A new roadmap for Europe…
without social progress?
by Rudy De Leeuw & Luca Visentini
Response by Rudy De Leeuw, President, and Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to Guy Verhofstadt, Michel Barnier, Guillaume Klossa, Felipe Gonzalez, Maria Joao Rodrigues, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Roberto Saviano and Lionel Baier.
While we must welcome the common appeal launched in Le Soir on Monday 9 May, ‘Europe Day’, drafted by several prominent Europeans, to ‘restore confidence and reboot European dynamism’, it is also incumbent upon us as representatives of the European trade unions, once again, to sound the alarm on the social front.
The point we agree on is that we need to reform Europe so that it remains centred on its fundamental values of democracy, protection, welcoming refugees, and a shared sentiment of what it means to be European, as set out by the authors of the text that appeared on 9 May.
However, when it comes to whether the content of that appeal is up to the task of tackling the crisis of confidence experienced by workers and those in receipt of social security benefits, with regard to Europe and the European project, the answer has to be ‘No’.
So we are staggered and alarmed that not one of the six strands set out in that document focuses on the high level of unemployment, on poverty, on growing inequalities or on unfair tax schemes: that none of these strands specifically calls for a (more) social Europe.
Yet the ‘European social model’ must be restored: even the IMF recognises the good economic performances being recorded by countries with well-functioning systems of social protection and effective social dialogue.
If, as the writers suggest, deliberation by the citizens of Europe should be able to put forward a new European roadmap to “make Europe into a major democratic, cultural and economic power”, then we fear there will be no change of direction in Europe unless it places at the heart of the European project the people who generate its riches – the working men and women.
So we do need to seek greater social justice, and to make Europe a major democratic, social and cultural power – in that order – equipped with an economy that serves its working men and women and creates sustainable, quality jobs for all.
What we are demanding is an ambitious new social agenda: strong legislation (and not a weakening of the regulations) and policies in favour of workers, with or without jobs, to guarantee them quality jobs and better working conditions.
We are focusing particularly on pay rises for workers (which must counter inequalities and boost sustainable development), equal pay, including between men and women, a higher priority for health and safety at work, as well as education, vocational training and lifelong learning.
We call for decent public healthcare and pensions for all, quality public services and stronger social protection based on solidarity between generations of Europeans.
We demand the adoption of a protocol on European social progress, to be appended to the EU treaties, to combat social dumping and reaffirm that fundamental rights are more important than economic freedoms and must be respected!
In addition, with nationalism, individualism and isolationism on the rise, we urge all Europeans to fight against all forms of discrimination, be they based on gender, ethnic origin, nationality, belief system, conviction, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age or membership of a trade union.
Finally, at a time when the European Commission is officially presenting the 28 ministers of trade with the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that it has negotiated with Canada, to be opened for signature in September, we call more than ever for sustainable – in other words social – economic development.
The CETA, like the TTIP, is supposed to encourage employment, respect democratic decision-making, the public interest and cultural identity, protect public services and the environment, and include labour rights based on the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
These agreements should likewise be the subject of transparent, democratic negotiations, failing which the 45 million-strong European Trade Union Confederation will call on progressive politicians simply to reject the treaty outright, along with any other measure or disposition by Europe that does not give priority to social interests.
This is why the European Trade Union Confederation is on the offensive, in parallel with the consultation launched by the European Commission, in fighting for its own European pillar of social rights.