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Trade unions from Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain presented the direct attacks on workers’ and union rights witnessed in the crisis countries. The collective bargaining capacity of trade unions is seriously undermined. A loud outcry called for a joint response to the imposed austerity measures. Across crisis countries, governments and Troika officials implement austerity measures that do not lead to recovery. Quite the opposite, the imposed economic straightjackets result in drops of purchasing power, reductions of wages, credit access becomes quasi-impossible, and the vitality needed for recovery is impeded.



The financial, economic, political, and social crises have sadly become humanitarian in nature. As an example, youth unemployment is above 50% in Spain and In Greece and other crisis countries witness similar developments. UNI Europa affiliates shed light on the real impact of austerity measures on individual workers’ lives. The aim is to de-legitimise the Troika, and to convey the truth about the harshness of the imposed measures. For this objective, UNI Europa launched Troika Watch, an online austerity policy watchdog. Through Troika Watch, UNI Europa offers an assessment of austerity policies, their ill-effects, and reveals worker’s real-life stories in the services sectors. UNI Europa crisis affiliates, as a first step, are rallying troops in a comprehensive call to arms to bring all trade union forces together in demanding an alternative to austerity. The following concerns were common throughout crisis countries:

• Crisis countries witnessed dramatic increases of unemployment in public and private sectors and extremely high youth unemployment disproportionately affecting women.
• High numbers of skilled workers, particularly young workers, are emigrating in search of better employment prospects.
• Departure from the country of origin has demographic implications and represents a significant generational loss of the educational and training investments at a moment when the concerned labour markets are most in need of retaining the workers.
• Crisis affected countries reported a significant increase in the incidence of poverty (both after social transfers and in-work poverty) due to the significant cuts and reductions in wages, social benefits, public spending, and higher stringency in the conditionality for social assistance benefits.
• All affiliates expressed concern over the total disrespect of the fundamental role of trade unions.
• Trade union collective bargaining capacity in the crisis countries is impeded. Respective governments and Troika officials refuse responsibility for the open attack on trade unions and worker’s rights.
• Collective agreements are at the very core of the sought solidarity. Their cancellation and limitation in coverage are unacceptable. Such open attacks undermine the democratic nature of our societies. Workers have no alternative but to witness the deterioration of their rights, the reduction of their salaries, and are forced into signing individual contracts not covered by collective agreements.

Affiliates will join force with the workers in the protests against the attacks on wages and the imposed austerity measures. They will organise support and solidarity from workers across Europe in the battle for social justice in the crisis countries. It is high time to show to the rest of Europe what Troika policies really mean: Austerity in the name of competitiveness only brings about the worsening of working conditions and unacceptable attacks on collective bargaining capacity. EU leaders, Troika officials and national governments must see the light that austerity does not work.



Affiliates joined the European trade union movement sending a strong message to EU institutions: supranational policies on labour and social matters will only be acceptable if they trigger social progress. Affiliates supported the ETUC Declaration on the proposed roadmap for a social dimension of the EMU (Economic and Monetary Union):

1. Opposition towards the current austerity policies. There cannot be a social dimension whether in the EU or in the EMU without a change in these policies.
2. Increased policy coordination among member states requires upward convergence to deal with inequalities, poverty, unemployment and precarious work that are ethically unacceptable and are creating a social emergency.
3. A new large scale investment plans equal to at least 1 % of EU GDP annually to promote sustainable growth and jobs.
4. As the memorandum policy for the crisis countries infringes on collective bargaining, industrial relations and social dialogue, there should be effective guarantees at all stages that trade union rights and fundamental rights will be respected and promoted, particularly the autonomy of collective bargaining.

The meeting of the UNI Europa affiliates from Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain took place in Lisbon, Portugal on 7 March 2013. The Workshop on the Crisis, Austerity and its Consequences was the second Workshop held on the topic and followed-up from the first meeting held in Madrid, Spain on 4 May 2012. Join us in the protest to counter austerity policies!



Troika Watch can be accessed here:

https://www.facebook.com/TROIKAWATCH