Trade union leaders from across Europe are warning against letting in the anti-worker far right.
As negotiations advance for the formation of the leadership of the EU institutions, the European trade union movement is calling on all democratic forces to reject any cooperation with any part of the far right.
The far right consistently and dishonestly claims to support working people when, in reality, it attacks their trade unions and their democratic rights, dismantling human rights and women’s rights in particular. Giving workers a say in the world of work is a cornerstone of any democratic society and an antidote to far-right and anti-worker populism.
In its Charter of Values, the ETUC commits to work to “promote the freedom of expression and the participation of women and men in democratic life in society, the workplace and in national, European and global governance.”
The document, adopted by trade unions representing 45 million workers, rejects “all authoritarian or totalitarian regimes that restrict or undermine democracy, the principle of division of powers, freedom of the media, independence of the judiciary and institutions, and people's fundamental rights and freedoms.”
Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the ETUC, said:
“In our workplaces, in the rooms where decisions are made and on the streets, progressive forces must work together to keep the far right out, its everyone's duty.
“Trade unions are diametrically opposed to the objectives of the far right. They will always seek the easy solution and revert to scapegoating the weak. This ‘punch-down’ reflex is kryptonite to democracy and must be actively isolated.
“The actions and voting records of the far right at European and national level demonstrate how they target people’s rights because they are women, because of who they love or because of the colour of their skin. Working people will not be fooled. We know we draw our collective power, not by allowing hate to drive us apart, but by uniting together to hold the powerful accountable.”
