Europe’s hotel, restaurant and catering sector features 1.8 million companies employing almost 10 million workers. Tourism is one of the few sectors of the European economy with a high potential for growth and job creation, particularly providing an entry into the labour market for young people. Given the high percentage of atypical employment in the tourism sector, the EFFAT mission is to promote decent and fair working conditions. EFFAT activities in the tourism sector include promoting improvement and recognition of qualifications and skills, socially responsible and sustainable tourism, and strengthening social dialogue in the sector to improve working conditions.
Political Secretary: Virginie Demoucron – [email protected]
Chair: Lone Sögaard Nielsen (3F, Denmark)
Deputy Chairs: Eva Eberhart (VIDA, Austria) and Murat Bakindi (TOLEYİS, Türkiye)
8-9 April 2025, Larnaca EFFAT held a workshop in Larnaca, Cyprus which brought together 35 participants from 13 countries as part of the EU-funded Stronger Hospitality project. The two-day event (April 8-9) focused on best practices in collective bargaining agreements...
EFFAT expresses full solidarity and support with the Greek colleagues from POEET, the Panhellenic Federation of workers in Food and Tourism sectors. The general strike taking place in Greece tomorrow is a powerful call for action over the declining purchasing power of...
The European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT) strongly condemns Lieferando Austria's decision to dismantle its employed courier model, laying off around 1000 delivery riders and 65 operational staff. This abrupt shift to a freelance...
As part of the EU-funded Stronger Hospitality project, our recent webinar brought together 45 participants from 18 countries to address the challenges faced by young workers in the hospitality sector and explore strategies for trade union engagement. The hospitality...
On this International Migrants Day, EFFAT honours the indispensable role of migrant and mobile seasonal workers in Europe’s agricultural, tourism and domestic work sectors. These workers, who often face systemic exploitation and discrimination, are the backbone of our...
Hotel housekeepers create a clean, safe, and welcoming environments for guests worldwide. however, their working conditions do not always reflect the importance of their role, as they often face low wages, long hours, and exposure to physically demanding tasks without...
EFFAT’s final conference, ‘Stronger Collective Bargaining’, was a highlight of the EU-funded ‘Stronger Hospitality’ project, launched in July 2023. Bringing together over 115 participants from 15 countries and various EFFAT sectors, the event was a powerful platform...
On the eve of the 6th EFFAT Congress, a pivotal side event brought together a diverse and engaged audience, sparking vital discussions on the pressing challenges women face across the EFFAT sectors of food, agriculture, tourism, and domestic work. The event featured a...
On 3 October 2024, EFFAT participated in the ELA Launch Event in Rome, marking the kick-off of the The FairHORECAinEU, which aims to provide essential information on the rights of workers in the HORECA sector. EFFAT is a key partner in this campaign. Virginie...
For several months, unions have been raising concerns about the future of Club Med, a key transnational tourism company which, since 2015, has been owned by the Chinese conglomerate FOSUN. Since the COVID-19 crisis, the group has accumulated over 40 billion USD in...
