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.

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.”

Adopted at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 22 October 2014   ANNUAL GROWTH SURVEY 2015: EUROPE MUST HAVE A NEW START The ETUC’s priorities for the 2015 Annual Growth Survey   

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!

  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.”

The European sovereign debt crisis is having profound consequences for the labour law and industrial relations systems of the debt-affected member states and for the role of social policy at EU level. Driven by the need to initiate a process of ‘internal devaluation’ so as to restore the competitiveness of the national economies, public deficit reduction measures have been coupled with in-depth structural labour market reforms in a number of EU Member States, including Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

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

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

Commenting on the new European Commission announced today, European Trade Union Confederation General Secretary Bernadette Ségol said: “Mr Juncker is creating an expectation of considerable change and that the new European Commission will show real leadership.   “It is encouraging that Mr Juncker has emphasised decent jobs, growth and investment as the priority for the new Commission.    “It sends a positive signal that there are Vice Presidents with responsibility for Jobs and Growth and for Social Dialogue.

Speaking at the ‘Conférence des Ambassadeurs’ in Paris today with Laurent Fabius and Walter Steinmeier, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation warned that without tackling unemployment Europe risked a Union without the support of Europeans.     Speaking in a session on the political priorities of the European Union 2014-20 Bernadette Ségol said

“Draghi softens tone on austerity” says Financial Times, “Mario Draghi signals departure from austerity focus” reports the Wall Street Journal, “Draghi tells Eurozone: do more to boost economies” headlines The Guardian following the European Central Bank President’s speech at the prestigious Jackson Hole Economic Symposium.

Commenting on the latest European economic growth figures from Eurostat, showing no rise in GDP in the Eurozone in the 2nd quarter of 2014 (compared to the previous quarter) and 0.2% growth in the EU28, Claudia Menne of the European Trade Union Confederation said  “With Germany contracting, France stagnating and Italy back in recession the outlook is bleak. It’s no use blaming the weather or the situation in the Ukraine – the simple fact is that Europe needs a change in economic policy. Just cutting Government spending and hoping for the best is not enough.”

  MEPs, make Juncker keep his promises Interview published on Euractiv: http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-priorities-2020/meps-make-juncker-keep-his-promises-303695   Jean-Claude Juncker was elected European Commission president on the basis of a social, even hopeful ten-point plan for Europe. Now, MEPs bear the responsibility to hold him into account on these promises, writes Bernadette Ségol.

ETUC open letter to Mr Juncker, President-Designate of the European Commission 

  Commenting on today’s EU Summit, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said “The EU should be focused on policies not personalities. They have agreed today that unemployment is at unacceptable levels and that poverty is a major concern. I am looking forward to finding out what they will do about it. If the emphasis remains, as it has up to now, on cutting Government spending and deregulation, then Europe’s 26 million unemployed will remain jobless, and nothing will change.”    

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today calls on EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Friday to back proposals by French President François Hollande for an investment plan equal to 2% of EU GDP, and by Italian Premier Matteo Renzi to lift austerity measures and invest in growth and jobs.  “EU leaders say they want to tackle unemployment” said Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation “but the policies they have implemented so far will not create jobs.”

A giant, too-big-to-miss message for EU leaders has been erected in Rond Point Schuman for the EU Summit on June 27, which is due to decide who to nominate as new President of the European Commission.   Asking ‘Who will lead Europe?’ the message reminds leaders that there are 26 million unemployed in Europe and urges EU leaders to invest in growth and jobs.   Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, speaking at the unveiling of the message opposite the Summit venue said    

The ILO, the UN agency, in its World Social Protection Report 2014/15 (whose recommendations are based on consensus among governments, employers and workers’ organisations), has found that “poverty and social exclusion, now affecting 123 million people in the European Union, 24 per cent of the population, many of them children, women, older persons and persons with disabilities. The cost of adjustment has been passed on to populations, who have been coping with fewer jobs and lower income for more than five years.

Speech given by Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation OPZZ Congress [Check against delivery]     I bring you warm and fraternal greetings from the workers of Europe.  I am very glad to share with you a special moment in the life of OPZZ:  your congress and your 30th anniversary.  Happy birthday.  Sto lat.  

Speech given by Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary DGB Congress in Berlin Check against delivery   Ladies and Gentlemen, I would first like to congratulate you on electing Reiner Hoffmann as Chairman of the German Trade Union Confederation.

Discorso pronunciato da Bernadette Ségol, Segretaria generale della CES Congresso della CGIL Fa fede solo il discorso pronunciato   Presidente, Cara Susanna, Care compagne, Cari compagni   Vi porto il caloroso e fraterno saluto dei lavoratori di tutta Europa. Sono felice di condividere con voi questo momento forte e importante della vita della CGIL: il vostro Congresso nazionale. 

Commenting on today’s European Commission spring 2014 economic forecast, Veronica Nilsson, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade union Confederation, said