News

The speech at the General Assembly of CFDT Banques on 7 October addressed the impact of the European dimension on the work of trade unions and individual workers. It looked at two aspects. First, how the economic, legal and political settings in the EU countries have been entwined with one another and overall with the European Union. Second, how companies, especially in the finance industry, have developed a business appraoch that is more and more detached from any particular national context.

The EU is today a quasi-country. Domestic politics and national industrial relations are intrinsically linked across Europe.

“As trade unions,” Oliver Roethig, Head of UNI Finance, said, “we must see the European-wide angle in our activities and join force to shape the European environment according to our principles of a just society with decent jobs and equal rights for all.”

“UNI, that is affiliates and secretariat, has two major tasks in this context:

“First, to represent unions’ interests in European politics forcefully and, second, to face multinational companies at eye level – much in the same way as UNI’s affiliates would do vis-à-vis domestic politics and industrial relations.

“Finally and very concretely, let’s work together on UNI’s sales and advice campaign: Ensuring responsible sales of financial products whether through politics or industrial relations equals better advice for consumers equals better working conditions for finance workers throughout Europe.”

For the full speech in English and French, see related files.

For French version, see related