Dear trade unionists of France,
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) stands in full solidarity with your mobilisation on 18 September. We salute your determination and unity in the face of a government agenda that seeks to make working people pay, once again, for a crisis they did not create.
The intersyndicale’s call resonates far beyond France. Across Europe, workers are facing the same threats: austerity dressed up as reform, attacks on social protections, and a race to the bottom in the name of competitiveness. The French government’s brutal budget proposals, cutting public services, freezing wages, undermining pensions and sick pay, and even threatening two days of paid leave are dangerous.
We know that the victories working people have achieved throughout Europe: fair wages, safe workplaces, sick pay, pensions; were not handed down. They were fought for: in the streets, at the negotiating table, on picket lines, and in the corridors of power. Today, those gains are under coordinated attack from governments shifting to the right and hostile employers leading to EU-level policies that prioritise short sighted fiscal discipline at the expense of social justice.
That is why your mobilisation is not only justified, it is essential. Your action reminds us that when trade unions mobilise, we protect our victories and push the line forward for the next generation. Your struggle is our struggle and your success will be our success.
The ETUC is shoulder to shoulder with you, mobilising for a completely different budget that brings more hope, social justice and tax justice, for a positive vision for Europe: one that delivers quality jobs, strong public services, and a just transition in every region.
We thank you for leading the way. Your mobilisation on 18 September is a vital contribution to this broader European struggle. The ETUC will continue to amplify your voice and support your demands.
In solidarity,
Esther Lynch
ETUC General Secretary
