Brussels, 17/10/2006 Trade union leaders will examine, among other items, proposals for safeguarding vital public services in Europe, following the European Parliament's call in September for a legal framework for services of general (economic) interest (SGIs and SGEIs).

Brussels, 12/10/2006 It is now six years since the European social partners were first consulted on the need to review systems of labour law to make sure that they are relevant to a modern organisation of work. Yet the Commission still fails to publish a Green Paper, despite announcing it several times. In the meantime, several Member States have made reforms to their labour law that, far from creating better jobs, are leading to a two-tier labour market with growing insecurity for the most vulnerable groups of workers.

Brussels, 11/10/2006

Oslo, 10/10/2006 To be checked against delivery Thank you for the opportunity to attend and address this YS conference. Europe is not always top of a list of the people of Norway's favourite ideas. So an opportunity to talk about its significance and importance to working people in our continent and in Norway is welcome.

Brussels, 10/10/2006 Environment Committee MEPs today endorsed by a large majority Parliament's first reading position on the application of the substitution principle in REACH. The ETUC welcomes this vote, because the rule is wholly in line with European Carcinogens Directive 2004/37/EC which requires employers to replace these dangerous substances where a safer alternative is available.

Brussels, 05/10/2006 Following the suspension of World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations and the crisis within the international institutions, European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has failed to resist the temptation to enter into bilateral accords, which give growing power to the strongest parties. The ETUC believes that the EU is in danger of missing a historic opportunity to use its capacity to promote development and fair international exchange, to create the basis for a new approach to external relations.

Brussels, 04/10/2006 Says ETUC General Secretary John Monks: “If the euro area is to experience continued growth, then the recovery needs to become self-reliant. European workers need a raise, and the ECB must realise that reasonable wage increases are part of the solution and not part of the problem.”

Milan, 01/10/2006 To be checked against delivery Cari compagni e compagne, è un grande piacere, per me, essere qui con voi per questa importante occasione : il centenario della CGIL. A century is an extraordinary occasion to appreciate the history of the most important Union in the World! I confess that I say that to all the girls, to all the unions especially those who have their 100th birthday. It is rare to find, in our world, a trade union not only of such an venerable age but also one with the rich history of CGIL.

Brussels, 28/09/2006

Brussels, 28/09/2006 Countries that require advance notice for dismissal, establish a working week of less than 66 hours or set minimum wages above a certain very low level are considered investment-unfriendly, according to the World Bank's logic. By the same absurd reasoning, a tiny country like the Marshall Islands is declared ‘best performer' because of having no labour code at all.

Szczecin, 28/09/2006 To be checked against delivery President, friends, it is a great honour for me to come to the city of Szczecin, one of the birthplaces of the Solidarnosc and therefore of free, independent trade unionism. 26 years after the momentous events of 1980, I pay tribute today to the courageous, pioneer trade unionists of Szczecin to whom democracy owes so much. I am not of course forgetting what happened in Gdansk and other centres but no-one should forget either the contribution made by workers of this city.

Brussels, 26 September 2006

Brussels, 25/09/2006 ? Workers will have equal representation on the supervisory board of the SE (European company) In future, in line with staff numbers, a group of European workforce representatives will defend the interests of workers from a total of 29 countries on the company's highest body, its supervisory board. UNI-Europe Finance Vice-President Jörg Reinbrecht will be one of the workforce representatives.