• European workers mobilising against austerity

    European workers mobilising against austerity

    Brussels, 09/09/2010 John Monks said: “This is the worst economic crisis in the post war history of Western Europe. Our campaign is against austerity, and, instead, for jobs and growth: cutting in a recession, cutting when unemployment is already high, cutting when economic growth is low, cutting labour rights and pensions, this is wrong”. “So we call for a rethink and a change – in Spain and in Europe - on September 29. We are mobilising: they will have to listen to us”, he added.
    Press release Published on 09.09.2010
  • The ETUC supports the national day of action on pensions organised by French trade unions

    The ETUC supports the national day of action on pensions organised by French trade unions

    Brussels, 06/09/2010 John Monks declared: "The major challenge is not retirement age but the question of employment. The effort has to focus on employment. It is vital to facilitate young people's entry into the job market by offering quality jobs that will enable them to finance the public social protection system based on solidarity and to have decent pensions. Keeping seniors in the employment market is also of major importance and that is not happening at present, as we know. We must not set the wrong priority."
    Press release Published on 06.09.2010
  • European Works Councils in Practice

    European Works Councils in Practice

    Ljubljana, 01/09/2010 It is always a pleasure to visit this beautiful corner of Europe – one of the best examples of trade union co-operation across national borders anywhere in the European Union. It was not always like that round here. Armies have criss-crossed these lands for centuries. Guns and tramping soldiers have come and gone in streets and boulevards. The ghosts of the fallen still call to us with the message “never again must the peoples of Europe turn again to war as a solution.”
    Speech Published on 01.09.2010
  • Repression of Trade Unions in Northern Cyprus

    Repression of Trade Unions in Northern Cyprus

    Brussels, 06/08/2010 The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in a joint statement declared: “We strongly protest against the arrest of 24 trade unionists on August 3 in Northern Cyprus while demonstrating against the austerity policy and the privatisation projects of the local administration. We call on the authorities to end the policy of anti-union harassment and to return to negotiations and social dialogue”.
    Press release Published on 06.08.2010
  • REACH: ETUC updates its Priority List for Authorisation

    REACH: ETUC updates its Priority List for Authorisation

    Brussels, 13/07/2010 The Trade Union List version 2.0 includes 334 substances or group of substances ordered by priority, this represents 29 new entries compared to the first version published in March 2009. Most of these substances are identified as causative agents for recognised occupational diseases in the EU countries.
    Press release Published on 13.07.2010
  • Informal Meeting of Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs

    Informal Meeting of Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs

    Brussels, 07/07/2010 Thank you for the invitation to come along today with my trade union and social partner colleagues. This is an important moment. It’s the worst economic crisis in Western Europe since the Second World War - I do recognise that there have been worse crises in Eastern Europe. The stimulus packages are being withdrawn, austerity is a near universal European fashion, and the fragile recovery is at risk. Governments are following the example of their predecessors in the 1930s.
    Speech Published on 07.07.2010