Maurizio Landini. The crisis we are going through is more severe than in other parts of Europe. Youth unemployment amounts to nearly 30% and precariousness has reached unprecedented peaks in history. Today, millions of young people are not covered by social dampers and are left to their own devices. Real wages keep on going down, tax evasion is sky-high and, on top of it all, we have one of the worst governments in our history, whose social policy that comes down to reviewing the laws containing our social victories of the past years. The biggest assault was undeniably to the conventional system and national collective agreements. In addition to that, union division increased while the employers’ organization on the other side, Confindustria, supports the government’s policy in practice. In return, the CGIL has called for a general strike for May 6th. We have struggled for the Confederation to organize a cross-industry mobilization.
Metalworkers’ federations from France (FTM-CGT), Belgium (MWB-FGTB), Spain (CCOO manufacturing), Italy (Fiom-CGIL) and Portugal (Fiequimetal CGTP), in collaboration with the European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF), gathered on March 30th for a day of debate on the theme of manufacturing and employment. The five general secretaries of these organizations agreed to answer Planet Labor’s questions and talk about the social situation in their country, about the challenges they have to face and abo
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