Seven trade union voices on Europe in crisis

At the Swedish Trade Union Confederation Congress seven trade union leaders from seven European countries present their image of Europe in crisis in a new publication. What are the challenges ahead of us? About what and how should we cooperate? Their reflections form the first part of a new series of reports from the Swedish Trade Union Confederation on the theme of “Trade unions and the EU”.

EU cooperation sets its stamp to an increasing extent on day-to-day trade union work. Few trade union questions today are only national. The situation of Swedish workers in their jobs and society is affected by what happens in the rest of the world. Safeguarding members’ interests therefore requires cross-border trade union work.

“The writers have all been important to me in my trade union work internationally. Through this publication I would like to share my network of contacts with my successor, encouraging him to build relations both with them and other trade union leaders in the rest of Europe,” says the outgoing President of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, Wanja Lundby-Wedin.

Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), looks forward towards social Europe and Cándido Méndez, General Secretary of UGT-Spain outlines what is required to lift Europe out of the economic crisis and safeguard trade union influence in a globalised world.

The other authors are Anna Rea, Confederal Secretary UIL, Italy; Francois Chérèque, Secretary General of the French Democratic Confederation of Labour; Harri Taliga, President of the Estonian Trade Union Confederation; Jan Guz, President of OPZZ, Poland and Roar Flåthen, President of LO Norway.