Message of ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch in view of KESK Demonstration on 25 October 2024   Dear co-Presidents, dear General Secretary,Dear colleagues, dear friends, On behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and its 45 million members, from 94 trade union organisations in 42 European countries, I would like to express our solidarity with KESK – on the occasion of your demonstration “justice for dismissals”.

The DGB and its member unions are strongly committed to social justice, better working and living conditions for workers and citizens. Their fight for co-determination and a full democratisation of the economy and society is exemplary and a real source of inspiration for the European trade union movement. The DGB has been successfully fighting for gender equality at work and in society. At the 2022 federal congress, 49,9% of delegates were women and Yasmin Fahimi was the first woman elected as DGB president. 

On the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons on 1st October 2024, the European Federation of Retired and Elderly People (FERPA) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) wish to recall and underline the role and place of retired people in Europe. Pensioners and older people are still excluded from all decision-making processes that affect their living conditions and social rights. Their consultation, recommended by the UN and UNECE, is still far from being applied.

The European trade movement, under the auspices of the European Trade Union Confederation, met with the Ukrainian trade union movement represented by FPU and KPU on 23 April 2024 in Lublin, Poland in the framework of the Trade Union Summit for Ukraine. Read the declaration here 

The ETUC congratulates Judith Kirton-Darling on her appointment as General Secretary of industriAll Europe, as well as Isabelle Barthès as Deputy General Secretary. Having jointly led the organisation since May 2023, the industriAll Europe Executive Committee today confirmed her as General Secretary to lead the organisation until the end of the current mandate period in May 2025.

The first cross-sector demonstration in Brussels since the pandemic will take place on 12 December 2023. Place Poelaert is the starting point of the demonstration. Participants will begin to gather there from 10am onwards. Speeches will be held there at 11am.  After the speeches, the demonstration will begin. It will end at Place Jean Rey.

The ETUC expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Brussels.  The ETUC also stands in solidarity with our Swedish affiliates LO, TCO and SACO, and with Sweden's football supporters who were visiting Brussels for the match against Belgium.  After darkness we hope for light. 

The ETUC  stands with teachers and their European trade union federation, the ETUCE, for the European Week of Teachers. The week of action aims to raise policy solutions in their 10 key demands to make teaching more attractive.

This is a call for a subcontractor to provide expertise in the framework of the implementation of the ETUC project “Trade Unions against Discrimination”. Extension of the deadline : bidders must submit their offer by Monday 2nd October at noon 12h00 (CET) More information in PDF attached

ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch's message for May Day 2023

Dear colleagues,                                                               

The ETUC reiterates its very strong support for the French trade unions united in their mobilisation for social dialogue and against the pension reform in France. The way in which the French pension reform was adopted, without any dialogue with social partners, is not acceptable. The European Social model is based on social dialogue.  The respect for social dialogue and for the role of social partners is a key component of democracy in Europe and must be promoted, not disregarded.

Dear colleagues, The ETUC stands in solidarity with the French trade unions in their opposition to the extension of the retirement age in France. The 'reform' of the pension system is an attack on the well-being and aspirations of workers and their families. This reform is even more unacceptable - and counterproductive - when inequalities are growing and the cost of living crisis is severe. It will only deepen inequality and increase distrust of a political system that seeks to place a greater burden on working people, particularly the poorest.

The new General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has said she will prioritise improved pay for workers in the face of the continent-wide cost of living crisis. Esther Lynch, appointed General Secretary on 6th December will complete a journey from factory worker to the top of the European labour movement, says her organisation will work to create a broad alliance for higher wages, secure jobs and respect for collective bargaining.

The ETUC is proud to welcome into its family the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU), the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU) and the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM). “The future of Ukraine and Moldova is in the European Union” said Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary, “and the trade unions of Ukraine and Moldova need the support and solidarity of the ETUC to defend the rights of workers in these difficult and dangerous times, and to assist in ensuring that the interests of working people are represented she accession process.

In July, Peep Peterson left his position as president of the Estonian Trade Union Confederation (EAKL) at short notice to take up an important role as Minister of Health and Labour in the new Estonian coalition government. Peep Peterson had led the EAKL since 2013. With qualifications in law and journalism, he speaks Estonian, English, German, Russian, Finnish, and Latvian. From 2003 to 2013 he was chair of the Management Board of the Estonian Transport and Road Workers’ Trade Union.

Message from our General Secretary Luca Visentini for #MayDay "ETUC is fighting for a fairer Europe for workers – a more social Europe - for collective bargaining for all and adequate minimum wages, for equal pay, for decent work, for equality between men and women. We are fighting for sustainable and inclusive growth, and a socially just transition to a climate-friendly economy. We are fighting to stop any return to austerity. Solidarity on May 1st"

ETUC Demonstation for Peace&Dialogue, Brussels, 24/02/2022 Speech by Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary "We face a tragedy, war is back to Europe with its worst face after decades. We condemn the Russian aggression against Ukrainian people and ask EU leaders gathering this evening to put in place all the measures needed to stop military operations and come back to dialogue for peace.

ETUC Demonstation for Peace&Dialogue, Brussels, 24/02/2022 Speech by Esther Lynch, ETUC Deputy General Secretary "Trade unions are always and everywhere against war We condemn the attacks on Ukraine. War is never in the interest of working people. Trade unions are always and everywhere For peace and dialogue    For peace and democracy For peace and justice   

Following the recent passing of Carlo Parietti, a former President of Eurocadres and a CGIL trade union leader, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), has sent a message of condolences to Maurizio Landini, CGIL General Secretary: Dear Maurizio, Personally, and also on behalf of the ETUC, please accept my deepest condolences  for the sad death of Carlo Parietti.

Dear Maurizio, I would like to express to you the most sincere solidarity and full support of the European Trade Union Confederation for the shameful attack by right-wing extremists and No-Vax on the headquarters of the national CGIL yesterday. As you rightly reminded us, trade unions, in Italy, in Europe and in the world, have always been the defenders of democracy, and it is no coincidence that the fascist and violent instrumentalisation of the anti-vaccine protests is directed against the trade union movement and CGIL in particular.

TRADE UNIONS FOR A FAIR RECOVERY: Strengthening the role of trade unions in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis COVID-19 has underlined the importance of Social Dialogue in societies across Europe. While it has come to the forefront during the pandemic, it is crucial that effective social dialogue is at the heart of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs). Strong unions are essential for a fair recovery !

ETUC is delighted to announce new Deputy General Secretary Claes-Mikael Ståhl, who started at ETUC today. Claes-Mikael is Swedish and has worked for Swedish blue-collar union LO since 2007, primarily on collective bargaining.   He has EU experience having worked in Brussels from 2003 to 2006, first for the EU Office of the Swedish Trade Unions and then for the ETUC. He has just moved to Brussels with his wife and two children.

Video message by Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary "Solidarity is the of trade unions, the of fighting COVID19. Put Solidarity at the of recovery"  

MATICA joins European Trade Union Confederation ETUC today approved the membership application of the Association of Croatian Trade Unions MATICA. MATICA’s application was fully supported by existing Croatian ETUC members UATUC and NHS, and agreed today by the ETUC Executive Committee. MATICA has 55,000 members, mainly in the public sector, and was founded in 1993. ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said “We warmly welcome MATICA to the European trade union movement.