Newsletters

Public service unions fight back The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has published its annual Trade Union Rights Index. The index highlights a stark and worsening global crisis for workers and trade unions. The situation in Europe and the Americas has deteriorated further. It shows

ETUC Mid-Term Conference Europe’s trade union leaders came together for the ETUC Mid-Term Conference in Belgrade. Many will remember the huge protest on 15 March, when hundreds of thousands of students, workers and citizens took to the streets of Belgrade. They were protesting the government’s

Leaked EU Commission Single Market Strategy – leaving us Very Hungover A problem in the EU, or with Europe’s place in the world? The right-wing and corporate interests in Europe roll out the same answer: we need more Single Market. More competition, more deregulation, more liberalisation. And this

1 May On Labour Day, our solidarity is with workers and people everywhere in their struggle for a better life for all, not just the few. Across Europe and the globe, workers and their unions will join actions on 1 May, sharing a message of hope and inspiration that we can achieve a world free from

Strikes and austerity The 31 March general strike in Belgium was a strike day for EPSU too. We joined picket lines at the European Parliament’s crèche, the Saint Gilles health centre, public transport, fire brigade and prison in Antwerp and the Brussels fire brigade. EPSU supported the first ever

72 hours of supplies – as Commission rolls out preparedness strategy Every individual and every household should have 72 hours’ worth of supplies such as water, a radio, and batteries for torches. This recommendation, which made headlines across Europe this week, is part of the European Commission’s

Five years since the pandemic The discussion on defence spending in the EU, UK and other European countries neglects the vital role of our public services and infrastructure in providing welfare for all, which is the best civil defence there can be. Five years on from the pandemic , we should not

Solidarity with w orkers and the p eople of Ukraine On 24 February 2022 - three years ago yesterday - Euorpe's fragile post-World War II and post-Cold War security arrangements collapsed entirely. Russia invaded Ukraine. I remember the images from the first days of the invasion - columns of tanks

EPSU stands in solidarity with Ver.di EPSU sends its full solidarity to our colleagues in Ver.di after the tragic incident in Munich. A car drove into a demonstration of childcare workers, injuring several people, including children. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those

Workers, women, students, children: be aware. Corporations are out to get you. The European Commission published its Competitiveness Compass this week, outlining its agenda for the coming years. It's an agenda that prioritises industry and promotes deregulation under the guise of simplification. It

The EU Minimum Wage Directive , aimed at improving pay and collective bargaining for millions of workers, now faces a critical challenge. Denmark and Sweden have brought the directive to court, arguing that pay regulation is outside the EU’s competence. The Advocate General of the European Court of

Looking back as the year ends, I want to thank you all for the many contributions you made to promote and defend the interests of public service workers, to move us further, to build our EPSU family, and to work to get our demands recognised and realised. And a special thanks to the EPSU team - they

This week, South Korean workers, the trade union confederation KCTU, and many others stood united against a coup attempt by the South Korean President. Society rejected this attack on democracy en masse. Strikes and other actions are now underway, demanding the President’s resignation following his

Leaders of Europe’s public service unions have united in solidarity with workers fighting for better pay and working conditions. This week alone has seen significant mobilisations: On 18 November, Austrian social service workers took to the streets to demand higher pay. On 19 November, French