(21 October 2016) Addressing the Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment, which took pace at the Consilium in Brussels on the 19th of October, Jan Willem Goudriaan, General Secretary of EPSU made a strong case for increased public investment in Europe’s public services, as had been agreed by all the social partners, in a joint communique.
Goudriaan told the assembled senior EU persons that ‘for higher public investment in health, social services and education, to happen, we need to see an end to austerity policies, which have become associated with and are seen as being promoted by EU institutions’.
He went on to say that, ‘the European Commission and Member States need to take gender equality in relation to digitalization more seriously’. Quoting recent Eurofound research Goudriaan noted that when it comes to the new digital economy, many low paid jobs have been created in sectors where women predominantly work while high paid jobs come about in male dominated ICT sectors.
The Trade Union representative stated that, ‘if Europe is to have a better future then we need to better value our carers, health workers and all those who care for our children, the sick and our elders. If we take a better European future seriously, then there will need to be a concerted effort to increase public spending for public services’.
According to Goudriaan, tax justice is important when it comes to funding Europe’s public services. He welcomed the work the European Commission is undertaking regarding investigating companies like McDonald’s, who seem to be engaged in dubious tax avoidance practices. However Goudriaan encouraged both the Commission and Member States to be ‘firm when it comes to public country by country reporting to address tax avoidance’, as such measures are necessary if the European project is to recover and regain its legitimacy.
The summit discussed the Future of Europe, Brexit and its implication for workers, the Annual Growth Survey, refugees, migration and inclusion in the labour market, new skills agenda and digitalization. Luca Visentini, ETUC’s General Secretary, expressed the concerns of the unions regarding the Trade Treaty between the EU and Canada whereas Commission President Juncker, Council President Tusk, the Slovak Prime Minister Fico and the employers all strongly argued in favour.
The EPSU General Secretary was part of the ETUC delegation that also included representatives of the Estonian, Maltese and Slovak trade unions. Ministers of Labour for Slovakia, Estonia and Malta, plus European Commissioners Dombrovkis and Mrs Thyssen also attended the meeting which took place on 19 October 2016 in Brussels.
See also
- ETUC’s contribution on the Tripartite Summit
- For the Council Press release
- Comments by Council President Tusk for the Tripartite Social Summit
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