11 April, 2011The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and its Hungarian member organizations held a Euro-demonstration on April 9 in Budapest. The European trade unions marched to say no to austerity and for a more social Europe, with fair wages and quality jobs.
HUNGARY: The ETUC and its six Hungarian members (LIGA, ASZSZ, SZEF, ESZT, MSZosz and MOSz) made their voices heard at their euro-demonstration in Budapest on April 9, because governing Europe does not mean social regression. The policies implemented by the European authorities and the national governments to deal with the damage of the crisis are essentially based on austerity measures and fiscal consolidation plans that consist of sharp cuts in public spending, pressure exerted to reduce wages and interference with the independence of collective bargaining. These social regression measures are taken whilst scandalous bonuses continue to be paid.
The European trade union movement clearly stand against these policies and state, that this is not only unfair because the burden is carried only by the ones who are not responsible for the crisis, but also wrong from a economic and strategic point of view.
Many social protest movements have taken place recently in Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Latvia, etc.) to express the anger of workers against austerity measures and to demand social justice . See manifesto