Speech given by Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary, at the UIL Congress. Available only in Italian. [Check against delivery]   Presidente, Caro Luigi, Care compagne e cari compagni, Care amiche e cari amici, Vi porto il saluto fraterno e caloroso della Confederazione Europea dei Sindacati. Sono felice di condiVIdere con voi questo momento importante della vita della UIL.  Come voi, siamo convinti che l’economia e la politica devono essere al servizio dei lavoratori e dei cittadini.

In advance of a meeting of European trade ministers the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has called for a fundamental rethink of major trade negotiations with the United States and Canada. On 21 November, the Council is to discuss an agreement with Canada (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA) about which the Commission has announced that the negotiations are concluded, and ongoing negotiations with the US (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP). The ETUC has made clear that it opposed the CETA because:

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), in a delegation to the G20 meeting in Brisbane, will call for a plan for jobs and growth and policies to stimulate demand, reduce inequalities and generate investment. Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC, said “Governments are prioritising policies which support the interests of big business and not tackling the inequality of wages and rising unemployment.”

The European trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has signed and fully supports the call for an ambitious Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) for national and international solidarity. The ETUC believes such a tax would enable the EU to make the investments that are so desperately needed to create jobs and enable a just transition to a low carbon economy.

Commenting on the EU’s autumn economic forecast for weak economic growth and ‘subdued’ labour market recovery, ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol, said “The forecast fall in unemployment over the next two years is unacceptably small and slow. In 2016 unemployment is forecast to be at 9.5% in the EU and 10.8% in the Eurozone. The €300 billion investment plan proposed by Commission President Juncker will not be enough to get Europe back to work. The new Commission will have to propose more ambitious action.”

Commenting on the European Council’s climate deal, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “The 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions is a decent effort. At the same time, Europe will not generate investment and create jobs with such unambitious targets for renewable energy or energy efficiency.”

European trade union leaders will warn Presidents Barroso, van Rompuy and Renzi that The EU is on the brink of a triple dip recession the Eurozone is on the verge of deflation there is a real risk of a third unemployment peak the way out of the crisis is to restore demand, by restoring investment Speaking in the Tripartite Social Summit ahead of the EU Summit discussions on the economy on October 23, trade union leaders will point out that 

Dear Readers, We have just published the October 2014 edition of the ETUC Newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

Bernadette Ségol, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), will be the only trade unionist – and the only critical voice - to address an Italian Presidency and Italian Ministry of Economic Development ‘Dialogue on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership’ today in Rome.

Almost one third of ‘Stoiber group’ members oppose biased final report The European Commission’s High Level Group on Administrative Burdens [1], chaired by Dr Edmund Stoiber, has drawn severe criticism from 4 of a total of 15 Members [2] for its final report [3] pushing an outdated, deregulatory agenda.

  The European Trade Union Confederation is increasingly concerned at developments in Kobani, on the Syrian/Turkish border, under attack by Islamic State terrorists. We call on the international community and European states, including Turkey, to act urgently to prevent the mass murder being perpetrated by these brutal thugs not only against Kurds but against people of all faiths and throughout swathes of Syria and Iraq.  Their violent treatment of women is particularly abhorrent. 

  Commenting on the Employment Summit in Milan on 8th October 2014, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “This summit will go down as a ceremonial non-event. Nothing has changed. Calls for an investment plan leading to sustainable growth and quality employment received no positive echoes from country leaders. Labour reforms and internal devaluation continue to be the agreed mantra.”

European trade union leaders meeting today in Rome, ahead of Wednesday’s EU Employment Summit in Milan, are calling on the European Union to