ECOSY welcomes parental leave agreement partners

ECOSY welcomes the European Social Partners' revised agreement on parental leave reached on the 18th of June 2009 as a great step towards a more equal and fair Europe. The agreement includes a number of aspects which will improve the current situation, as it not only encourages more equal sharing of parental responsibilities between the parents, but also recognises more diverse family forms and needs of the families.

This agreement will send a strong message to the European Parliament which will have to continue from the failed attempt of the last Parliament to increase the length of the parental leave only a few weeks ago.

ECOSY Vice-President Kaisa Penny comments: "ECOSY believes this is a great development and especially so in the time of financial crisis creating pressure to weaken the working conditions rather than improve them. Nonetheless ECOSY believes that the agreed four month parental leave period is still far from ideal, and work must to continue so that all the families in Europe can enjoy similar rights to each other. This not only includes longer parental leaves but also high quality affordable day care to further help the reconciliation of family and working life and to make it easier for mothers to return to the labour market after having children."

The full text of the agreement can be read here

See the full text of the revised here