EU: 12th ETUC Congress matches European trade union solidarity against governments’ national withdrawal

Solidarity and future ETUC role.  As Workers’ Commissions’ Javier Doz summed up, “Europe is distressed with the rise of nationalism but it doesn’t seem to affect the union movement.”  And this was indeed proven by this first day of debate of the 12th ETUC Congress.  In addition to repeated criticism against the austerity measures imposed by the national governments, which ruin any possibility for growth, to the denunciation of the price paid by workers, to the warning on the rise of populism, which is shaking many European countries, and to the introduction of a system of increased pay competition between European workers, the representatives of the ETUC’s affiliated member unanimously called for more solidarity, more coordination, and more action from the European organization.  From north to south, unions took turns in saying that withdrawal isn’t going to do any good and that European trade unionism should carry joint actions, even though they weren’t as explicit as to their content.  Candido Mendez, general secretary of the Spanish UGT, said, “the ETUC needs to present a Europe of projects.”  Bernard Thibaud, general secretary of the French CGT, said, “The Euro Plus Pact commands us to take a step forward into organization, coordinated requirements and solidarity.”  The Euro Plus Pact, which will cover the 17 countries of the euro area and six other states, is the development of the Merkel-Sarkozy plan and provides that the heads of State and government will present, on a yearly basis, commitments in addition to their European obligations, with the aim to stimulating competitiveness and employment, to guaranteeing the durability of public finances, and to increasing financial stability.  Regarding the labor world, the ETUC said this “Pact is about to compare unitary wage costs, increase retirement age, control minimum wage, limit employment protection laws and weaken collective bargaining systems.”  In this context, the ETUC is looking for ways to arm itself and arm its union organizations to withstand these threats.  Summarizing what was said, John Monks declared that, after this Congress, it may be possible to “start thinking about what we can do together at European level” to mean that unions seem to be requesting more solidarity and join actions headed by the ETUC.