Global Challenges

Introduction

The last 50 years have seen an enormous change in our markets and our working conditions but the system has stayed relatively the same. Now we have to adapt the system to the modern working world, especially in the last few years due to the Covid Pandemic and the Ukraine war. 

The pandemic caused a huge call for home office, better working conditions and more mental health care in various sectors. The average working hours are often too long in terms of efficient productivity. People working in the health sector are not able to work fully focused and concentrated for so many hours. The EU must discuss the four-day week now, in order to have benefits for both sides and to decrease the risk of developing mental and physical illnesses.

In addition, the unemployment rate in some EU member countries is unacceptable. However, we still don't have enough specialised workers in many sectors. That’s why we need immigrants and refugees. Moreover, many of them live in inhumane conditions. We simply cannot accept that immigrants and refugees have to wait many years to get their asylum status. How can they be integrated without the chance to work? Besides immigration, emigration is also a significant issue in the EU. Brain drain and the exploitation of universities in other EU countries must be discussed and regulated. We all live together in a community, but it won't work if we don´t work together.

Demands

• shorten waiting periods for asylum seekers and immigrants with work ambitions
• take measures against the brain drain
• equal work, equal pay!
• implement and accept the right to work-life balance 
• implement the four-day week
• decrease unemployment, “the tumor” of our modern working world
• raise awareness of mental health problems
• stop inflation - preserve the value of our money!
• strengthen workers´ right to complain, especially in unions
• oblige companies to compensate workers who suffer from work-related illnesses