Unions stage 'European action days'

A range of actions, including mass demonstrations, meetings and information campaigns were staged at the beginning of April 2004 by trade unions around Europe. The 'European action days' were intended to support calls for a strong social Europe.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) coordinated days of action around Europe on 2 and 3 April 2004 in support of demands for a stronger social dimension to the European Union and in support of calls upon national governments to increase justice and social cohesion. These actions are part of a campaign being staged in the run-up to the elections to the European Parliament, which will take place in June. ETUC is anxious to ensure that its voice is heard in support of the employment and social rights of EU workers and citizens, in the context of the enlargement of the EU from 15 to 25 Member States (in May 2004) and negotiations on the new EU Constitutional Treaty (EU0312209F). The campaign expressly welcomes EU enlargement and calls for a 'social Constitution' to be put into place to ensure that social and employment rights are not eroded. In particular, the trade unions are calling for the promotion of employment, the defence of social rights and the maintenance of high-quality public services.

A wide variety of actions took place around Europe on 2-3 April, including mass demonstrations, conferences, seminars, meetings and information campaigns involving the mass distribution of leaflets. In Brussels, ETUC and its Belgian affiliates - the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens/Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond, CSC/ACV), the Belgian General Federation of Labour (Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond/Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique, ABVV/FGTB) and the Federation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (Centrale Générale des Syndicaux Libéraux de Belgique/Algemene Centrale der Liberale Vakbonden van België, CGSLB/ACLVB) - brought together a 'mass delegation of trade unionists' on 2 April.