Commenting on the European Semester, Bernadette Ségol, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation said
“I hear a lot of concern about jobs and growth, but I see only the same old failed solutions.”
“I do not accept that structural reforms and fiscal responsibility are paying off. Much of what has been done in recent years has increased unemployment, increased precarious work, and killed demand.”
“The one reform that is most needed, but which no one mentioned, is to crack down on tax avoidance and evasion. Allowing companies to escape their tax obligations is the opposite of fiscal responsibility.”
“Today’s unemployment figures show that joblessness remains shockingly high and inflation at 0.3% is dangerously close to deflation. The outlook is not good, and repeating the same mantra of reforms over and over again will not improve anything.”
“I welcome the Commission’s call for urgent action involving governments, parliaments and social partners, if this means negotiations to increase investment well above the levels proposed by Jean-Claude Juncker, and a more constructive direction for reforms.”
“I cannot believe that they still refer to wages outpacing productivity when in reality the opposite has been the case in 18 member states over the last 7 years.”
