Speech given by Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation 2015 Biennial Delegate Conference (ICTU) 9 July 2015, Ennis [Check against delivery]   President, delegates,   I am honoured to address you once more – for the third and last time as ETUC General Secretary- at your Biennial Delegate Conference.  

OPEN LETTER to: ·         EU Heads of States and Governments, ·         Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, ·         Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, ·         Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, ·         Xavier Bettel, President of the Council of the European Union,

Today up to 13 EU member states will decide whether to extend restrictions on Croatian workers’ freedom of movement within the EU. Croatia’s accession to the EU in July 2013 brought immediate free movement of goods, services and capital – but not of workers!   Until 30 June 2015 EU member states were allowed not to respect freedom of movement of workers from Croatia. The EU allows further periods of up to five years in which EU member states can ignore freedom of movement for Croatians (until end June 2020). 

Commenting on the Greek referendum and its aftermath, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) General Secretary Bernadette Ségol said “Greek people have voted against unemployment, poverty and austerity policies that have made its debt unsustainable. People must not be penalised for the way they voted.” " EU leaders have an historic responsibility to find a sensible compromise. The decision should not be a technical one or left to the ECB, it must be a political decision.” 

  Today the controversial EU-US trade and regulatory cooperation deal TTIP took one step forward and one step back . The European Parliament’s vote on TTIP supported some important improvements to the proposed deal, but largely ignored public concern about special legal treatment for foreign investors. The Parliament did support the ETUC’s proposals that  •           UN International Labour Organisation standards – such as the right to join a trade union - be included and enforceable in TTIP

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) calls on MEPs to vote against the amendment on ISDS which proposes to scrap the old ISDS and bring in a new one! ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol said “The amendment still gives foreign investors special legal treatment. There was a public consultation on ISDS, the outcome was 97% of responses against ISDS, but some people in the European institutions seem determined to deliver ISDS for big business regardless of what anyone thinks.”

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.