Trade unions are calling on governments to impose a windfall tax on banks making huge profits on the back of interest rate rises. The European Central Bank announced today it is maintaining interest rates at their highest level since the creation of the Euro following 10 consecutive increases over the past year.

EU finance ministers have today delayed a decision on new budget rules which would require at least 45 billion Euro in cuts next year. The Economic and Financial Affairs Council was expected to conclude a deal that would require 14 member states (see table in notes) with a deficit above 3% of GDP to reduce their deficit by a minimum of 0.5% of GDP every year. However, ministers have instead decided to remain at the negotiating table.

Tens of thousands of people will take part in a major demonstration in Paris on Friday against EU plans to reintroduce austerity, a move which could force countries to cut 45 billion Euro from their budgets next year alone. Trade unionists from across Europe will join a day of action called by eight French unions against austerity and for pay rises, pensions and gender equality.

The ETUC congratulates Luc Triangle on his election as General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Elected by representatives of national trade union centres from across the world, he will put his proven leadership and skills to the service of the global trade union body, which represents over 190 million workers. Luc Triangle is well known to workers and trade unions within Europe from his leadership as General Secretary of industriAll Europe.

European ministers today reached agreement on measures to strengthen Europe’s social economy.  A recommendation approved by the employment and social affairs council aims to “create favourable conditions for social economy organisations to thrive and grow” and includes measures to ensure people working in the sector have decent pay and conditions by promoting collective bargaining. 

Serious defects in current legislation allow multinational companies to circumvent workers’ information and consultation rights. The ETUC is adamant that these can only be addressed with a legally binding instrument. The ETUC backs the call by the European Parliament on the EU Commission to revise the European Works Council Directive now. The ETUC is calling for a directive to bring about much-needed improvements in three key areas:

EU social partners high-level mission to Kyiv expressed the solidarity of the European trade union movement and of SGI Europe for Ukraine, its people, their trade unions and employers’ organisations.  

Dear Readers, We have just published the September 2023 edition of the ETUC newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

Trade unions are calling for an urgent rethink of plans to reintroduce austerity as new EU figures show the number of children living in poverty has risen for the third consecutive year.

Trade unions are calling on European leaders to follow in the footsteps of US President Joe Biden and stand with working people fighting for a fair deal.

‘Asset-stripping’ CEOs are weakening Europe’s economy by failing to reinvest increased profits, an analysis of Eurostat data by the European Trade Union Confederation has found.

The European Parliament has this week voted in favour of safeguards for the right to strike, which is at risk under the proposal for a Single Market Emergency Instrument (SMEI). As this legislative proposal moves towards the decisive trilogue negotiations, it is crucial that these safeguards be included in the final regulation. The Commission plans to repeal the existing regulation on the functioning of the single market, which explicitly safeguards the right to strike through the so-called Monti clause.

Responding to new Eurostat figures on employment, ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said: 

The European Central Bank today announced a 10th consecutive increase in interest rates, leaving them at their highest level since the creation of the Euro. Responding to the decision, European Trade Union Confederation General Secretary Esther Lynch said: "This is an astonishing decision. This is the wrong time for the ECB to increase interest rates. This decision will hurt workers, enrich shareholders and paves the way for a recession next year."

Responding to the State of the Union Address, ETUC General Secretary Eshter Lynch said:  “Today’s speech was future-focussed. It commits the EU to build a future based on a fair and just transition with decent jobs. The challenges of guardrails for AI were recognised along with the importance of childcare for workers.

Payouts to shareholders are rising up to 13 times faster in Europe than pay for working people, an analysis by the European Trade Union Confederation has found. Dividend payments increased by 75 per cent in Portugal and 66 per cent in Denmark between April and June this year, while nominal compensation in those countries rose by 6 per cent and 5 per cent. Across Europe, dividends increase by 10 per cent – double the rate at which wages are rising – and reached a record 184.5bn US dollars.

The 1.5 million people who are exposed to lead at work would be safer under proposals adopted today by the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs – but more research is needed into its effect on reproductive health.   

Europe is no closer to resolving the exploitation of cross-border workers following the communication on digitalisation in social security presented today by the European Commission. The lack of interconnected social security systems within the European Union creates a loophole which allows companies to cut costs by avoiding the payment of social security contributions for their workers.

Struggling families are facing another inflation setback as children return to the classroom, with the cost of the most basic school supplies rising twice as fast as wages across Europe. The price of essential items like pens, pencils, paper, folders, erasers, sharpeners or scissors increased by 13 per cent on average between January and May this year.

Trade unions have called on Ursula von der Leyen to address Europe’s growing ‘social justice emergency’ ahead of her State of the Union address. In a letter to the European Commission President, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) highlights how workers have seen their purchasing power collapse at the same time as corporate profits and dividends exploded.

The number of firefighters has been cut in ten EU member states despite the climate crisis increasing the risk of fires, an analysis of new Eurostat data by the European Trade Union Confederal (ETUC) has found.Between 2021 and 2022, France lost the highest number of firefighters (-5,446), followed by Romania (-4,250) and Portugal (-2,907).The biggest percentage cuts over the same period came in Slovakia (-30%), Bulgaria (-22), Portugal (-21) and Belgium (-19).

European trade unions have today thrown their weight behind the campaign to stop the far-right in Spain and elect parties that will put working people first.

There will be no break from the cost-of-living crisis this summer, with families facing the highest increase in the cost of holidays and staycation activities on record. The price of package holidays, which are meant to provide the best value breaks, at home or abroad has increased by 12.4% across the EU between January and May and that follows an 11.5% increase last year. That is the highest increase in the cost of package holidays since records began in 1996 – before last year, the previous highest annual rise was 7.2% in 2015.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) strongly condemn the EU’s memorandum of understanding as overlooking an alarming level of human rights violations, including against migrants and trade unionists. 

New figures revealing a sharp rise in domestic abuse, including rape, show the need for a stronger directive on combating violence against women.