Brussels, 08/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - Trade unions in 20 European countries are beginning to mobilise in response to the appeal made by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to organise a day of action against austerity on Wednesday 14 November. Mobilisation will come in different shapes and sizes but the message will be the same, “For Jobs and Solidarity in Europe. No to Austerity”.
The ETUC appeal was launched at the end of the most recent social tripartite summit, just before the beginning of the European Council on 18 October (see EUROPE 10713). Although the message remains similar to that for other days of action organised over recent years, the ETUC emphasised that on this occasion, there is “a change of direction” because “this is a social emergency”.
The mobilisation currently appears to be the biggest in the countries often perceived as being the “sick men” of Europe: Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. These countries could find themselves paralysed on 14 November with general strikes. In other countries, the day of action will involve more targeted forms of sectoral or symbolic action, such as in Belgium and the Netherlands. Demonstrations are also expected in France as well as in Brussels in front of the European Commission buildings. (JK/transl.fl)