EU: What are “quality jobs”?

President Von der Leyen’s “quality jobs” aim is now being pushed by unions. Unions demand collective bargaining, stress protections, and public procurement reform… but we say it’s more union agenda than job creation

The key points: Von der Leyen committed to introducing a "quality jobs package" during her term, though the definition and measurement of job quality remains subjective rather than objective. The European Trade Union Confederation has outlined specific demands including 80% collective bargaining coverage, ethical public procurement requirements, AI workplace directives, psychosocial risk protections, and subcontracting limits.

The union proposal appears more focused on expanding collective bargaining and limiting management decision-making than actual job creation. The package emphasises union involvement, collective agreements, and worker protections rather than mechanisms for creating new employment opportunities in the business sector.

Why this matters: The tension between union demands and practical job creation highlights fundamental disagreements about what constitutes job quality and how governments can legislate to ensure it. This debate affects how EU employment policy develops and the extent to which regulatory frameworks support business flexibility versus worker protection. The subjective nature of job quality makes it difficult to create enforceable standards that work across diverse economic contexts.

Our view in Europe: We may be reading things the wrong way, but this looks very much like a “trade union quality package” rather than a jobs package. It is all about unions, collective bargaining, and limiting management decision making.  There’s not much in there about creating jobs, unless you happen to believe that unions and collective bargaining create jobs, rather than protecting the pay and working conditions of those who already have jobs, which is a reasonable thing for unions to want to do, but a “quality jobs package” it is not.

What might happen next: Commission officials will struggle to develop proposals that balance political promises with practical implementation challenges. The gap between union demands and business sector needs may result in watered-down legislation that satisfies neither side completely. Economic actors in the business sector will continue creating jobs with decent pay and conditions regardless of regulatory outcomes.

SEE: ETUC web post