According to the European Working Conditions Survey launched today more than one third of workers report some or great difficulty in making ends meet. This is the reality behind the rosier picture painted by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions which highlights an “increasingly skilled workforce, largely satisfied with work”. However, the study also reveals that

Commenting on today’s ‘Semester Package’ announcement by the European Commission Veronica Nilsson, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), said “We were hoping for a much clearer announcement of an end to the EU’s damaging austerity regime. As far as we are concerned austerity will not end until the misnamed Stability and Growth Pact is reformed at least to encourage investment, and collective bargaining is yielding wage rises for workers across Europe.”

The government of Turkish President Erdogan has recently fired a further 10,131 of its employees, bringing the total number of public sector employees dismissed or suspended since the failed 15 July military coup attempt to more than 100,000.  The dismissals, across 35 different government ministries and agencies, were mainly in the health, education and justice departments. New recruitments may be arbitrary, not based on objective criteria, in education institutions where most dismissals have occurred so far. Those fired are barred from future employment in the public sector.

Commenting on the European Commission’s autumn economic forecast, Veronica Nilsson, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said “Global uncertainty and a weak and unequal recovery, providing too few and precarious jobs, are creating the conditions for a social and political storm that could blow away any modest progress in Europe’s fortunes. “It is a gathering storm which has to be deflected through a determined change in economic course.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), together with sectoral trade union industriAll Europe, urge Trade Ministers meeting on 11 November to adopt robust anti-dumping measures to protect European jobs and industry from unfair, subsidised competition. The ETUC warn trade ministers of the urgency to effectively tackle unfair trade practices from countries like China, to save jobs in Europe. “Unfair competition is destroying EU manufacturing jobs” said ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini. “Europe must have the proper tools to defend its industry.”

The European Trade Union Confederation will welcome European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for a discussion on the future of Europe with trade union leaders from all EU countries. Also joining the ETUC debate are Sweden’s Europe Minister Ann Linde, European Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, and MEP Maria João Rodrigues The discussion meeting will take place on Monday 7 November.

Dear Readers, We have just published the October 2016 edition of the ETUC Newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

The EU’s Youth Guarantee has not done enough to help young people into work in Europe, states a new report from the European Trade Union Confederation. ETUC Youth have assessed progress since the Youth Guarantee was launched in 2013, and call for higher investment and more commitment from employers and national governments.

ETUC and CLC statement on CETA MORE DEMOCRACY FOR A FAIR AND PROGRESSIVE TRADE AGENDA The failure of the signature of CETA and the consequent postponement of the EU-Canada Summit show that our concerns were right and shared by local and national politicians, and that the deal cannot be ratified unless the flaws in CETA are fully addressed.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports a mandatory common consolidated corporate tax base across the European Union.  “A common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) will make aggressive tax planning more difficult” said ETUC Deputy General Secretary Veronica Nilsson, “and remove some incentives to move money around in order to pay less tax, especially through the use of transfer pricing". The ETUC regrets

The European Trade Union Confederation

The ETUC urged EU Heads of Governments to break out of their cycle of failure after yet another Summit in which practically nothing was agreed, and what was agreed should not have been according to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).     

President Juncker, President Tusk, President Fico, Vice President, Commissioner, deal colleagues, Europe is facing extraordinary circumstances, and needs ambitious replies to the needs and concerns of its citizens. Social partners want to be on board for this discussion. This was the main objective of the quadripartite declaration we signed few months ago – now it’s time to put it into practice, and the best way is to align our dialogue with what is going to be addressed by leaders tomorrow.