On October 1, more than 1,000 essential workers from nine EU countries will rally outside the European Parliament in Brussels, calling for urgent reforms to EU public procurement rules. The left stands in solidarity with these workers, advocating for stronger collective bargaining rights, better working conditions, and public contracts that prioritize quality services over corporate profits.
Left-wing MEP Li Andersson (Vasemmistoliitto, Finland), chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs:
“Competitiveness threatens to turn into a race to the bottom in terms of workers’ rights. We therefore need better rules on public procurement and a strong emphasis on social criteria. We must guarantee quality, healthy and safe jobs for people living in Europe. When we use public money, we must lead by example: just as we must have policies that strengthen the European social pillar, it is also our responsibility to promote collective bargaining.”
Across Europe, millions of workers depend on public contracts for their livelihoods. Yet UNI Europa’s research reveals a disturbing reality: half of public tenders in the EU are awarded solely on the basis of the lowest price, without taking into account the social impact on workers and communities . This practice goes against the European Commission’s commitment to improving job quality and expanding collective bargaining to ensure fair wages and better working conditions for all workers.
As European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen prepares to revise the EU Public Procurement Directive, essential workers are making their voices heard, especially after the blatant omission of a portfolio dedicated to quality jobs and social rights.
This is a pivotal moment – a chance to finally meet the needs of the very people who make these services possible.
The left unequivocally opposes this broken system of public procurement that puts corporate greed ahead of workers’ livelihoods. Europe must no longer be run by deregulation and profit-hungry corporations; rather, it should be shaped by robust public investments, protection of workers’ rights, and an unwavering commitment to social and environmental justice.
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