European Centre for Workers’ Questions

18/12/2025

OUT NOW! The new issue of EZA Magazine (03/2025) 👏

In this issue, we take you on an exciting journey through ...

🔹 EZA Kick-off Seminar 2025 in Belgrade: Competitiveness with a social dimension
🔹 The battle over working hours: How Greece is trying to compensate for labour shortages with a six-day week
🔹 “Six days a week is a step backwards”: Interview with DAKE President Antonis Karras, founder and contemporary witness
🔹 Four voices from 40 years of EZA

👉 You will learn that the EU's competitiveness does not mean that it has to deregulate or cut costs, but that Europe must be able to remain technologically and economically relevant in a world dominated by the US and China.
Our main topic is the labour shortage and the weakening economy in Greece, but also in the rest of Europe. Different countries and companies are pursuing different approaches to increase productivity with the help of weekly working hours.

📖 Read the new issue now and be inspired to rethink Europe!
🎙️ No time to read? Then listen to the podcast episodes from ‘We Work Europe’. You can find the link in the comments.

01/10/2025

📘 official release: “How the EU Shapes National Social Dialogue”, published by us in collaboration with the Shaker Verlag GmbH

The Scientific studie explores how are involved in national Recovery and Resilience Plans and Territorial , and the role the EU plays in shaping these processes.
In times of digital and green transition, social dialogue is increasingly seen as a key political tool. However, implementation varies greatly across EU member states.

📌 The study offers concrete proposals for strengthening and improving the quality of social dialogue structures in Europe. 💪

This book was made possible thanks to authors Anne Guisset, Karolien Lenaerts, Noah Vangeel and HIVA-KU Leuven.

A big thank you to Shaker Verlag for the successful collaboration!

📎 Read the publication here: https://lnkd.in/eCdqMatJ

New Publication

www.shaker.eu/shop/978-3-8440-9967-6

The report explores how EU frameworks shape the involvement of social partners in national policymaking. As the EU is undergoing significant transformations due to digital and green transitions, geopolitical instability, and socio-economic disruptions, social partners are considered as pivotal actors in official EU narratives, contributing to policy design and effective implementation through social dialogue.
Despite the EU’s sustained efforts to promote social dialogue, it only provides minimal legal provision for its effective enforcement. In this regard, the political choices made by national governments are crucial. This creates a fundamental tension, as the EU lacks the competency to enforce specific national arrangements. As a result, national social dialogue structures and practices vary considerably, shaped by domestic traditions and political dynamics.
Addressing current shortcomings requires functioning dialogue structures capable of coordinating multilevel policymaking, targeted capacity-building for social partners, and robust mechanisms to assess the quality, not just the presence, of engagement.
The authors make concrete suggestions on how this can be achieved.


www.shaker.eu/shop/978-3-8191-0049-9

24/09/2025

Listen to our podcast! 🎙️ Last week, we published our second magazine in 2025. But did you also notice that we released our new podcast episodes to go with it? Check them out on any popular podcast platform or on our website.

Eza.org

17/09/2025

OUT NOW! The new issue of EZA Magazine (02/2025) 👏

In this issue, we take you on an exciting journey through Europe's past, present and future:
🔹 Between disappointment and the path to the future – What Bulgaria's introduction of the euro reveals about Eastern integration 🔹 Lessons from 2004 and 2007 – Five insights into the future of the EU
🔹 Interview with Konstantin Trenchev – Dissident, trade union founder and contemporary witness
🔹 Commentary: The EU is not a magic formula

👉 You will learn why euphoria and reality often diverge when it comes to EU enlargement, which reforms are urgently needed and how people who have experienced the change themselves view it today. This issue shows that Europe remains a project of freedom, peace and social dialogue – and we are all part of it. ✨

📖 Read the new issue now and be inspired to rethink Europe!
🎙️ No time to read? Then listen to the podcast episodes from ‘We Work Europe’. You can find the link in the comments.

24/07/2025

Four decades of work for . Four decades for a united, fair and social Europe. 🎉 🎂 🫂
We are still in the midst of EZA's 40 anniversary year. We are now delighted to present the 40-year chronology of the European Centre for Workers’ Questions.
This chronology is much more than just a collection of data, facts and images. It is also a gesture of respect for all those who have helped to shape development cooperation over the past four decades. It is also a foundation for the future, inviting us to continue on our current trajectory, accept new challenges, and always remember our roots.

We hope that, as well as bringing back fond memories, this chronology will provide inspiration for our future work together. 💪

The chronology is available in several languages and can be viewed here on the website.

https://www.eza.org/en/about/history

08/07/2025

For over 10 years, EZA has been facilitating capacity building for EU candidate countries in the Western Balkans as part of a special project. Our goal is to support these countries, and in particular trade unions and workers' organisations, on their path to European integration.

Secretary General Sigrid Schraml and Education Officer Ljuban Bulić visited EZA member UNASM in Montenegro and North Macedonia, as well as other trade unions including USSCG, SFOM and KSS, for detailed discussions and company visits. 🤗

In addition, an exchange took place with the national coordinators Nina Krgović and Emil Krstanovski from the International Labour Organization offices in Podgorica and Skopje. 🤝
EZA has observer status at the ILO.

There is hopeful progress in Montenegro and North Macedonia, but much remains to be done. In particular, social dialogue is still not at a satisfactory level in many areas. Further intensive support from the EU is essential and politically necessary!
💪

08/07/2025

01/07/2025

40 years of EZA – Greetings from our anniversary year 👋

Since 29 January 1985, the European Centre for Workers' Questions (EZA) has been working for socialjustice, Christian social teaching and a lively social dialogue in Europe.

🔹 Founding roots – Brussels 1985
Leaders from eight countries came together to create a network to strengthen workers' issues across Europe.
🔹 Network & growth
The ten founding members have grown to around 70 organisations in 29 countries today. Over 2,000 seminars and around 100,000 trained representatives from trade unions and workers' organisations testify to our commitment.
🔹 Social dialogue as the key
Our work strengthens dialogue between employers, workers and political decision-makers. This is a central pillar of the European social model – also in the digital and ecological transition.
🌱 Outlook and responsibility
In a changing world – climate crisis, demographic change, digitalisation – social dialogue remains essential. EZA trains multipliers, strengthens new leaders and actively contributes to overcoming crises in a spirit of solidarity and values.

🫶 Thank you to all our companions! To our partners, member organisations, speakers and participants: your passion is what makes EZA what it is. Let's continue to work together for a social and just Europe! 🫂

Share your moment with EZA. Comment on how social dialogue has enriched your work. Follow EZA for further insights – together we can shape Europe's future!

12/06/2025

A milestone for workers' rights worldwide!
🫂
We are delighted to announce that the European Centre for Workers' Questions (EZA) has officially joined the Global Coalition for Social Justice – an ILO (International Labour Organization) initiative that focuses on socially just working conditions and decent work.

Why joining sends a strong message to workers: 💪
🤜 Labour rights as human rights: The Coalition attaches great importance to the recognition that labour rights are an integral part of human rights and must be protected worldwide.
🤜 Strengthening social justice: As a network of Christian-ethical workers' organisations in 29 European countries, EZA brings a clear perspective on human dignity and fair working conditions.
🤜 Global networking: In partnership with governments, international organisations, employers, trade unions and NGOs, EZA can bring the voice of workers into global strategies for decent employment

Why it matters: 🤝 This accession underlines the central role of workers' organisations in ensuring that fair labour standards and the right to protection and respect in the world of work are enshrined globally. Together, we can make the world of work fairer – and thus make a sustainable contribution to the UN's goals for decent work and social justice.

10/04/2025

The new EZA magazine is out! 📣
In the first issue of 2025, we take a critical, inspiring and future-oriented look at the central topics of the .

🗞️ What to expect:
🔹 Brussels EZA Conference 2025 – Our report on in the context of the economy, social issues and democracy
🔹 Education programme 2025/2026 – Register now and actively shape social dialogues
🔹 40 years of EZA – We celebrate our anniversary and look back on eventful years in the service of workers
🔹 in the labour market – Facts, challenges and smart strategies
🔹 Interview with Helle Stenbro – Prejudices versus reality: What young workers really want

🎧 And:
Three new episodes of the ‘We Work Europe’ podcast
▶️ Listen in: we-work-europe.podigee.io
We talk to young people, and experts about the world of work of tomorrow.

🙏 Thank you to all the authors, interviewees, contributors and the editorial team – without you, this magazine would not exist. 💝

📖 Read it now and join the discussion: www.eza.org

01/04/2025

💠 Our education programme ‘European Social Dialogue’ 2025/2026 is out now! 💠
2024 was an eventful year for Europe – and 2025 promises to be no less challenging. The elections to the European Parliament, geopolitical developments and the effects of present us all with major challenges. At the same time, the new European Commission ‘Von der Leyen II’ has the goal of strengthening Europe's competitiveness – a project that we, as a network of workers' organisations across Europe, are actively supporting.

🎯 Our mission:
As a workers' organisation, we are committed to ensuring that the interests of workers continue to be heard. The social dialogue plays a central role in this. In close cooperation with social partners and governments, it can help to develop viable solutions to current challenges.

🎓 Our contribution:
With our new educational programme, we offer a wide range of seminars, research projects and networking opportunities.
Our events are aimed particularly at multipliers from trade unions and employee organisations, with a special focus on young professionals.

📌 What to expect:
💠 A wide range of topics: from to digitalisation and European
💠 International perspectives: seminars in different countries with experts from all over Europe and in different languages

We warmly invite you to discover our programme! 📩 If you cannot find an important topic or have any questions about the seminars, we look forward to receiving your feedback. 💬

💪 Let's strengthen the in together! 💪



❗ Dates and locations are subject to change. You can always find the latest information on our website www.eza.org