Social Europe

politics, economy and employment & labour

  • Themes
    • Global cities
    • Strategic autonomy
    • War in Ukraine
    • European digital sphere
    • Recovery and resilience
  • Publications
    • Books
    • Dossiers
    • Occasional Papers
    • Research Essays
    • Brexit Paper Series
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Newsletter
  • Membership

On May 1st, need for solidarity greater than ever

Luca Visentini 30th April 2022

From Ukraine to the cost-of-living crisis to the pandemic, the social challenges of the moment demand a solidaristic response.

ETUC,trade union,May 1,May Day,solidarity,solidaristic
Now they depend on the support of workers elsewhere—a May Day march in happier times in Kyiv (home for heroes / shutterstock.com)

International Workers’ Day, May 1st, is usually a day for celebration around the world. But in 2022 it takes place under a shadow—the shadow of war in Europe, a crisis in the cost of living for workers and continuing damage to health and employment in the wake of the pandemic. There may seem little to celebrate.

Yet never has the solidarity which lies at the core of trade unionism—the principal theme of May Day—been better demonstrated than by European trade unions’ response to the brutal war in Ukraine. That solidarity and dedication were already in evidence throughout the pandemic. Workers have been at the sharp end of one crisis after another, with job losses, cuts in the value of wages and falling living standards.

The European Union and national governments must now be even more proactive in defending the future of social Europe. Huge investment is needed to ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery, to guarantee workers’ incomes, achieve a just transition in the move away from Russian oil, gas and coal, and maintain social and environmental standards in the face of unprecedented challenges.

The European Trade Union Confederation has called for emergency measures to reduce energy prices and protect households, jobs and businesses from the impact of sanctions. There must be no return to the disastrous policy of austerity.


Become part of our Community of Thought Leaders


Get fresh perspectives delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter to receive thought-provoking opinion articles and expert analysis on the most pressing political, economic and social issues of our time. Join our community of engaged readers and be a part of the conversation.

Sign up here

Massive mobilisation

The war has prompted a massive trade union mobilisation, with demonstrations for peace, industrial action and spontaneous boycotts of Russian goods and shipping. Unions have launched negotiations with employers and authorities to mitigate the impact of sanctions on workers across Europe and to integrate Ukrainian refugees into national labour markets. Humanitarian support on a vast scale has reached displaced people in Ukraine and the millions of refugees fleeing Putin’s invasion.

Ukrainian unions have opened up their buildings to accommodate thousands of people—with support from Romanian railway workers helping to transport mattresses and bedding into the country. In Poland, unions have established reception and advice centres and offered lodging to hundreds of refugees.

Hungarian and Moldovan unions have set up relief funds, and in Moldova and Slovakia too unions are providing beds free-of-charge in their own hotels and sanitoria. In Lithuania, teachers’ unions are live-streaming history lessons to Ukrainian students, while Greek journalists have dispatched equipment to Ukrainian colleagues struggling to counter Russian lies and to tell the true story of the war.

These are just a few examples of the overwhelming trade union response and opposition to the conflict. At European level, we are fiercely proud of this show of solidarity. The ETUC has been loud and clear in calling for an end to the war and contributing to the humanitarian aid effort.

Rights abused

The world’s eyes are on Ukraine but on May 1st we do not forget people in other countries where workers’ rights are abused. In Belarus, at least 14 trade union leaders and officials were recently detained. In Colombia, trade unionists put their lives at risk and in Brazil the  mismanagement of the pandemic by the president, Jair Bolsonaro, has left vast numbers dead. In Turkey, rampant inflation is causing growing hardship and trade union activities are under attack.

The EU has a responsibility to defend human and workers’ rights globally. That is why the ETUC is fighting for a strong EU law on human-rights due diligence, to ensure that companies operating in Europe respect the rights of workers and trade unions in every country. More is needed than in the European Commission’s proposal, published in February, to involve workers and trade unions in shaping and monitoring strong sustainable business plans, to hold companies accountable and to change their behaviour. Last week was the ninth anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, in which more than 1,000 workers died. Lives must no longer be sacrificed in the interest of profits.

Prices rocketing

In Europe, workers made huge sacrifices to stem the spread of Covid-19. But now, even those who risked their lives in the battle are seeing their living standards plunge, due to the war, the pandemic and the global logistics crisis. Prices are rocketing but wages are not keeping up.

The ETUC is demanding a fairer Europe, with collective bargaining for all and adequate minimum wages. Evidence shows that collective bargaining by trade unions is linked to higher pay. The proposed directive on fair minimum wages must not only put a stop to the growing pay inequality in the majority of EU countries but also require member states to promote and support high levels of collective bargaining, in line with the stance of the European Parliament.


Support Progressive Ideas: Become a Social Europe Member!


Support independent publishing and progressive ideas by becoming a Social Europe member for less than 5 Euro per month. You can help us create more high-quality articles, podcasts and videos that challenge conventional thinking and foster a more informed and democratic society. Join us in our mission - your support makes all the difference!

Become a Social Europe Member

The energy crisis has brought into sharp focus the need for swifter action to phase out fossil fuels and convert to renewable sources. The most recent, alarming evidence underlines that the growing threat of climate change can only be tackled through global solidarity. Trade unions are demanding a socially just transition to a green and climate-friendly economy, emphasising support for those whose communities and livelihoods are most vulnerable.

Equal rights

As trade unionists, we fight for equal rights for men and women. Yet 65 years after the Treaty of Rome enshrined the principle of equal pay, the gender pay gap is still stuck at around 14 per cent. The long-delayed directive on pay transparency can be an important step towards levelling up, but it must apply to all companies and give trade union representatives the tools to take action to end injustice.

Trade unions at European and national levels are also fighting to improve pay and conditions for the growing number of people working for platform companies. Often collaborating across borders, they have challenged the companies’ claims that the workers they manage are self-employed. As a result, many platform workers have gained new rights to security and decent wages and working conditions, and the commission has put forward legislation which should confirm that platform companies are employers.

May 1st 2022 could be a day for reflection as much as celebration. But one thing is sure: the need for trade-union and workers’ solidarity has never been greater.

This column is sponsored by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
Luca Visentini

Luca Visentini is general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

You are here: Home / Society / On May 1st, need for solidarity greater than ever

Most Popular Posts

Russia,information war Russia is winning the information warAiste Merfeldaite
Nanterre,police Nanterre and the suburbs: the lid comes offJoseph Downing
Russia,nuclear Russia’s dangerous nuclear consensusAna Palacio
Belarus,Lithuania A tale of two countries: Belarus and LithuaniaThorvaldur Gylfason and Eduard Hochreiter
retirement,Finland,ageing,pension,reform Late retirement: possible for many, not for allKati Kuitto

Most Recent Posts

Ukraine,fatigue Ukraine’s cause: momentum is diminishingStefan Wolff and Tetyana Malyarenko
Vienna,social housing Vienna social-housing model: celebrated but misusedGabu Heindl
social democracy,nation-state Social democracy versus the nativist rightJan Zielonka
chemical,European Union Which comes first—Big Toxics’ profits or health?Vicky Cann
Russia,journalists,Ukraine,target Ukraine: journalists in Russia’s sightsKelly Bjorkland and Simon Smith

Other Social Europe Publications

strategic autonomy Strategic autonomy
Bildschirmfoto 2023 05 08 um 21.36.25 scaled 1 RE No. 13: Failed Market Approaches to Long-Term Care
front cover Towards a social-democratic century?
Cover e1655225066994 National recovery and resilience plans
Untitled design The transatlantic relationship

ETUI advertisement

The future of remote work

The 12 chapters collected in this volume provide a multidisciplinary perspective on the impact and the future trajectories of remote work, from the nexus between the location from where work is performed and how it is performed to how remote locations may affect the way work is managed and organised, as well as the applicability of existing legislation. Additional questions concern remote work’s environmental and social impact and the rapidly changing nature of the relationship between work and life.


AVAILABLE HERE

Eurofound advertisement

Eurofound Talks: does Europe have the skills it needs for a changing economy?

In this episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast, Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound’s research manager, Tina Weber, its senior research manager, Gijs van Houten, and Giovanni Russo, senior expert at CEDEFOP (The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training), about Europe’s skills challenges and what can be done to help workers and businesses adapt to future skills demands.

Listen where you get your podcasts, or for free, by clicking on the link below


LISTEN HERE

Foundation for European Progressive Studies Advertisement

The summer issue of the Progressive Post magazine by FEPS is out!

The Special Coverage of this new edition is dedicated to the importance of biodiversity, not only as a good in itself but also for the very existence of humankind. We need a paradigm change in the mostly utilitarian relation humans have with nature.

In this issue, we also look at the hazards of unregulated artificial intelligence, explore the shortcomings of the EU's approach to migration and asylum management, and analyse the social downside of the EU's current ethnically-focused Roma policy.


DOWNLOAD HERE

Hans Böckler Stiftung Advertisement

WSI European Collective Bargaining Report 2022 / 2023

With real wages falling by 4 per cent in 2022, workers in the European Union suffered an unprecedented loss in purchasing power. The reason for this was the rapid increase in consumer prices, behind which nominal wage growth fell significantly. Meanwhile, inflation is no longer driven by energy import prices, but by domestic factors. The increased profit margins of companies are a major reason for persistent inflation. In this difficult environment, trade unions are faced with the challenge of securing real wages—and companies have the responsibility of making their contribution to returning to the path of political stability by reducing excess profits.


DOWNLOAD HERE

About Social Europe

Our Mission

Article Submission

Membership

Advertisements

Legal Disclosure

Privacy Policy

Copyright

Social Europe ISSN 2628-7641

Social Europe Archives

Search Social Europe

Themes Archive

Politics Archive

Economy Archive

Society Archive

Ecology Archive

Follow us

RSS Feed

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us on LinkedIn

Follow us on YouTube