between workers, employers and the government. An...

It’s something, that makes the EU unique. Its sophisticated design of the welfare state protects us from the risks of life such as unemployment, illness, and aging. Some people argue it’s too expensive and its funding inhibits economic growth. Scientists from HIVA and EUROFOUND would strongly disagree. In this episode, we’ll find out that the contrary is true. The welfare state is an economic and...

Millions of products are just a mouse click away. It just takes us one or two days of waiting until we’ll get our product delivered by Amazon. It’s a comfortable system for us as customers. But how about the people working there? In this episode, we talk to Ellen Reese and Jake Alimahomed-Wilson who published a book about Amazon’s system: The Cost of Free Shipping – Amazon in the Global Economy. W...

England is the motherland of industry and workers as we know them. Especially the north of the country is very proud of this heritage. However, due to Brexit and deregulation, times get harder and harder for workers. We’ll travel to the EZA-member St. Antony’s Centre in Manchester and Blackpool to find out how Brexit has dramatically affected social cohesion in the UK.