(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 19 OTT - The European Labour Authority (ELA) has failed to take concrete actions over the first cases of worker exploitation referred to it in October 2019 by trade unions, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said today.

European trade unions brought in front of ELA ten cases involving non-payment of wages, holiday pay, sick pay and social security contributions last year. The cases were related mostly to posted workers from the Balkans and Central- and Eastern European countries to Western Europe.

However, "individuals involved have still not been contacted by the ELA," ETUC claimed, while ELA has merely addressed" the cases in a letter to the member states concerned." For this reason, ETUC said that trade unions "have now resubmitted nine cases to the ELA along with two new complaints concerning abusive working conditions of agriculture seasonal workers, and the deprivation of social security entitlements for maritime workers." "Too many cross-border workers are trapped in a shadow economy in which rogue employers make profits by undercutting wages and flouting basic rights like paid holiday, sick leave and social security," said ETUC Deputy General Secretary Per Hilmersson. "Although the ELA will be fully operational only in 2024, it brings trade unions no pleasure to say that ELA so far did not effectively follow up the concrete abuses of vulnerable workers that were brought to its attention," Hilmersson noted, adding that ELA should be made fully operational "as a matter of priority." (ANSA).