CGIL Secretary Maurizio Landini and
UIL leader Pierpaolo Bombardieri said Tuesday that it would be a
mistake for the European Union to give itself budget rules that
bring back the era of austerity as member States continue
negotiations for a new Stability and Growth Pact.
"Going back to the rules of austerity would be harmful not just
for workers, but for Europe itself," Landini, the leader of
Italy's biggest trade-union confederation, told a press
conference opening a demonstration in Brussels calling for a
fair deal for workers and a stop to 'austerity 2.0' organized by
the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
"Today is a very important day on which all European workers
speak out again and ask for Europe to become a social Europe, a
Europe of workers, not of finance".
The Stability Pact has been suspended since the COVID pandemic
exploded in 2020.
If EU leaders fail to reach an agreement, the old budget rules
will come back into force next year.
"We have been campaigning for two years, saying that the choice
to maintain the Stability Pact is wrong," Bombardieri told the
press conference.
"We need a Pact for growth and not a Pact that does not allow
Europe to face the great challenges it has.
"The risk we run are that workers will pay the highest price of
the Green and technological transition.
"The EU must find the funds to finance a social transition".
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