UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Thursday 29 April 2010

ETUC urges Europe to stop the speculators‏

In a letter from General Secretary John Monks to policy makers in Europe, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) expresses its dismay with the European response to the wave of financial speculation that is hitting Greece and now contaminating other euro area member states.

The ETUC finds the European policy response to be disappointing and hesitating. The ETUC also denounces those who try to abuse the situation by imposing an agenda of deregulation, liberalisation and privatisation.

Instead, the ETUC is calling for European policy makers to act decisively and quickly and implement the package of bilateral loans to Greece as a matter of urgency in the next few days.

Says John Monks, General Secretary of the ETUC: ‘Governments and central bankers have mobilised trillions to save the banks. They now have to organise the same type of massive support to fight the greed of global financial markets with European solidarity’.

ETUC letter to the President of the European Council, the EU Spanish Presidency, the President of the Commission, the European Central Bank and the European Parliament: http://www.etuc.org/IMG/pdf_letter.pdf

ETUC video: May Day and Financial Crisis - John Monks’ message: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsXZXY8mrZc