Our most fundamental rights & gains are at risk

Attack on collective work agreements (CWA), a slap in the face for employees! 

For years, the OGBL and the LCGB have been calling for a reform of the legal framework for collective work agreements

In order to increase the number of CWAs and negotiate more modern CWAs tailored to employees‘ needs and demands.

However, the Minister of Labour supports employers to render CWAs meaningless by:

  • reducing the mandatory content of CWAs to a strict minimum;
  • the possibility of negotiating CWAs that disadvantageously deviate from the labour law;
  • the possibility of negotiating CWAs without trade unions.

The Minister‘s plan, presented to the Standing Committee on Labour and Employment (CPTE) on 8 October 2024, is nothing less than a sell-out of employees‘ rights and achievements.

 Indeed, calling into question the right of trade unions tonegotiate and sign CWAs means:

  • calling into question all existing CWAs;
  • promoting CWAs without added value for employees;
  • calling into question all employees‘ legal rights and achievements.

For the Minister and the employers, the ideal CWA is one that:

  • sells off all the legal or extra-legal rights and achievements of employees that bother the employer;
  • enables the employer to come to terms with whoever is willing to sign CWAs that cost him nothing.

Clearly, neutral delegates, without the support of a nationally representative trade union, do not have the necessary bargaining power to defend and impose improvements on the employer. 

This reform is therefore afrontal attack on the most fundamental rights and achievements of all employees in Luxembourg!

It calls into questionall the trade union gainsin the CWAs:

  • salary scales
  • additional leave
  • 13th month
  • reduced working hours
  • participation in company profits
  • etc.

It jeopardises all the majorsocial advances that the unions have fought for:

  • automatic wage indexation
  • the social minimum wage
  • social security systems (health insurance, pensions and long-term care)
  • family benefits (child benefit, parental leave, etc.)
  • the 40-hour working week
  • statutory holidays and rest periods
  • etc.

 

The OGBL and the LCGB say NO to this scandalous policyaimed at destroying the social achievements of employees!

The OGBL and the LCGB are jointlycalling on all their staff representatives& activists to take part in a 1st awareness-raising and information action on 3rd December 2024 at 17:00 (the location will be announced shortly)

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