European Parliamentary breakfast on the protection of a work-free Sunday in Europe

NEWS| APRIL 12, 2024

European Parliamentary breakfast on the protection of a work-free Sunday in Europe

On April 10, the European Sunday Alliance – a broad European coalition of trade unions, employers' associations, social NGOs and church organisations campaigning for synchronised free time in Europe – held a European Parliamentary breakfast on the protection of a work-free Sunday in the EU.


The event was hosted by MEPs Miriam Lexmann and Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP) and came ahead of the European elections in June. On the occasion of the European Day for a Work-Free Sunday on 3 March, the members of the European Sunday Alliance had already launched an election manifesto that calls on European decision-makers to work at national and Brussels level to ensure that Sunday protection is as consistent as possible.

The event in the European Parliament served to highlight in particular how, from different perspectives, a protection of synchronised free time – in other words a work-free Sunday – is a worthy matter, not least also as a tool to fight loneliness. It also flagged substantial challenges that however exist in practice on many fronts to protect synchronised free time, a work-free Sunday, and thus to fight loneliness. It stressed that with employment patterns and working times becoming ever more scattered, with social media and digitalisation and online life becoming ever more central, societies need to be careful that loneliness and individualisation do not become a New Normal in private and economic life.

Members of the European Sunday Alliance made clear: Loneliness is in many cases undesired by affected persons and therefore a negative matter – and a tool to fight this is to ensure synchronised free time, to protect a work-free Sunday, to provide alternatives to solitary online life, to ensure that retired people, workers, their families, their children can again spend more time together.

Speakers included Béatrice D’Hombres (Project Coordinator ‘Fairness and Loneliness’ at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, JRC), Stefan Eirich (President of the German Catholic Workers’ Movement, KAB) and Antonella Sinagoga (Expert on Parish and Family for the Salesian Youth Ministry Department). It was moderated by representatives of organisations that constitute the European Sunday Alliance’s steering committee, Franziska Kuster (Protestant Church in Germany, EKD), Hendrik Meerkamp (European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, CESI), Alix de Wasseige (Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of the EU, COMECE) and Maria Waszkiewicz (Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe, FAFCE).

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March 3: European Day for a Work-free Sunday

NEWS| MARCH 1, 2024

On this year's annual European Day for a Work-free Sunday the European Sunday Alliances launches its manifesto for the upcoming EU elections

On the occasion of this year’s annual European Day for a Work-free Sunday on March 3, the European Sunday Alliance reminds that synchronised resting time is an effective tool to counter loneliness and highlights its importance for the mental health of workers.

In the view of upcoming EU elections in June 2024, the European Sunday Alliance calls on Members of the European Parliament and candidates to the upcoming European Elections to support the Elections Manifesto of its Steering Committee to recognise the value of the establishment of a weekly common day of rest, by tradition on Sunday, at the EU level for all citizens.

On the occasion of the European Day for a Work-free Sunday, the European Sunday Alliance is glad about support for a work-free Sunday as expressed by a series of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different political groups, among them Brando Benifei (S&D, Italy), Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, Germany), Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA, Germany), Dragos Pislaru (Renew, Romania), Dennis Radtke (EPP, Germany), Evelyn Regner (S&D, Austria), Michaela Sojdrova (EPP, Czech Republic) and Tomas Zdechovsky (EPP, Czech Republic) – and, as sponsor of the European Sunday Alliance, Miriam Lexmann (EPP, Slovakia):

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Ahead of EU elections: what is next for work-free Sunday?

Brussels, 18 February 2019

In view of the EU elections, the European Sunday Alliance discussed with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and electoral candidates the importance of common work-free time and decent working hours. In view of the EU elections, the European Sunday Alliance discussed with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and electoral candidates the importance of common work-free time and decent working hours.

In a time of digitalisation and a rapidly changing world of work, participants agreed that Sunday is of unique value for the social cohesion of our society and the well-being of the citizens.

After an internal workshop session in the morning, the members and supporters of the European Sunday Alliance presented key challenges of their work, and then incurred into a debate with MEPs and EU elections candidates on possible actions for the next five-year mandate of the European Parliament and the EU Commission.

Markus Blümel, coordinator of the Austrian Sunday Alliance, reported that current changes in national legislation were undermining the network's objective of improving the work-life balance of Austrian citizens. He showed that the new law would allow for a maximum working time of 12 hours and presented how the Austrian Sunday Alliance, together with its member organisations and other like-minded actors, organised demonstrations and public actions to oppose the legal revision.

Representing the Croatian Sunday Alliance, Fr. Boze Vuleta ofm outlined how a network of different civil society organisations and social partners have joined forces in the youngest EU Member State and set up the alliance in 2018.

In the following discussion with MEPs Thomas Mann (EPP), Evelyn Regner (S&D), Marijana Petir (EPP) and the EP elections candidate Gabriele Bischoff (S&D), the participants exchanged on the outcomes of the negotiations of the recently agreed EU work-life balance directive and examined next steps towards EU policies that help citizens to find common rest time for recreation and life in society and family.


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Almost 50% of the employees in Croatia work overtime

Zagreb, May 14, 2018

On the eve of the International Day of Families, which took place on May 15th, the House of Europe in Zagreb presented a survey regarding work-life balance, overtime work and work during leisure time in Croatia, as well as the perception of Sunday as a non-working day dedicated to family and rest. The survey was conducted in cooperation with the Croatian member of the European Parliament Marijana Petir and MediaNet agency.

The survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample (N=614) of adult employees of the Republic of Croatia aged 18 to 65. The survey was conducted via telephone between 6 and 15 April this year, and its results were presented by Hrvoje Prpić, a MediaNet research coordinator.

Prpić’s main finding is that almost half of the respondents claim to be working overtime. The most common reason, according to their answers, is the large amount of work they have to do in a short amount of time. Still, the survey showed that a much smaller number of workers is obliged to work during their annual leave.

Furthermore, a majority of the sampled people manage to align their work commitments with their family responsibilities within their immediate family and largely succeed in harmonising work-life obligation with their leisure activities. At the same time, 76% of respondents think that people became more aware of the importance of Sunday as a non-working day dedicated to family and rest following the discussion on the subject, explains Prpić.

“A year ago, MediaNet conducted similar research with MEP Petir, which, among other things, showed that the vast majority of respondents (90%) supports introducing Sunday as a non-working day. In the context of this research we can conclude that there is a continued perception of Sunday as “a day when no one should work” according to the answers given by the respondents” - said Mr Prpic from MediaNet.

Croatian member of the European Parliament, Marijana Petir congratulated the International Day of Families to all Croatian citizens and commented on the results of the research. She stated that “the results clearly demonstrate the need to provide a day of rest within a working week, and in the perception of the citizens this day is Sunday, which is also a part of the tradition in Croatian and European culture. Sunday is the day when the family gathers at home together. Therefore, once again, I call on the Government of the Republic of Croatia to ensure a free Sunday for employees, especially for those working in stores and retail.”

Petir also commented on the fourth European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) launched by the Eurofund in 2003 and had since been conducted every four years, involving almost 37,000 citizens from all 28 Member States and five Candidate Countries. The results of this survey, published late last year have shown that Croatia ranks last when it comes to work-life balance scoring only 3,7 on the score level. At the same time, the Netherlands has the highest score that amounts to 6,6. In the other Member States, the ratings are quite high as well so, for example, Slovenia measures 6.3, Austria 6.2, Germany 5.9, Bulgaria 5.5 and Hungary 5.2. Croatia has seen a radical drop from 5,1 in 2007 to 3,7 in 2016 which represents the most significant decline in the entire EU. The policies should focus on contract workers and those employed in production, as well as on people working in the care system, especially younger and middle-aged women to be able to appropriately respond to the deteriorating situation in work-life balance among Croatian citizens.

President of the Trade Union Zlatica Štulić spoke about the disastrous data in the trade sector. She said that “according to the data available to the Trade Union in Croatia there are currently 176.173 people employed in trade (G) related sector (data from May 17, 2017). Out of that, 92.956 are employed in retail, excluding motor vehicle repair and motorcycle repair (G 47) ". She also stressed that "on average every salesman or a cashier must work at least half an hour longer than what is stated in their employment contracts, every single working day. These are the so-called preparatory and closure activities that are not logged as working hours but are demanded from the workers. Except for the days of the weekly rest and the days of the annual leave, each worker, in the remaining 282 days a year, on average works 141 hours more than stated in the employment contract." 

PROTECT THE WORK-FREE SUNDAY!

2 Mar 2018

Protect the work-free Sunday!


On the occasion of the European Day for a Work-Free Sunday on March 3, the European Sunday Alliance calls on all its supporters to take action against Sunday Work.

The Sunday as a common weekly day of rest is under pressure in Europe. Online shopping offered around the clock, a tendency towards permanent availability of workers due to mobile devices as well as the increasing use of on-call time and the increasing opening of shops, especially in tourist areas on Sundays, endanger not only the work-free Sunday as a common day of rest but also common free time and a rest period from a purely economic-driven lifestyle.

The European Sunday Alliance is convinced that working on Sundays endangers the health and safety of workers as well as the social cohesion in our societies. The challenge of reconciling increasingly flexibilised working schedules with social and civic commitments had just been discussed at the last breakfast meeting of the Interest Group Work-Life Balance in the European Parliament on 22 February 2018. Only a well-protected common work-free day per week enables citizens to enjoy full participation in cultural, sports, social and religious life and allows for reconciliation. That is why the European Sunday Alliance commits itself to safeguarding a work-free Sunday.

The European Sunday Alliance calls on all its members and on all citizens to take action on 3 March 2018 as the European Day for a work-free Sunday with special activities, Church services and information points in order to raise awareness about the unique value of Sunday for the European society and the importance of common free time in a digitalised society.

The European Sunday Alliance is a network of national Sunday Alliances, trade unions, employers’ organisations, civil society organisations, churches and religious communities committed to raise awareness of the unique value of synchronised free time for our European societies. CESI has been a member of the Alliance since 2017.

Logos: European Sunday Alliance/CESI logos © European Sunday Alliance 2018/CESI 2018

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COMECE holds meeting at the Parliament on the role of common free time for social, religious and civic engagement

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Content:

Webnews, 23/02/2018

COMECE holds meeting at the Parliament on the role of common free time for social, religious and civic engagement



COMECE, together with its partners of the European Sunday Alliance, organised at the European Parliament a panel debate on the role of common free time for social, religious and civic engagement and volunteering. The event, hosted by MEPs Evelyn Regner and Thomas Mann, highlighted the challenge of reconciling social commitment with increasingly flexibilised working schedules.






Participants exchanged ideas, experiences and statistics, shaping a dialogue on the effects of the changing world of work on European society, whose social, religious and civic engagement is declining due to lack of common free time and free Sundays. The issue of synchronized free time for all citizens in Europe is important at a personal level to ensure an adequate time of rest and for social, cultural or sports activities, but also at a spiritual level as a day of rest and religious edification.

As Pope Francis said, “Sunday is a holy day for Christians, sanctified by the Eucharistic celebration, the living presence of the Lord among us and for us. it is necessary to revive this awareness, to recover the meaning of the celebration, the meaning of the joy, of the parish community, of solidarity, of the rest which restores body and soul”.

During the event at the European Parliament, Agnieszka Piasna (European Trade Union Institute), showed that collective free time is closely related to well-being and civic engagement. “It helps EU citizens to spend more time in activities that promote personal growth and community involvement”, she said.

“Common free time is scarcer, but new digital ways of activism cannot replace ‘traditional’ ways for social and civic engagement - said Chris Droogenbroeck (LBC-NVK), who also acknowledged the decline of engagement in the trade union sector due to more flexible working schedules and increased pressure while at work. The results of the recent survey among ESA members on Sunday rest and overtime hours have shown a similar picture.

The panel debate was the 6th meeting of the Interest Group on Work-life Balance, launched in 2015 by the European Sunday Alliance in order to raise awareness of the need of EU actions aimed at a better articulation of private, family and work life.



Media
See the photos of the event
Outcome report on the ESA questionnaire on work-life balance and Sunday rest

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A question of time- volunteering, social and civic engagement in a connected society

Breakfast meeting-Thursday 22 February


Volunteering, social and civic engagement are a fundament of democratic societies and the social cohesion of a society. It, however, also depends on common free time and this seems to be increasingly limited. At the same time, social media allows for new forms of participation not requiring synchronised rest time, such as Hashtag activism. Yet, can these new forms compensate for the “traditional” ways of commitment? Is digitalisation undermining or facilitating civic engagement? And if there is a lack of civic engagement, what can the EU do to help countering this development?

To address these issues, the EP Interest Group on work-life balance will hold on Thursday 22 February 2018 a breakfast meeting on “A question of time –volunteering, social and civic engagement in a connected society”.

We would like to discuss the necessity of re-synchronising our private and working life in a digitalised society and reflect on possible ways. How will these developments affect volunteering and civic engagement and what does this mean for social cohesion? Could new forms of social media compensate - at least partially - the lack of common free time?


Thursday 22 February 2018

08h00-09h30 at the EU Parliament


Event hosted by MEP Thomas Mann & MEP Evelyn Regner

Discussion:

Prof. Dr. Paul-Stefan Roß, Cooperative State University Stuttgart, Faculty of Social Science

Gabriella Civico, Director of the European Volunteer Center

Chris Van Droogenbroeck, Belgium Trade Union LBC-NVK, Commerce Sector

The meeting will be held in English. We are looking forward to a lively discussion!

Download the invitation

Please register by Wednesday 15 February 2018 :

REGISTER HERE

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Work-Life-Balance 4.0 – Challenges in a time of digitalisation

BREAKING NEWS ///


Content:

Press Release




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2016/11/15 On 15th November 2016 the European Sunday Alliance organized its third European conference this time on “Work-Life-Balance 4.0 – Challenges in a time of digitalisation” at the European Economic and Social Committee. During the day over 100 participants discussed how digitalisation will impact all aspects of our lives and how a healthy work-life-balance can be secured.

On this occasion the European Sunday Alliance also launched a Resolution for a better work-life-balance and synchronized free time in the age of digitalisation. The Resolution is aimed at activating civil society and politicians to use the opportunities for a better work-life-balance and to limit the risks created by digitalisation for the benefit of all European citizens. The Resolution is still open for signature.

Luca Jahier, President of Group III of the European Economic and Social Committee and a supporter of the European Sunday Alliance from the very beginning, opened the conference, together with the Members of the European Parliament Evelyn Regner (S&D) and Thomas Mann (EPP).

During the conference Thomas Mann highlighted that “work-life-balance is a crucial factor in the debate on Health and Safety at Work”. “We have to defend workers against the philosophy of the always-available employee. Our message to the institutions: We stand for a work-free day for all European citizens! I demand to establish the Sunday as work-free day within the working time directive revision!” Evelyn Regner added that “Digitalisation brings new opportunities but it also contains risks for a healthy work-life-balance. Workers must be able to disconnect in their home life. The right to have breaks, to be unavailable during leisure time and to have at least one work-free day per week has to be secured for all workers in Europe. To achieve all this, we need a fair distribution of work and profits.”

The framework of the conference was set by Günther H. Oettinger, European Commissioner for Digital Economy & Society. He addressed in his keynote speech the transformation and future of work and societies in Europe caused by digitalisation. He reminded the participants that it would be impossible to stop the evolution of technology, but that one would need to assess how one can use this evolvement for the benefit of employers and employees. He added that the focus on the impact of digitalisation on industry was too short-sighted. Digitalisation would change the working world and would further increase the flexibilisation of work. This would improve the reconciliation of work and private life on the one hand. On the other hand, one could not expect everybody to be available at all times. A right to switch off our mobile phones is needed but also an obligation to switch off. He stressed that a right to be unavailable and a right to an end of the work day is required.

On the first panel four speakers discussed “New forms of employment - Flexibilisation of working time”. Irene Mandl, Eurofound, explained from a research perspective that digitalisation will have structural effects on the world of labour, e.g. by making more home offices possible, which will support labour market integration, but which can also produce more social isolation. The effects envisaged are still ambivalent. Phillip von Eberhard,Consultant for Digital Transformation and Intrapreneurship of established business models, emphasized that companies would have to adapt to digitalisation since the current business models would not be future-proofed. While he highlighted the possibilities for a better work-life-balance due to flexiblisation through the digitalisation of work; Delphine Latawiec, National Centre of Employees Belgium/UNI Europa Commerce, stressed that not all employees could choose their working place or time. Flexibility could truly improve the work-life-balance only of specific groups of workers. However, in particular low skilled workers would require additional protection. Baudouin Baudru, member of Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen, assured that the Commission was currently working to ensure that the legal and policy framework would be fit for purpose. He announced that the Commission will publish the European Pillar of social rights and a work-life-balance package in March 2017 to improve the social dimension of the European Union.

The second panel focused on the topic “Life beyond work and digitalisation – The need for unavailability”. Evelyn Regner, Member of the European Parliament, underlined the value of breaks; not only for the employees but also for the productivity and creativity of companies. She was endorsed by H. E. Dr Bruno Feillet, Auxiliary Bishop of Reims. Since everyone has to play different roles and life is tense; it will become increasingly difficult to get a break. Digitalisation has the potential to bring families together e.g. via Skype and would facilitate access to knowledge. Yet, digital devices would also keep people from speaking with each other, with people too often focused on their smart phones instead on their interlocutors. What it means to be a crowd worker was described by Hector Saz, a specialist teleoperator from Spain. Most crowd workers would work in a-typical working conditions, only part-time, during non-typical working hours and are paid badly. The majority of workers in these sectors are young and unskilled; they have more than one job to earn enough money to live on which would make reconciliation almost impossible. Hannes Kreller, Alliance for the Free Sunday Germany, stressed the importance of synchronized free time to participate in a social life, in sports or culture. Everybody is doing yoga or fitness today to find an individual way to escape the so-called “rat race”. However, what is needed is a common and consistent approach to work-life-balance for the whole of society. Digitalisation could create new forms of societal engagement and activism said Ingo Dachwitz,Editor of netzpolitik.org and youth delegate in the Synod of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD). He remarked that an in-depth societal debate about how digitalisation impacts our life and what values we want embodied in digital technology is still missing as well as a proper digital education.


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Save the Date

Save the Date


Tuesday 15 November 2016, 09h00 – 16h00

European Parliament, Brussels



The European Sunday Alliance (ESA) is organising a conference on “Work-Life-Balance 4.0 – Challenges in time of digitalisation”, which will take place on 15 November 2016 in the European Parliament in Brussels. The conference will be hosted by MEP Evelyn Regner (S&D) and MEP Thomas Mann (EPP).

This bigger event follows a series of EP interest group debates that the ESA members have organised during the last two years on the issue of work-life balance.

Society, labour markets, and workplaces are expected to undergo fundamental transformations as a consequence of digitalisation. The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker, has defined the Digital Agenda as one of its ten priorities. Moreover, the last “Davos” meeting of the World Economic Forum, as well as the previous OECD Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting in January 2016 focussed on this structural shift in the world of work/in the labour market this development.

Therefore, the European Sunday Alliance invites its members and supporters to discuss with representatives of the EU institutions and experts the impact of digitalisation on work-life-balance. The conference will address this topic from two different though complementary angles:

• work organisation, flexibilisation of working time and new forms of employment,
• the protection of private and family life, including Sunday, the freedom of synchronized free time and the opportunity of voluntary engagement.

The conference will also offer the opportunity to meet the different actors of the European Sunday Alliance and to exchange views on the regional, national and European activities of our Alliance.

Please save the date already.

More information, the programme and the registration form will be sent to you after the summer break.

We are looking forward to meeting you in Brussels.


Frank-Dieter Fischbach

Steering Committee of the European Sunday Alliance –

Conference of European Churches

0032/2/234.68.39

fdf@cec-kek.be

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Work-Life-Balance 4.0

Challenges in a Time of Digitalisation


The European Sunday Alliance invites you to a conference on Work-Life-Balance 4.0: Challenges in a Time of Digitalisation. The conference will take place on Tuesday, 15 November from 9:00 to 16:00 at the European Economic and Social Committee. Registration is required.Please click here to register for this event.

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French trade union fights to preserve work-free Sunday

Union calls for two consecutive days of rest




Throughout the summer of 2016, French trade union for the commerce sector (Fédération des Employés et Cadres Force Ouvrière - Section Commerce) advocated for two consecutive work-free days, including Sunday as a day of rest. You may read the following press releases for more information.



Deux jours de repos consécutifs



Massacre dans le commerce ils vont tuer l'emploi



FO Commerce s'oppose au travail du dimanche à la FNAC



Repos dominical notre conquête sociale aurait pu avoir 110 ans

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Save the Date (European Sunday Alliance)

Tuesday 15 November 2016, 09h00 – 16h00

European Parliament, Brussels


The European Sunday Alliance (ESA) is organising a conference on “Work-Life-Balance 4.0 – Challenges in time of digitalisation”, which will take place on 15 November 2016 in the European Parliament in Brussels. The conference will be hosted by MEP Evelyn Regner (S&D) and MEP Thomas Mann (EPP).


This bigger event follows a series of EP interest group debates that the ESA members have organised during the last two years on the issue of work-life balance.

Society, labour markets, and workplaces are expected to undergo fundamental transformations as a consequence of digitalisation. The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker, has defined the Digital Agenda as one of its ten priorities. Moreover, the last “Davos” meeting of the World Economic Forum, as well as the previous OECD Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting in January 2016 focussed on this structural shift in the world of work/in the labour market this development.
Therefore, the European Sunday Alliance invites its members and supporters to discuss with representatives of the EU institutions and experts the impact of digitalisation on work-life-balance. The conference will address this topic from two different though complementary angles:

• work organisation, flexibilisation of working time and new forms of employment,
• the protection of private and family life, including Sunday, the freedom of synchronized free time and the opportunity of voluntary engagement.

The conference will also offer the opportunity to meet the different actors of the European Sunday Alliance and to exchange views on the regional, national and European activities of our Alliance.


Please save the date already.

More information, the programme and the registration form will be sent to you after the summer break.

We are looking forward to meeting you in Brussels.


Frank-Dieter Fischbach

Steering Committee of the European Sunday Alliance –

Conference of European Churches

0032/2/234.68.39

fdf@cec-kek.be

Source

More than half a million signatures in support of Polish draft law on limitation of commerce on Sundays

Monday 5 September 2016

COMMERCENATIONAL MATTERS


More than 500 000 Poles have supported the civic draft law on limitation of trade on Sundays.

On 2 September, the signatures were submitted to the Speaker of the Polish Parliament (Sejm), Marek Kuchcińskiemu. Now the bill will be proceeded by the Sejm.

‘Employees in the Polish commerce sector are eagerly waiting for this law to come into force as soon as possible’ said Alfred Bujara, the President of the Solidarity Commerce trade union and the chairman of the Legislative Initiative Committee during delivering the signatures in the Parliament. He stressed that the gathering of such a large number of signatures is a great success of all the people who were involved in this initiative. ‘This bill has the support of the society. Poles willingly signed the project, including employees in the commerce sector. They are overworked, they do not even want any additional bonus for working on Sundays. They want this day to spend it with their families’.

Alfred Bujara noted that the reduction of commerce on Sundays should not mean any layoffs in companies because the staff shortages in the industry are approx. 20 percent. ‘There is a lack of workers in the commerce sector. Eight years of the crisis reduced the personnel costs. Today, one employee performs tasks that previously were the responsibility of three people’.

Bujara reminded that representatives of the ruling party Law and Justice repeatedly advocated restraint of commerce on Sundays. The Speaker of the Parliament Marek Kuchciński during the discussion with representatives of the Legislative Initiative Committee announced that the first reading of the draft bill will take place in the Parliament in October.

2 September was the deadline for submitting the bill with the signatures (the minimum was 100 thousand signatures). The initiator of the civic initiative to limit the commerce on Sundays in Poland is the National Secretariat of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance of the Solidarity TU. The committee created by Union’s President was joined by other trade unions, employers’ organisations from the sector and associations, including Polish Craft Association, Catholic Action, Polish Chamber of Liquid Fuels and the Polish Group of Supermarkets.

The project included numerous exceptions allowing trade on Sundays. It will be possible to buy products on Sundays at gas stations, bakeries or stores located at railway stations and airports, or at newsagents. Also small local shops will be open on Sundays provided that the sale will be conducted by their owners. The project involves, amongst others, the establishment of the so-called seven commercial Sundays during the year. Stores will be open, inter alia on Sundays preceding Christmas and Easter and in the periods in which sales are organised.

Contact


Elke Zander, Communications Officer, UNI Europa
Phone: +32 2 234 56 48
Email: elke.zander@uniglobalunion.org

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Vom Montag bis...

Warnung: Sonntag ist nicht der Sabbat!

European Sunday Alliance 2 nd meeting Work-life-balance Group

Monday 1st June 2015

second meeting of the Interest Group WORK-LIFE-BALANCE

hosted by

MEP Thomas Mann (EPP) & MEP Evelyn Regner (S&D)

Acceleration Society – Quality vs quantity towards a better work-life-balance

EU Parliament, Brussels

with Prof Dr Hartmut Rosa, Jena

1st June 2015 - The European Sunday Alliance hosted its 2nd meeting of the Interest Group “Work-Life-Balance”. The German and the Austrian Sunday Alliances, both members of the European Sunday Alliance, under the kind patronage of the Members of the European Parliament Ms. Evelyn Regner and Mr. Thomas Mann, invited Prof. Dr. Hartmut Rosa to give his insights and reflections on the process of acceleration on modern society and its consequences for the work-life-balance in our societies. Around 40 people, members of the European Parliament and representatives of civil society organizations, gathered to discuss the importance of “oases of deceleration”.

The diverse audience – from MEPs from various political groups to representatives of trade unions, employers, family and sports organizations and Churches – had a fruitful exchange with Prof. Dr. Rosa, who explained his demand for a collective synchronized free time that allows for deceleration and leisure instead of ticking off one’s to-do list.

“We are running out of time”, stated Prof. Dr. Rosa. Despite all technological advancements which are geared towards saving time we are shifting from the hope of a better work-life-balance to the unspoken idea of a “work-age” balance. Whereas the good life seems to begin with retirement, the chronic mismatch between the perceived workload and the available time-resources during the “rush hour of life” and in addition the fear of losing one`s job creates a spiral, which leads to the feeling of no escapes and no control over one’s own life. Burnout is a symptom of that. A feeling of no escapes and no control over one’s own life. Burnout is a symptom of that. A general social basic income could be a solution, proposed Prof. Rosa, because it would take pressure from employees.

The feeling of being socially excluded and just getting alms would be eliminated by a collective basic income.

That is why we need “oases of deceleration”. Collective time-outs, holidays and a work free Sunday as such oases should be used for reading books, listening to music and playing games instead of buying new ones. Prof. Dr. Rosa emphasized that “time-politics cannot be an isolated instrument” we need to change the political and socio-economic structures – we need a new vision of a post-growth society.

The next meeting of the Interest Group will be in the second half of the year after the summer break.

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First European Interest Group WORK-LIFE BALANCE launched!

3rd March 2015 – On the very day when the European Day for a Work Free Sunday is celebrated across Europe, at the EU Parliament, and in the presence of MEPs from different political groups, the European Sunday Alliance launched the first European Interest Group on WORK-LIFE BALANCE. For the first time, the interest group - supported by representatives of politicians, trade unions, business executives, family and sports organisations and representatives of churches and religious communities - brought together 50 people to discuss how to ensure that EU legislation respects and promotes workers' health and promotes a better balance between family and private life and work. Participants shared the consensus, that these objectives do not conflict with the objective of economic competitiveness, in the contrary. Competitiveness needs innovation, innovation needs creativity and creativity needs recreation.

The event was held under the patronage of MEPs Evelyn Regner (S&D) and Thomas Mann (EPP). Last year, many of the MEPs present signed the European Sunday Alliance pledge.


The issue of work-life balance, decent working hours and synchronised free time for all citizens in Europe is important for many reasons: at a personal level for time together with family and friends, social, cultural or sports activities, at a spiritual one as a day of rest and religious edification and above all to ensure an adequate time of rest. A lack of work-life balance often leads to absenteeism, psycho-social stress at work and burn-out and it has a clear negative impact on the economic productivity.

The relevance of the topic becomes even more evident as the European Commission refers in its ongoing public consultation on the review of the Working Time Directive to fundamental changes, which have occurred in the world of work and the economy and that impact on many aspects of the organisation of working time. The members of the interest group on work life balance believe that the current legislation does not sufficiently address the issue of balance between work and private life and does not ensure that workers can enjoy a common weekly day of rest. A thorough reflection and discussion on how to best ensure the protection of EU citizens’ work-life balance is therefore urgently needed.

Interest Group provides the right format and opportunity to bring Members of the European Parliament and representatives from civil society and other organisations together. It will offer a platform a regular and informal exchange of views, knowledge and expertise on the different aspects and actors involved to ensure a better work-life balance for all.

This was the first of a series of events that will address the issue of work-life balance and that will continue for two years from now.

The next meeting of the Interest Group will take place on 1 June 2015. Prof. Rosa from the German Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena will be speaking about the acceleration of time under a sociological perspective.

More information: Secretariat of the European Sunday Alliance

contact@europopeansundayalliance.eu

https://www.flickr.com//photos/comece/sets/72157650816402287/show/


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Working this Sunday? Here's your newest reason to take the day off.

FAITH

Compiled by Mark A. Kellner

Wednesday, July 9, 2014


If your job has you working on Sunday, the world leader of the Roman Catholic Church says maybe that's not a good thing.

"A work-free Sunday — with the exception of necessary services — says that our priority is not to economics, but the human being, gratuity, non-commercial relations, rather family and friends, for believers it means a relationship with God and with the community," Pope Francis told a massive crowd in Molise, Italy, on July 5, according to Vatican Radio. "Perhaps it is time to ask whether it is a true freedom to work on Sundays."

The address was the pontiff's first public appearance in the southern Italian city and focused on the world of work and the needs of families. Francis initially met with a university official, a Fiat factory worker, and a young mother who is pregnant with her second child, he said. The Molise region is suffering from high unemployment, reports indicate, and Sunday work is often cited as a way to grow the local economy.

"Another challenge was voiced by this good working mother, who also spoke on behalf of her family: her husband, her young child and the baby in her womb. Her's is a plea for work and at the same time for the family. Thank you for this testimony! In fact, it is a case of trying to reconcile work with family life," the pope stated, referencing the woman's concern about having Sunday as a time to play with her children.

Francis continued, "This also raises the issue of working Sundays, which affects not only believers, but it affects everyone, as an ethical choice. We are losing this free space! The question is what do we want to prioritize?"

The quest for "free space" once a week is not a new theme for a pope or for the Catholic Church. In 1998, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter, Dies Domini, or "The Lord's Day," in which the former archbishop of Krackow pleaded for a more spiritual emphasis.

"(W)hen Sunday loses its fundamental meaning and becomes merely part of a 'weekend,' it can happen that people stay locked within a horizon so limited that they can no longer see 'the heavens,'" John Paul wrote. "Hence, though ready to celebrate, they are really incapable of doing so. The disciples of Christ, however, are asked to avoid any confusion between the celebration of Sunday, which should truly be a way of keeping the Lord's Day holy, and the 'weekend,' understood as a time of simple rest and relaxation."

Francis' remarks did not go as far as those of his predecessor, but media reporting interpreted his words as calling for a return to a simpler age: "Pope Francis has lamented the abandoning of the traditionally Christian practice of not working on Sundays, saying it has a negative impact on families and friendships," the Associated Press reported.

The call for a work-free Sunday has expanded — in Europe, at least — beyond the confines of the Roman Catholic Church. A European Sunday Alliance exists to lobby for legal recognition of workers' rights to a day off, as embodied in various European Union charters.

Such calls have engendered concerns over the rights of individuals who do not observe Sunday as a holy day, however: "Economic arguments aside, religious minorities in Europe — among them Muslims, Jews and Seventh-day Adventists — worry the proposal could infringe on free expression of religious beliefs, despite its seemingly well-intentioned goals of reducing stress and overwork," the Adventist News Network reported in February 2014.

Taking a day off each week has clear benefits for individuals and their families, as a Deseret News report in April outlined.

Email: mkellner@deseretnews.com Twitter: @Mark_Kellner


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EUROPEAN DAY FOR A WORK-FREE SUNDAY ON 3 MARCH 2014

CALL for ACTION !
3 March 2014


The European Sunday Alliance reminds all members and supporters to also take action on the Eve of the 3 March on Sunday, 2 March 2014, as the EUROPEAN DAY FOR A WORK-FREE SUNDAY!

The focus of this year’s CALL FOR ACTION will lie on combining work-free Sunday and decent working hours for workers and citizens and economic competitiveness.

For a couple of years now, the socio-economic crisis has been overshadowing European Union policy making. Austerity, further liberalisation and flexibility are very often seen as key solutions for getting out of the crisis. Social protection and social rights seem to be put aside. However, employment and the creation of jobs and economic competitiveness in Europe are the main requirements for overcoming the crisis. But what kind of jobs do we need in Europe? Can competitiveness and decent work and a common weekly rest day go hand in hand, and under what conditions? Sunday protection strengthens the social cohesion of our societies. It therefore represents a precious value, which should be recognised as a pillar of the European Social and Economic Model.

We believe: Competitiveness needs innovation, innovation needs creativity and creativity needs recreation!

We believe: Legislation and practices in place at the EU and Member State levels need to be more protective of the health, safety, dignity of everyone and should more attentively promote the balance between family and private life and work.

With the European Elections at the horizon we call on members, supporters and all citizens to make our common demand visible on Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd of March 2014!

Simply sending out a press release already helps to create awareness!

What else can YOU do?




Contact your MEP and MEP-Candidate and call on her/him to commit her/himself:

1. To ensure that all relevant EU-legislation both respects and promotes the protection of a common weekly day of rest for all EU citizens, which shall in principle be on a Sunday, in order to protect workers' health and promote a better balance between family and private life and work;

2. To promote EU-legislation guaranteeing sustainable working time patterns based on the principle of decent work benefiting society as well as the economy as a whole.



Ask them to SIGN THE PLEDGE !


To make our common mission as visible as possible, please let us know what you are planning and send us your press release, a photo or a video on your action. We will publish it on our website!



Actions:

Press release in Slovakia


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Conference on Work-free Sundays and Decent Work

Photo (Courtesy) http://www.cesi.org/news/2014/140122_sunday_alliance.html


http://www.flickr.com//photos/comece/sets/72157640003868823/show/

CONFERENCE on Work-free Sundays and Decent Work

Tuesday 21 January 2014 at the EU Parliament (Brussels)


On the occasion of a Conference at the European Parliament which gathered 120 participants, the European Sunday Alliance officially launched a Pledge for a work-free Sunday and decent work, ahead of the European elections 2014. The Pledge is aimed at committing European politicians to the promotion of a common weekly day of rest as well as a legal framework guaranteeing sustainable working time patterns based on the principle of decent work.

The pledge states that « A work-free Sunday and decent working hours are of paramount importance for citizens and workers throughout Europe and are not necessarily in conflict with economic competitiveness.  Especially in the present time of socio-economic crisis, the adoption of legislation extending working hours to late evenings, nights, bank holidays and Sundays has direct consequences for the working conditions of employees and for small and medium sized enterprises. Competitiveness needs innovation, innovation needs creativity and creativity needs recreation! ». The Pledge can be accessed here.


By signing this pledge, current members of the EU Parliament and candidates in the upcoming European elections commit themselves :


1. To ensure that all relevant EU-legislation both respects and promotes the protection of a common weekly day of rest for all EU citizens, which shall be in principle on a Sunday, in order to protect workers' health and promote a better balance between family and private life and work;

2. To promote EU-legislation guaranteeing sustainable working time patterns based on the principle of decent work benefiting society as well as the economy as a whole.


The Second European Conference on the Protection of a Work-free Sunday and Decent Work was held on the 21 January 2014 at the European Parliament (Brussels) in order to raise awareness around the Pledge and the core demands of the European Sunday Alliance. The Conference was organised by the Members of Parliament Evelyn Regner (S&D) and Thomas Mann (EPP), together with the European Sunday Alliance.


For overcoming the crisis in Europe, the creation of jobs and economic competitiveness are the main requirements. The European Sunday alliance affirms that competitiveness and decent work can go hand in hand with a common weekly day of rest. It needs recreation to be creative, innovative, and in the end, competitive. The various pannelists and keynote speakers were of the view that today, legislation and practices in place at the EU and Member State level need to be more protective of the health, safety, dignity of everyone and should more attentively promote the balance between family and private life and work. All people in the European Union should be entitled to benefit from work-free Sundays and decent working hours. Sunday protection strengthens the social cohesion of our societies. It represents a precious feature of our heritage, which should be recognised as a fundamental pillar of the European Social and Economic Model.


Downloads:

Press release EN- Communiqué de presse FR - Presseerklärung DE - Communicato Stampa IT

Programme



Photos and videos:

Flickr Album


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Pledge for a work-free Sunday and decent work

Content:

! ACTION !




Pledge for a work-free Sunday and decent work

ahead of the European elections 2014

"A work-free Sunday and decent working hours are of paramount importance for citizens and workers throughout Europe and are not necessarily in conflict with economic competitiveness.

Especially in the present time of socio-economic crisis, the adoption of legislation extending working hours to late evenings, nights, bank holidays and Sundays has direct consequences for the working conditions of employees and for small and medium sized enterprises. Competitiveness needs innovation, innovation needs creativity and creativity needs recreation!



As a current or future Member of the European Parliament I pledge:

 

1. To ensure that all relevant EU-legislation both respects and promotes the protection of a common weekly day of rest for all EU citizens, which shall be in principle on a Sunday, in order to protect workers' health and promote a better balance between family and private life and work;


2. To promote EU-legislation guaranteeing sustainable working time patterns based on the principle of decent work benefiting society as well as the economy as a whole.

Signatures collected:


Download the pledge in your language (PDF):

English - French- German- Bulgarian - Croatian - Czech - Danish - Dutch - Estonian- Finnish - Greek - Hungarian - Italian - Irish - Latvian - Lithuanian - Maltese - Polish - Portuguese -Romanian - Slovak - Slovenian - Spanish - Swedish





Now it's up to YOU !

Contact your MEP and MEP-Candidate and call on her/him to commit her/himself
To ensure that all relevant EU-legislation both respects and promotes the protection of a common weekly day of rest for all EU citizens, which shall in principle be on a Sunday, in order to protect workers' health and promote a better balance between family and private life and work;
To promote EU-legislation guaranteeing sustainable working time patterns based on the principle of decent work benefiting society as well as the economy as a whole.

by signing THE PLEDGE!

--> Please take a PHOTO of the signing and send us the name and the photo:

contact@europeansundayalliance.eu

We will publish it on our website. Photos, that we receive before Wednesday, 15 January 2014 will be included in the presentation of the campaign during our conference at the European Parliament on 21 January 2013. www.europeansundayalliance.eu/site/sundayconference2014


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