The construction sector is by nature characterized by a highly mobile workforce. Therefore temporary migration and in particular posting of workers is of vital importance for the sector. Lack of accessibility and transparency of the applicable working conditions has always been an important reason for reticence on workers' side to work in an EU Member State other than their home one. It is often the case that workers end up being trapped in jobs where they face
sub-standard conditions which are below the legal minimum. In such cases, the generally acknowledged rule of "same wage for the same work at the same workplace" is violated on each building site at the detriment of the posted workers.
In order for workers to be properly informed about their rights and protected against exploitation, the EFBWW develops the website https://www.constructionworkers.eu/. The ECMIN database/website is a tool to provide basic information to posted workers on the applicable wages and working conditions in the construction industry. At the same time the ECMIN also allows a direct communication between the person requesting information and the local trade unions.
The scope of the project must be as wide as possible. This is why the ECMIN IV covers all EU Member states, EEA and accessing countries. The affiliates of the EFBWW are the key actors in the maintenance and the promotion of the ECMIN website and App. The information is updated at national level in a timely manner by national responsible actors within trade unions thus contributing to the Enforcement of the Directive 96/71/EC by making the conditions and terms of employment in their country (for the construction sector) transparent and easily accessible.
The EFBWW recently updated its information and communication website for posted workers in the construction sector.
When evaluating the website, the project steering group clearly requested that further improvements be made in the following areas:
1. The number of languages must be further increased, particularly the number of non-EU languages.
2. The website must also provide additional background information about the labour markets where posted workers will be employed.
3. The internal communication component needs to be improved.
4. Each year, there must be at least one joint meeting of all the (national) contact persons responsible for updating the website information.
5. Clear(er) instructions must be issued on updating the website information. These must be provided in several languages and could potentially be delivered by means of a simple animated film.
6. There must be more structural cooperation with other organisations.
7. There is a need for a clear and targeted communication strategy that should then be developed further.
The main objective of this project is to comply with the new demands and to resume and strengthen the promotion and visibility of the current website.