(3 April 2019) Leading activists of Verdi in the health and social services joined European actions against the privatisation and commercialisation of health and social care. The actions are organised across Europe to express the concerns of workers, medical staff, doctors and many others to an increase in “care for sale.“ Delegates to the national conference further stood up with Sylvia Bühler, leader of the sector and EPSU General Secretary and showed their support for Turkish confederation DISK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu. She is facing trial and several years in jail in Sapanca for expressing the union positions to stand up for workers and against ruling elites. Sylvia was nominated to represent the sector in the union’s executive. You can read more about the congress of the ver.di section "health care, social services, welfare and churches" and the speech of the EPSU General Secretary in an article published by ver.di (in German).
The EPSU General Secretary further spoke at the Conference of the Verdi Ver- und Entsorgung (water, waste and energy) group. He addressed EU energy policy, climate justice, the continued right2water support and the circular economy and the role of waste amongst others. Delegates considered the results of the coal-phase out commission and the importance that government and employers implement the outcomes. It is an example of how just transition can be addressed. Delegates nominated Christoph Schmitz unanimously to become a member of the Executive following Congress in September.
The union’s President designate Frank Werneke spoke at both conferences. He called on delegates to be active to organise and to stand up for the union’s values. He called for activism to defeat the extreme right in the European elections and joined in support of the European actions against commercialisation of care.
The meetings took place 29 March and 2 April in Bad Neuenahr, Germany.
For more on the health actions
For the Verdi position on the results of the commission that deals with the phase – out of coal
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