The role of trade unions in improving productivity

The EESC's ECO section has adopted an own-initiative opinion exploring how trade unions can support productivity growth across the EU. While productivity is essential for competitiveness, wages, and living standards, the opinion highlights that this objective must go hand in hand with quality work, fair working conditions and innovation. The EESC argues that trade unions can make a significant contribution through collective bargaining, social dialogue, and cooperation at the workplace, especially as Europe faces rapid technological, demographic and economic changes.

Key points

In the opinion, the ECO section:

• Highlights the positive role of trade unions in boosting productivity through collective bargaining, workplace innovation, and inclusive decision-making models such as co-management and works councils.
• Calls for stronger collaboration between unions, employers and governments to promote training, reduce absenteeism, support fair digital transitions, and improve workplace environments.
• Urges investment in human capital and SMEs and supports the involvement of trade unions in setting sector-specific productivity benchmarks that reflect long-term, sustainable business performance.

Additional information

EESC section: Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)

Opinion type: Own-initiative opinion

Rapporteur: Philip VON BROCKDORFF (Workers – GR II/Malta)

Administrator: Georgios MELEAS

Reference: ECO/666-EESC

Date of adoption by section: 4/7/2025

Date of adoption in plenary: 16-17/07/2025

Contact

ECO Secretariat

Email: eco@eesc.europa.eu

Administrator: Georgios MELEAS