Trade Unions united in Madrid for a democratic Europe

On 18 June, ETUC, CCOO and UGT brought together trade unions in the Spanish capital for a major mobilization. Speaking from the stage, CGIL General Secretary Maurizio Landini called on European trade unions to join a major demonstration in Rome this autumn in defense of peace and rights.

"For a Democratic Europe: Mobilization for Quality Jobs, Social Justice and Peace, Against Deregulation and Austerity" was the title of the rally held on 18 June at the Vistalegre Arena in Madrid, organized by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) together with the Spanish trade union organizations CCOO and UGT.

Among the speakers was Maurizio Landini, General Secretary of CGIL, Italy’s largest trade union confederation, who stressed that work and workers' rights are the key to rebuilding democracy and social justice across Europe.

Landini delivered a direct message to the European Commission, denouncing the consequences of the economic policies pursued in recent years:

“Workers, pensioners and their families are tired of paying the price for every crisis while others continue to speculate and enrich themselves at their expense. Since 2008, every crisis has been passed on to working people. Austerity policies have produced social devastation, the unchecked privatization of public services and the spread of precarious work.”

According to the CGIL General Secretary, Europe needs a profound change of economic direction:

“This is not the Europe we want. For us, Europe must stand for democracy, social justice and public investment capable of creating decent, quality jobs through the ecological and digital transitions. Work must be safe, stable and protected. We also need fairness in fiscal policy. The time has come to tax large fortunes, excessive profits and financial wealth in order to redistribute prosperity and promote development. There can be no real equality without fiscal justice.”

Landini also called on European trade union organizations to take part in a major demonstration that CGIL intends to organize in Rome this autumn. The initiative will focus on peace, social justice, secure and protected employment, and on building a Europe that puts people, rights and democracy at its center.