(19 May 2010, Brussels)
Austerity measures risk extending the crisis
EPSU sends solidarity greetings to the hundreds of thousands of public sector workers who will be joining strikes and demonstrations in several countries over the next few weeks. The national demonstration in Romania today (19 May) will be followed by action in Greece, Portugal and Spain as EPSU affiliates challenge the imposition of pay cuts, pay freezes and cuts in jobs and pensions.
EPSU also warns that the severe austerity measures being imposed on several European countries and in particular their public sector workers, risk keeping the European economy mired in recession. The European Commission has devised a major package to restore confidence in the Euro and has put forward proposals for greater coordination of economic policy and monitoring of public finances. However, this is very much against the backdrop of demands for urgent fiscal consolidation, with pay cuts and pay freezes for public sector workers the order of the day with no respect for proper processes of social dialogue or collective bargaining.
EPSU general secretary Carola Fischbach-Pyttel said: “This wave of protest of thousands of our members across Europe demonstrating and striking against the measures being imposed on them indicates that the proposals are one-sided putting the burden on workers and their families. They are being forced to pay for a crisis they didn’t create and their trade unions are denied any chance to negotiate. We demand a focus on public investment, creating jobs and more income equality to get us out of the crisis.”
Civil servants in Greece are losing a range of bonuses and allowances – the equivalent of two months’ pay. In Romania, after a pay freeze in 2009, the government now plans to cut public sector pay by 25%. In Spain, the trade unions thought they had negotiated a modest rise in pay in 2010 to maintain purchasing power only to find out last week that they now face an imposed 5% cut in pay. In Portugal, the government wants to freeze public sector pay until 2014. These are just the latest in a series of attacks on public sector workers since the beginning of the crisis.
EPSU backs the ETUC’s call for a social summit to debate the response to the crisis and the serious threat posed to social Europe. Next week the EPSU Executive Committee meets to discuss the latest developments, the possible alternatives and what action it and its member organisations can take over the coming weeks.
Affiliates are already planning major demonstrations or strike action to resist the imposition of cuts.
Romania – national demonstration 19 May
Greece – general strike 20 May
Spain – national day of action 20 May
France – day of action 27 May
Portugal – national demonstration 29 May
Romania – public sector strike 31 May
Spain – public sector strike 8 June
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