News/Press

The European Trade Union Confederation and the European Disability Forum join forces to combat discrimination at work

A declaration adopted last week-end in Lisbon by the two European organisations identifies the challenges ahead and the measures to be taken for the increased integration of disabled people in the workplace.

Lisbon, 29 October 2007 – Over the last week-end, representatives from the European trade unions and the European disability movement have met in Lisbon to agree on the milestones of a structured long-term cooperation. This was the third time that the leaders from the two movements have met, in the framework of a fertile dialogue already initiated in 2001. Nevertheless, the Lisbon conference brings a new impetus to the existing cooperation between the two, as for the first time, through the adoption of a joint declaration, a concrete work programme was established for the years to come.

The declaration aims to promote the employment and vocational training for disabled people in the workplace, still largely excluded from the labour force and facing unemployment two to three times more than non-disabled people. It also identifies the main areas of work and priorities for the next years in which the social partners and organisations of disabled people will work hand in hand, highlighting the need to maintain a permanent dialogue, both at European and national level, which will lead to tangible results.

For ETUC and EDF, the main challenges concern the proper implementation, in all the Member States, of the European non-discrimination Directive on Employment; a greater awareness for a qualitative and quantitative integration of disabled people into the labour market; the rapid ratification of the United Nations Convention in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which explicitly recognises the right to work; better prominence of disability concerns in social partner’s agreements at EU level, including future expected ones on people excluded from the labour market and lifelong learning; and finally, the adoption of a comprehensive disability legislation at EU level tackling discrimination beyond employment, a campaign that both organisations have been pushing forward since 2003.

The Lisbon conference was organised with the support of the European Commission and the active involvement of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union. The full text of the Declaration can be downloadable at:
http://cms.horus.be/files/99909/MediaArchive/pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Projet%20de%20déclaration%20commune%20de%20la%20CES%20et%20du%20FEHP_EN%20FINAL.pdf
  
For more information, please contact: Helena González-Sancho Bodero, EDF Communication and Press Officer; Mobile phone: (+ 32 ) 485 64 39 93; E-mail: communication@edf-feph.org; Henry Lourdelle, ETUC Advisor; Tel: + 32 2 224 04 50; email: HLOURDEL@ETUC.ORG

The European Disability Forum (EDF) is the European umbrella organisation representing the interests of 50 million disabled citizens in Europe. EDF membership includes national umbrella organisations of disabled people from all EU/EEA countries, as well as European NGOs representing the different types of disabilities, organisations and individuals committed to disability issues. The mission of the European Disability Forum is to ensure disabled people full access to fundamental and human rights through their active involvement in policy development and implementation in Europe.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) was set up in 1973 to promote the interests of working people at European level and to represent them in the EU institutions. The ETUC’s objective is an EU with a strong social dimension that safeguards the wellbeing of all its citizens. The ETUC is one of the European social partners and is recognised by the European Union, by the Council of Europe and by EFTA as the only representative cross-sectoral trade union organisation at European level.