IndustriAll Europe’s General Secretary, Judith Kirton-Darling, participated in the 4th congress of CCOO industria in Toledo, Spain. The congress motto was #FuerzaParaAvanzar; #StrengthToMoveForward. Read the full speech
During three days, 350 delegates came together at the CCOO Industria 4th congress in Toledo, Spain.
This was the message from Judith Kirton-Darling, industriall Europe’s General Secretary on 23 April:
Across Europe, workers in industrial sectors are grappling daily with harsh realities: restructuring, factory closures, delayed investment, and reduced demand fuelled by austerity measures and the cost-of-living crisis. According to Eurostat, up to 4.3 million jobs are now at risk unless immediate action is taken.
On the 5 February this year, 6000 workers came to Brussels from north, south, east and west with a united call: for investment in Good Industrial Jobs.
By any standard, Europe’s industrial base is experiencing extraordinary pressures: strategic dependencies on components and energy, a trade war and heightened tensions across the Atlantic, and the demands of a massive economic transformation.
This is a crossroads moment in history.
We are embarked on an energy and industrial revolution, while war wages in Europe, which is testing the strength of our democratic structures.Attacks on trade unions and our values are becoming increasingly coordinated.The embrace of short-termism by multinational corporations – through cost-cutting, excessive dividends and share buybacks over reinvestment of profits – has further undermined our industries’ dynamism and resilience. Profit maximisation strategies – squeezing workers even further and stripping value out of our industries.
The resulting declines in the wage share, and falling or stagnating real wages, have allowed skyrocketing profits. Europe is leading the world in the distribution of dividends (up by 25% last year to €46bn).
The far Right are using economic uncertainty to divide and scapegoat. We face substantial attacks on recent gains that we have made at European level. Recent union wins for gig economy workers, higher minimum wages and supply chain transparency and responsibility in Europe. Rules under-attack from a deregulation agenda under the guise of ‘simplification’.
Yesterday’s failed recipes of austerity, labour-market flexibility and privatisation will only exacerbate the problems we face.
Austerity measures have stripped welfare safety nets bare, increased precarious work and undermined labour inspectorates, with fatal work accidents increasing in nearly half of EU member states. Austerity not only has an economic cost but political consequences.Europe needs to urgently resolve the economic and social insecurity that lies behind growing anger and fear in our societies.
Another way is possible.
Investment and industrial democracy are antidotes to our economic instability. Congress, a strong and united trade union movement is a prerequisite. As a result of our joint campaigning, Europe has finally recognised that we need an industrial policy fit for the challenges of our time, bound with social conditionalities on all public funding and procurement that ensure the maintenance and creation of good quality jobs and worker participation from plant to international levels.
But, the proposed measures lack both urgency and the necessary funding.
This inadequacy is all the more striking compared to the “Rearm Europe” initiative, which was put on the table at speed after Zelenskyy was accosted in the Oval Office. The EU has proposed unlocking €800 billion and exempting military expenditure from the revised EU fiscal rules. Alongside the Spanish government, we are calling for a full suspension of fiscal rules. Potentially things are moving. The decision in Berlin within the new coalition government unleashes public aid for the renewal of the energy and transport infrastructure, as well as military spending.
A new social contract is urgently needed with government and industry, and it must bring dividends for working people, giving them a stake in decision-making as masters of their own destiny.Congress, as in any of our struggles as a movement, we have never been given something easily. We have collectively mobilised and fought for our wins – and that’s what we must continue to do together. This demands the strengthening of our alliances – redoubling our action.
We are the generation who must step up in this struggle. We count on you and CCOO Industria to be at our side.
Solidarity!