On Friday 13 February 2026, Luxembourg trade union ALEBA released a statement regarding recent meetings with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Minister of Labour Marc Spautz to discuss trade union representativeness, collective bargaining agreements and the functioning of the Chamber of Employees (CSL).
The statement followed discussions held on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 January 2026, during which ALEBA raised concerns about what it described as discriminatory aspects of the current legal framework governing trade union representativeness.
In its statement, ALEBA highlighted what it described as “persistent discrimination” in the current legal framework governing trade union representativeness.
The union cited several concrete examples. According to ALEBA, its elected representatives at Hôpitaux Robert Schuman (health sector), Indorama (industry sector) and G4S (security sector) are excluded from collective agreement negotiations solely because they are not affiliated with a so-called “national” trade union. ALEBA argued that this legal distinction restricts trade union freedoms for unions without national representativeness status and “clearly violates” the right of elected representatives to represent their voters.
At Luxair, the union noted that pilots, representing 17% of elected representatives, are excluded from negotiations of their own collective labour agreement because they cannot demonstrate 50% of the votes. Meanwhile, representatives affiliated with nationally representative unions may participate, even if they do not necessarily work in the profession concerned and even where those unions do not hold 50% of the votes.
From a legal perspective, ALEBA reiterated during the meetings that the 2004 law on sectoral representativeness was, during codification, stripped of its substance through what it termed the unlawful removal of an explicit reference to sectoral trade unions in a key article relating to collective agreement negotiations (Article L.162-1 (1)). The union is calling for this provision to be reinstated in order to restore what it describes as the original spirit of the legislation.
ALEBA also proposed lowering the current 50% threshold of votes required within the Chamber of Employees (Chambre des Salariés - CSL) to obtain sectoral representativeness to 20%, aligning it with the threshold applicable to national representativeness. Another option put forward would be to consider 20% of the votes obtained in social elections within companies in the relevant sector. The union stated that such a reform would clarify the law, strengthen social democracy and better reflect current labour market realities.
At company level, ALEBA advocates allowing every elected staff delegate to participate in collective agreement negotiations if they fall within the agreement’s scope, thereby abolishing the 50% threshold currently required to negotiate and represent voters.
Regarding the discussions, Minister Spautz indicated that he would examine the historical origins of the existing thresholds by referring to parliamentary records, noting that some rules date back to a period when the structure of the CSL was fundamentally different. He added that he had reviewed the documents submitted by ALEBA and familiarised himself with the legal provisions mentioned, acknowledging the relevance of the issues raised while stressing that certain provisions stem from specific political and historical contexts.
Although Prime Minister Frieden and Minister Spautz demonstrated what ALEBA described as attentive listening and understanding of the issues raised, Minister Spautz specified that a comprehensive reform of trade union representativeness is not included in the current coalition agreement.
ALEBA described this position as a “major disappointment”, arguing that reform is necessary to eliminate discrimination and adapt the legal framework to what it considers to be the social realities of the 21st century, in line with recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The union recalled that the ILO ruled in its favour three years ago, without subsequent legislative changes.
Luxembourg remains a signatory to international conventions guaranteeing trade union freedoms. According to ALEBA, the current legal provisions are “clearly inconsistent” with these commitments.
When asked about the possibility of a single trade union, both ministers reaffirmed their attachment to trade union pluralism, while stressing the need for clear rules to frame it.
Although the meetings did not result in an immediate commitment to reform, ALEBA stated that they clarified positions and confirmed that trade union representativeness remains a central issue for the future of social dialogue in Luxembourg.
The union added that it will continue to advocate for greater pluralism, democratic participation and fairness in labour relations. In the absence of legislative change, ALEBA said it intends to intensify its actions to promote what it described as a more inclusive and representative social democracy.
