The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports the Greek General Confederation of Labour  in its call today for the withdrawal of the referendum.   In a GSEE Plenary convened today, Wednesday 1 July 2015, the Greek union states   “GSEE believes that holding of a referendum is a democratic, constitutional and inalienable right of Greek citizens within the context of European traditions.

The EU should think hard and long before pushing Greece out of the Eurozone warned  ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol. “Decisions by the ECB and Eurogroup Finance Ministers are pushing Greece towards the exit” said Bernadette Ségol. “Everyone should stop and think of the potentially disastrous consequences.” “Grexit is hugely risky for the Euro, for the EU economy and for Greece. The EU would be taking a big gamble on markets keeping faith in the Euro if it waved goodbye to Greece.”

The Danish Labour Court yesterday upheld the right of Danish trade union LO to take industrial action to  obtain a collective agreement for Ryanair staff employed in Denmark.   "We are very pleased with the ruling of the Labour Court. Now it's up to Ryanair. I hope we will succeed in concluding a collective agreement", said LO-Vice President, Lizette Risgaard.   LO hopes that Ryanair comes back to the negotiating table instead of triggering an industrial dispute.    

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) slammed EU Governments for the withdrawal today, by the European Commission, of the proposal to improve maternity leave.   ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol said “EU Governments have let down women and their families by their frankly embarrassing failure over seven years to improve maternity leave.”  

The ETUC welcomed the adoption today of President Juncker’s  €315 billion European investment plan by EU prime Ministers. This follows its adoption by the European Parliament on Wednesday. “Investment in growth and jobs has been the key demand of the ETUC since the crisis” said Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). “This €315billion plan may not be large enough, and may not raise the amount of money it claims, but it is still sends an important signal.”

Commenting on EU leaders finally adopting a plan to deal with the humanitarian emergency in the Mediterranean Sea, Luca Visentini, ETUC Confederal Secretary said “It’s disappointing to see how difficult it was to taken even this small step forward.” “Progress is painfully slow and there is still a need for investment in reception infrastructures, and in schemes to integrate refugees into the labour market.”

ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol made an impassioned plea for fair freedom of movement for workers at the Round Table on Social Mobility convened by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. She made the case for equal pay and conditions for equal work, and urged the PMs to stop the downward pressure on wages caused by employers exploiting workers who have taken up freedom of movement.

Today, the European Youth Forum and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), during their joint conference on youth employment at the European Economic and Social Committee, called for good quality jobs for young people.

Commenting on the 5 Presidents’ report on “Completing Europe’s Monetary and Economic Union”, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “There is no way trade unions would accept a body separate from the social partners giving advice on wage negotiations. This would be a recipe for major conflict. Wage setting is the role of autonomous social partners”.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes today’s adoption by EU leaders of the Riga conclusions, a new set of priorities to improve Vocational Education and Training (VET) for the period 2015-2020. Luca Visentini, ETUC Confederal Secretary, speaking at the meeting of ministers in charge of Vocational Education and Training in Riga, said:

Dear Readers, We have just published the June 2015 edition of the ETUC Newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

“The European Trade Union movement is shocked by the proposal to put up a wall between Hungary and  Serbia” said Bernadette Ségol, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation. “After playing such a prominent role in the fall of the iron curtain it is hard to believe that just over 25 years later Hungary would want to build a new iron curtain.”