News October 17, 2025 Union leaders unlawfully dismissed in Serbia – European federations call on authorities to take immediate action Yesterday, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) sent a joint letter to Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Đuro Macut, urging them to urgently intervene in the recent dismissal of two leaders of the Sindikat kontrole letenja (SKL) – the trade union representing air traffic controllers in Serbia.
News October 17, 2025 ETF-ELA Conference: Europe must modernise social security for transport workers The European Labour Authority (ELA) dedicated 2025 to workers’ social security and the ETF has been happy to contribute to it, most recently by organising a two-day conference with the agency. Bringing together 24 ETF affiliates from 14 countries, 12 national authorities, as well as lawyers, policy experts, and representatives from the European Commission, we collectively shed light on one of the most urgent issues facing Europe’s transport workforce: the lack of effective and fair social security coverage.
News October 16, 2025 Urgent letter from the European Trade Union Confederation and the European Transport Workers’ Federation Urgent letter from the European Trade Union Confederation and the European Transport Workers’ Federation: We are writing to you on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), representing 45 million workers from 94 national trade union confederations across 42 European countries, including Serbia, and 10 European Trade Union Federations, as well as of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the voice of 5 million workers in transport from over 150 trade unions in 38 European countries.
News October 16, 2025 EU Court Backs Denmark’s Cabotage Restrictions in Landmark Social Dumping Case In a significant ruling for transport workers, the European Court of Justice has sided with Denmark in upholding restrictions on foreign bus operators conducting cabotage services within Danish borders. The decision, which dismisses the European Commission’s challenge to Denmark’s 2019 regulations, represents a major victory in the ongoing battle against social dumping in the transport sector.
News October 16, 2025 Airlines missing the point on competitiveness: is it deliberate shortsightedness? Earlier this week, ETF and aviation workers across Europe were surprised by the new airlines’ call for EU reforms for a competitive aviation sector, issued by the lobbying organisation Airlines for Europe (A4E). Although workers certainly agree with the need to boost the economic performance of European carriers, we believe that this statement misses that intent almost entirely.
News October 10, 2025 ETF Logistics Action Days: Istanbul Workshop Demands Action to Fix Broken Sector The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) concluded its EU co-funded “Delivering Fair Transport for All” logistics project with a powerful workshop in Istanbul, Turkey, as part of its Logistics Action Days campaign. The event brought together 80 trade unionists, workers’ representatives, and academic experts from across 10 countries to address the mounting pressures facing the logistics sector.
page Summer Delays and Cancellations: Aviation Workers’ Perspective Summer is here – and so is a sharp increase in air traffic. Yet again, we see a rise in flight delays and cancellations due to the structural limitations of the European aviation system. Air traffic management (ATM), in particular, is put in the spotlight, deprived of resources to ensure fluid and punctual operations without compromising on the necessary levels of safety. Meanwhile, airlines and institutions have started their usual blame game.
Publication EU Land Transport Labour Market: A Critical Examination of Trends and Policy Implications Two years ago, the ETF launched a project to look in more detail at the roots of the above trends. Three reports – on road, rail and urban public transport were developed within the frame of the project to cast light on how liberalisation and market-opening policies led to undesirable effects that put at stake the very goals and objectives set by the same policymakers.
Statement The big EU deregulation: ETF Joins over 360 organisations in a Joint Statement on the Omnibus Package The publication by the European Commission of its Omnibus proposal revising key corporate sustainability laws sends a clear political signal: President Ursula von der Leyen is deprioritising human rights, workers’ rights and environmental protections for the sake of dangerous deregulation. ETF joined over 360 organisations in a joint statement calling out on the consequences of this package.
News Giorgio Tuti Elected New ETF President Belgian trade union leader Frank Moreels stepped down from his function of ETF President, in view of his upcoming role as President of the ITF. A Swiss national, Giorgio Tuti has been a high-profile unionist in the trade union movement since 1988. He served as President of the Swiss Transport Workers’ Union (SEV) for 14 years, from 2009 to 2023 and has been Vice-Chair of the Swiss Trade Union Confederation since 2009. Tuti has been chairing the ETF Railways Section since 2017.