vida trade unionist Eberhart elected to the EFFAT Presidium
Eva Eberhart has recently introduced vida's concerns to the EU level. The European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism (EFFAT) elected her Vice-President of the Tourism Sector.
Tourism
Eva Eberhart is chairwoman of the works council of Nordsee GmbH and vida department chairwoman for the tourism industry. At the end of November 2024, she was also appointed Vice-President of EFFAT's Tourism Sector. With the election, the trade union vida has a strong voice in Europe.
As the newly elected Vice President, Eberhart is in favor of further developing the tourism industry in the face of major global changes: "We must ensure that humane and fair working conditions are maintained even in the face of change. This is challenging, but let's see it as an opportunity! Let's rethink tourism!"
EFFAT Congress: Focus on climate change
Every five years, EFFAT affiliates from the hospitality and tourism, agriculture and food production sectors come together to elect their bodies and decide on the political goals of the trade union federation. The representatives of the European trade unions met this November in Valencia, Spain for the congress under the title "FightingForward". As part of this, not only Eva Eberhart was given a new function, but also the Italian Enrico Somaglia was elected Secretary General.
EFFAT's main topics
Climate change is one of the major challenges in tourism in the coming years. On the one hand, this changes seasons and holiday destinations, and on the other hand, employees have to react more and more flexibly to special weather conditions and are more often on duty in very hot weather.
Among other things, EFFAT deals with precarious working conditions and low pay in the hospitality industry. In order to be able to negotiate better wages and working conditions, the association is committed to strengthening trade unions in Europe and empowering workers, especially the younger ones. One instrument with which the European trade unions want to achieve higher wages is the Minimum Wage Directive.
The most important basis for effective employee representation is still the number of its members. At the EFFAT Congress, 17 participants from 14 countries reported on how they gained membership strength through workplace organisation, cooperation and thematic campaigns.
In view of the high proportion of seasonal work and the international labour market in the EFFAT sectors, EFFAT will continue to do everything in its power to strengthen cross-border dialogue and trade union cooperation at European level over the next five years. And Eva Eberhart will be heavily involved as a representative of the trade union vida.
