The ETUC has called on the EU to protect jobs and stand firm against any back-tracking on standards and rights in negotiations with the US administration. The 31 million people who work in manufacturing across the EU, many of whom are still facing the consequences of the US’ 25% tariffs, are relying on immediate EU action.
The EU must equip itself with the tools to protect jobs from the consequences of the US tariffs. Securing these jobs and investing in expanding the know-how of Europe’s workforce will be crucial to the success of the EU’s industrial strategy.
ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch and industriAll Europe General Secretary Judith Kirton-Darling made the case for a comprehensive plan at a meeting today with EU Commission Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné on the future of manufacturing in Europe.
The ETUC is calling for urgent action to:
- Introduce job protection measures: including with a ‘SURE 2.0’ initiative to prioritise job-saving measures before it is too late.
- Guarantee workers’ information and consultation rights: these rights must be strongly enforced so that unions can shape decisions to save jobs and production.
- Invest for Europe’s industrial policy: including with a permanent investment mechanism with strong social conditionality to ensure that public support to private companies, including public procurement, is geared to promoting quality jobs and collective bargaining. Investments must be directed towards jobs and production in Europe.
- Suspend the EU’s economic governance rules: to allow member states to adopt economic policies to support long-term investments and sustainable growth.
- Control price-gouging and profiteering: through an effective emergency plan that must be prepared to include measures to control profiteering and if necessary limit increases to prices of essentials, especially food.
Following the meeting, ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said:
“The EU plan must succeed in protecting jobs in Europe. The livelihoods of millions of working people are on the line, unless immediate action is taken. Europe must adopt urgent actions to secure their jobs and increase their incomes to boost internal demand.
“The first step is to reactivate the protections of the SURE mechanism. This has to be twinned with a pro-active investment approach to kick-start quality jobs in every sector and every region.
“Every cent of public money must be leveraged to protect and create quality jobs. There is no space for toxic corporate profiteering tactics which the EU must rule out.
“The EU can’t allow itself to be bullied out of its social model and high standards.”
Judith Kirton-Darling, industriAll Europe General Secretary, said:
“Europe’s manufacturing workers are facing further uncertainty about their jobs as a result of the changing whims and decisions in Washington. Workers and our industries need to the EU and national governments to provide economic security and social stability urgently.
“Trade retaliation measures are inadequate to address the combined impact of sectoral and horizontal tariffs on our industries, as well as the increased risk of redirected exports from elsewhere in the world.
“Europe needs an industrial policy that promotes internal demand and safeguards workers - to start with the Clean Industrial Deal and sectoral plans should be accelerated and reinforced to stimulate demand for European manufacturing value chains, address energy prices and guarantee a level playing field in Europe.
“We need investment in Europe now. Fiscal rules must be opened to support these plans.
“Companies are understandably assessing their trade exposure and impacts but we demand that cool heads prevail. No decisions should be taken without respecting worker information and consultation.
“Europe should not underestimate its power to bring stability to this volatile situation. It’s crucial that political leaders step up to protect workers and defend our industrial fabric.”
