Ei-iE

Education International
Education International

European trade union federations back Spanish workers’ demands

published 29 February 2012 updated 1 March 2012

European trade unions are backing Spanish trade union confederations in their campaign against the reform of the labour code in Spain. EI European region, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) has issued, together with the European Federation of Public Service Unions and the European Transport Federation, a Solidarity Statement supporting the trade union confederations. The reform of the labour code was enforced by the Spanish Government via a decree.

Job insecurity

“The reform under the direction of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, like in other countries, plunges Spain into the realm of job insecurity and puts the country on the same path as Greece or Portugal,” the statement reads.

It deplores the fact that, “with the excuse of the financial and economic crisis, the Government has initiated an attack on public services in all sectors: health, education, transport…”

The European Federations also support the lodging by Spanish unions of a complaint to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of the Spanish Government’s breach of the ILO Convention 98 on the right to organise and collective bargaining.

29 February, European Day of Action

“EI wishes to reiterate its solidarity with the millions of Spanish workers, youth and unemployed who demonstrated on 19 February against this blatant attack on trade union rights,” said ETUCE Director Martin Rømer.

“We strongly encourage Spanish unionists and concerned citizens, as well as all our affiliates through Europe, to take action again on the occasion of the European Day of Action called by the European Trade Union Confederation.”

To read the full trade union statement, please click here

The ETUCE campaign plan against the crisis is available here