A return to austerity when we desperately need to increase investment would take Europe down a road to ruin, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) warned in Rome today.
Speaking at a European conference against austerity organised by the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), Esther Lynch recalled how the austerity measures put in place after the 2008 financial crisis were a catastrophe for working people.
Lynch said “workers will not pay the bill for austerity again” and set out the positive alternative based on increased investment for an industrial plan for quality jobs in every sector and region and for strong public services that are foundation that will allow Europe to remain competitive in the world.
“We need investment now in quality jobs, public services, and a fairer economy for all,” she said. “It is not the time for governments to be defeatist, we need a project of hope that rejects austerity in all its forms and builds a Europe that we can be proud to leave to future generations.”
Workers have been promised a just transition for all transformations but instead workers are faced with forced redundancies, we cannot afford to rely on promises, Europe urgently needs a plan, rights and investments.
The ETUC is calling on President von der Leyen to convene a meeting with social partners to discuss the new Clean Industrial Deal that should be delivered in the first 100 days.
The conference comes after former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said last month that Europe needs to increase investment by 800 billion Euro a year to remain competitive.
Despite that, the EU’s new fiscal rules risk leaving most member states unable to meet its investment needs and Italy is one of seven member states being pushed towards a return to austerity by the European Commission through an ‘Excessive Deficit Procedure.’
