Athens, 24/02/2010 “Panta rhei” – everything flows – said Heraclitus. Abraham Lincoln once sent a message to the cotton workers of Manchester, who were unemployed because of their support for the blockade of Southern American posts in the war against slavery. Lincoln memorably said “The strongest bond of human sympathy outside the family relation should be one uniting working people of all nations and tongues.”

Brussels, 23/02/2010 Europe’s trade unions follow with great concern the situation in Greece and in particular the pressure by the Commission, the Eurozone Ministers and the European Central Bank (ECB) on the Greek government for harsher austerity. The Labour movement in Europe stands in full solidarity with Greek workers in their struggle against job cuts, wage freezes, wage and pension cuts. Europe’s message to the Greek people should be one of stability and social progress and not one of deprivation and social dumping.

Brussels, 22/02/2010

Brussels, 15/02/2010 Says John Monks, ETUC General Secretary: “Governments and central banks in Europe have massively bailed out the banks. Now that financial markets are turning against public finances, governments need to close ranks to save themselves from the speculators. Europe urgently needs a common Eurobond, a European rating agency and new taxation revenues including a Transaction Tax”.

Brussels, 12/02/2010

Brussels, 12/02/2010 This is unsatisfactory and it is to be hoped that Europe’s finance ministers can devise specific and clear plans when they meet next week and so add much needed credibility to the EU’s approach. The most vulnerable economies in the eurozone are likely to need some help to maintain stability, and the EU needs a clear plan with the scale of assistance available, and the obligations to be incurred if it is sought.

Brussels, 11/02/2010 After a series of demonstrations the leaders of the trade union organisation TÜRK-?? met two weeks ago with Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, the Turkish Prime Minister, who instructed his Ministers to come up with a solution to end the conflict. There is still no deal.

Brussels, 10/02/2010 - Proactive measures against increasing unemployment, - An efficient regulation of financial markets, - Fighting global warming, - A Social Progress Clause reinforcing fundamental rights, - An agreement on the Working Time Directive, - Equal pay for equal work, - Clarifications with regard to the Posting Directive, - Stronger workers’ participation in corporate governance, - Better protection against redundancies.

Brussels, 10/02/2010 The serious problems are immediate. How can monetary union survive as weaker economies come under sustained market pressure? What action will be taken to combat rising unemployment, precarious work and falling living standards and ease social tensions, as countries cut back spending and aim to repay debt? And which President of which body speaks for Europe in the world?

Brussels, 03/02/2010 John Monks will declare to the President of the European Council: “We are extremely concerned that Governments will exit prematurely from the stimuli packages which have been applied since the crisis started and that precipitate action will retard growth and further increases in unemployment. European trade unions sent a letter to their Heads of government with a clear message: You have saved the banks, now save the jobs”. The ETUC demands that heads of Government and the European authorities:

Brussels, 28/01/2010 For more information. Press contacts :  - Audrey Lhoest, FGTB, GSM: 0476.90.16.30 - Diana De Crop, CSC, GSM: 0476.41.00.24 - Véra Dos Santos Costa, CGSLB, GSM 0475 46. 56. 58

Brussels, 27/01/2010 When it comes to trust, some business leaders are in the same position as Tiger Woods is with his wife. And although the bankers are probably near the top of the most mistrusted league table, others have problems too. Mr Schwab has made this point very well in the build up to this year’s Davos. So how does the escalator reverse and reputations begin to rise?