European trade union charter on tourism calls for labour rights

14 October 2009

Last week the European trade union movement launched a charter outlining the main challenges facing tourism workers and emphasising the importance of decent work and trade union rights.

The charter, which was launched at the European Tourism Forum on 9 October in Brussels, Belgium, underlines not only the need for quality employment, but also for respect for workers’ and trade union rights and social dialogue. It also calls for equal treatment for mobile and migrant workers and for proper information and consultation with unions in cases of outsourcing, subcontracting, restructuring and capital investment in travel, transport and tourism companies.

It stresses that the sustainable development of tourism can only be achieved when the social dimension is taken into account, as the quality of services depends largely on employment conditions and workers’ qualifications and motivation.

The charter was put forward by the European Trade Union Liaison Committee (ETLC), which provides European and global trade union federations, including the ITF and its European arm, the European Transport Workers’ Federation, with a platform through which to represent workers in the tourism sector.

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