In collaboration with its member organisations, the Confederation has decided on a European day of action on 29 February on the eve of the European Council scheduled for 1 and 2 March.

The European trade union intends to send out a strong message to Europe’s decision-makers: enough is enough! Alternatives to austerity do exist. We need to put employment and social justice at the heart of the priorities.

The response to the crisis, for which there is universal political consensus in Europe today, is austerity and budgetary discipline. Slashing wages and social protection, attacking collective bargaining mechanisms and making employment contracts ultra-flexible are what the neoliberal ideologists are putting forward as the only prospect!

As recently as 30 January 2012 the European Summit put the finishing touches to a new international treaty bringing EU one step nearer to austerity providing for punishment in the event of deficits. This treaty, which will probably be adopted by the European Council on 1 and 2 March, sets budgetary discipline in stone and threatens to get Europe bogged down in recession.

That is why European trade unions will be mobilising on 29 February all across Europe to stress that solutions other than budgetary discipline do exist. What we need is a recovery plan for employment and sustainable growth.
For more information, please visit the ETUC website