Ludger Ramme was invited by CESI, the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, to discuss the consequence of the Coronavirus crisis on the European economy and society. The spread of the pandemics and the need to act jointly has increased the awareness of strengthening togetherness, both among EU countries and in the context of the EU community project. And if on the one hand, the consequences of the crisis are to remain for several years, there must be room to identify some positive aspects of its outcomes and build on them. The European social model, continued Ludger Ramme, has shown its capacity to provide first-hand support to the hardest-hit by the crisis. Now, it will have to demonstrate unity in defining the best strategies to support the recovery.

The interview also offered the opportunity to speak about the report “Leadership in times of coronavirus”, published mid-May by CEC European Managers. The report offered managers an overview of the different national reactions to the crisis, but at the same time it “highlighted the role that managers have had in the crisis”, said Ludger Ramme. As they intermediate between the ownership and the rest of the workforce, they are crucial to making the right decisions to ensure that the economic recovery is stable and sustainable. Finally, Ludger Ramme highlighted the responsibility of unions in this specific moment, when the necessity to find joint solutions needs to be protected against risks of a backlash against workers, calling for a stronger acknowledgment of their diversity.

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