At its Congress in Paris, in September, the European Trade Union movement will adopt new policies and demands for
- economic recovery and quality jobs
- a fairer society and
- Stronger EU economic policy coordination, especially within the Eurozone
The General Secretaries and/or Presidents of some 90 national trade union organisations from 39 European countries will be among the hundreds of delegates who will debate and vote on a draft Paris Manifesto and ‘Action Programme 2015-2019’ (a longer policy document).
Renewing their call for an end to punishing austerity, delegates will debate and vote on proposals including:
- How Europe can deal with a continuing and unpredictable number of refugees seeking asylum in Europe
- Obliging the European Central Bank to promote full employment and sustainable growth;
- A new European Directive on minimum income, with common principles for all Member States;
- Fairer taxation, including a minimum EU-wide corporate tax rate of 25%;
- An end to abuses of the single market that drive down wages and working conditions;
- Opposing international trade deals that include special legal privileges for foreign investors, undermine public services or do not enforce labour rights;
- A new EU law putting workers on European company boards.
“Europe is emerging from the worst of the economic crisis,” said ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol, “with far more inequality and poverty. The EU needs to give ordinary working people more opportunities for a better standard of living. It is in real danger of being dismissed by citizens as an exclusive club for business and the rich.”
“At the same time Europe needs to face up to the possibility of a long-term refugee crisis.”
The ETUC Congress takes place from September 29 to October 2 in the Maison de Mutualité, Paris- see https://www.etuc.org/european-trade-union-confederation-13th-congress-etuc15.
For the Congress programme see https://www.etuc.org/european-trade-union-confederation-13th-congress-etuc15#Agenda
All sessions of the Congress will be open to the media with full access to the Congress hall – to register https://www.etuc.org/sites/www.etuc.org/files/other/files/accreditation_form.doc
For videos of trade union General Secretaries and Presidents talking about ETUC Congress see https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeE4Q3gvQB0Fy4LX9KHzhgHnERD0BtJmD
