Athens, 13 May: The European Trade Union Confederation holds its 12th congress "Mobilising for social Europe"

Athens, 13 May: The European Trade Union Confederation holds its 12th congress “Mobilising for social Europe”

{{On 16-19 May the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) will hold its 12th congress in Athens.

The event is a crucial step in the development of the European trade union movement strategy for more employment and quality jobs, equality and social justice, in the context of a financial, economic and social crisis which is deep and far from ended.}}

The ETUC rejects the policy of austerity adopted by the European governments and endorsed by the European commission because it hits, once more, European workers, through a wide reduction of wages, public services and workers’ rights.

Moreover the European economic governance, as it is conceived and put in practice by the European Commission, is worsening workers’ living and working conditions by attacking directly wages and the autonomy of collective bargaining.

This is why the European trade unions have often taken to the streets in the last months. The last euro-demonstration took place in Budapest the 9th of April.

The leaders of trade unions from all European countries will gather to elaborate their strategy action plan to address these and other urgent issues and elect the new ETUC general secretary who will lead the confederation for the next four years.

{{Ahead of this major trade union event, the ETUC invites you to a press conference on Friday 13 May, to brief journalists on the congress and trade unions’ priorities.

• John Monks, ETUC General Secretary;

• Yannis Panagopoulos, GSEE President;

• Spyros Papaspyros, Adedy President;}}

will be delighted to answer your questions.

Please register by emailing the following address: [email protected]

Date: 13 May 2011

Time: 11:00

Address: Patission 69, GR 10 434 Athens

Interpretation in English and Greek

More information:

Patricia Grillo

ETUC Head of Press and Communications

Tel: + 32 (0)2 224 04 30

Email: [email protected]

Stathis Anestis

GSEE Deputy General Secretary & Press and Public Relations Secretary
Tel: +30 210 8202 294

Email: [email protected]