Preparedness - A workers' perspective

The current geopolitical and economic turmoil affects us all, whether we like it or not, and cannot be ignored. Various EU surveys show the grave concerns of European citizens and workers about issues such as extreme weather events, cybersecurity, geopolitical instability threats, the unstable economy or the rising inequalities as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. 

This is why the Workers’ Group will dedicate its next extraordinary meeting, which will take place in Gdansk, in the framework of the Polish EU presidency, to Europe’s crisis preparedness from a workers’ perspective. This is because it is important for any preparedness plan to also take into account the reality on the ground by including the workplace dimension of ensuring security and preparedness.

Building on this reasoning, the preparedness question will be tackled from different angles, starting with the state of preparedness at European level, with interventions by representatives of the Commission, the Polish Government and the Polish Fire Service, and a presentation of the relevant EESC opinion which is currently being prepared.

The focus will then shift to the specific role of social service workers as a front-line response to crises and emergencies. Guest speakers in this session, including representatives of the Polish Public Service Council and Polish trade union representatives and experts, will address the realities and challenges of their work.

Whereas on the second day, the participants will deal with preparedness at the workplace (the “real anti-crisis shields”) and the awareness building and preparation within the workforce (with experts from fields like occupational medicine, cybersecurity, security training and crisis response manuals, and labour inspection).