The ITUC and the European Trade Union Confederation today welcomed the release of two Turkish journalists, Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, held in prison since November after being charged with revealing state secrets relating to weapon trafficking to Syria. Prosecutors had been seeking life imprisonment for the two journalists from leading independent newspaper Hurriyet.
The European Commission’s Country Reports – due to be issued today – are a test of its commitment to
a fairer EMU (a key part of President Juncker’s programme);
involving trade unions and employers in the economic semester process (a key part of the Commission’s relaunch of social dialogue in March 2015).
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and its national trade union members are actively involved in the semester process, and have submitted recommendations for the country reports of each member state.
European and Japanese trade unions are demanding that negotiators should work towards an EU-Japan trade deal that protects workers’ rights, creates decent jobs and promotes high social, environmental and health standards.
Japan is the EU’s second biggest trading partner in Asia, and together the two blocs account for more than one-third of world GDP, so the stakes are high.
Commenting on the UK deal, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said
"Cameron had succeeded in exempting the UK from important duties of EU membership."
"The EU must ensure that none of the exceptions and restrictions apply to other member states.
The ETUC criticises the conclusions of the Heads of state today on refugees. Instead of enhancing humanitarian efforts, Europe turns toward a war against refugees. Refugees coming to the EU are represented as a 'flow' to be stemmed.
Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), together with ITUC and DISK trade union leaders, went to Istanbul prison to show solidarity with Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, two journalists and trade unionists who are in jail accused of being spies and enemies of the state for having published articles about weapon trafficking to Syria by the Turkish secret services. European and International trade unions demand the immediate release of the journalists.
European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), trade unionists from Europe and Lithuanian politicians will be in the Lithuanian Parliament on Wednesday 10 February to discuss social dialogue and modern legislation, while the rights of Lithuanian trade unions and workers are in danger from proposed changes in the Labour Code.
Many highly problematic changes were proposed for the Draft Lithuanian Labour Code that would dramatically deteriorate workers’ and trade unions conditions in Lithuania.
The European Commission’s winter 2016 economic forecast predicts moderate growth and unemployment to fall at snail’s pace.
European Commissioner Moscovici acknowledged that more work is needed to increase investment, and called for richer member states to increase public investment.
“Richer countries must invest more to drive growth and create jobs,” said Veronica Nilsson, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation. “We are with Commissioner Moscovici on that one.
Members of the European Parliament echo calls from civil society, public service providers and workers to fully exclude public services from trade agreements.
As the EU digests the contents of the Donald Tusk’s proposed deal with the UK on EU membership, the European Trade Union Confederation said that robbing-low paid workers of their rights would help neither the UK nor the EU.
“What Europe needs is investment and decent pay for workers” said Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary “not robbing low-paid migrants of their rights.”
The European Parliament will debate in Plenary on Monday, and vote on Wednesday, on its opinion on TISA – the Trade in Services Agreement.
This Agreement has been in negotiations since 2013 with over 20 members of the WTO including the EU, USA, Japan, Mexico and Turkey.
The ETUC is not against TISA, which could boost trade and economic activity, but has concerns about the impact on public services and workers’ rights.
Key issues for ETUC in the report, and the Agreement are
The tax proposals put on the table by the European Commission today represent two steps forward and two big steps backward according to the European Trade Union Confederation.
Two small step forwards
Obligatory sharing of information on how much tax multinational companies pay
Establishing the principle in European law of paying tax on profits where they are generated
Two steps backward
