Subject matter

Work is one of the most important aspects of human life. That is why the International Labour Organisation introduced the concept of a decent job into its programme more than thirty years ago, setting out the objectives on which the quality of work and the quality of life of those who do it depend.

Numerous international organisations and institutions promote the idea of decent work - the term appears in documents of the United Nations and the European Commission. It is used by trade union activists, employers and politicians.

Although Europe is the second-largest steel producer in the world, a continuous decline in the number of jobs in the sector is expected (in recent years, the restructuring of the industry has led to 40 000 job losses).

Many aspects of the idea of decent work are covered by various types of legislation at national and European level.