The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today calls on EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Friday to back proposals by French President François Hollande for an investment plan equal to 2% of EU GDP, and by Italian Premier Matteo Renzi to lift austerity measures and invest in growth and jobs.
“EU leaders say they want to tackle unemployment” said Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation “but the policies they have implemented so far will not create jobs.”
“Europe needs investment not deregulation. The crisis was caused by the financial sector, and the way out is not to undermine working conditions. Ordinary people have suffered enough as it is.”
“New initiatives are needed to drive recovery. EU leaders need to turn words of concern about unemployment into deeds and put the proposals of Hollande and Renzi into action.”
The ETUC
- Has long warned EU leaders that policies based largely cutting Government spending destroys jobs and risks creating deflation.
- Is concerned that with 26 million unemployed, and wages down in 18 out of 28 EU member states over the least 5 years, more needs to be done to boost demand which will in turn create jobs.
- Disputes the idea that deregulation and labour market reform assists recovery, and is critical of attempts by the European Commission to get backing on Friday for its deregulatory REFIT programme. Draft Council conclusions seen by the ETUC appear to include an ill-concealed attempt to exclude small and medium sized enterprises from legislation. Instead ETUC calls for more dialogue between trade unions and employers and national and EU decision-makers as a means of finding solutions to the crisis.
- Believes that the 2030 climate and energy package being discussed by EU leaders on Friday would do more to create employment and energy security if EU leaders were willing to commit to ambitious energy efficiency and renewable energy targets.
- Urges EU leaders to concentrate on economic recovery and not on an inter-institutional dispute over who should become President of the European Commission
To drive home its message the ETUC has erected an 8 metre cube opposite the Summit venue in Brussels saying ’26 million unemployed: austerity is not working. New EU leaders must invest in growth and jobs’ in English, French, German and Dutch.
ETUC has been campaigning in recent months for a plan of investment at national and European level drive growth and jobs, and welcomes President Hollande’s backing for a New Path for Europe.
