Declaration of the EESC Workers' group President on May Day

This May 1st, will happen "in confinement mode" all over the world.  Oliver Röpke, EESC Workers' Group President reaffirms that "Together, in solidarity, we will come out of the Covid-19 crisis".

"Workers of the European Union, I urge you to use this 1^st of May to be our joint action to defend workers' rights, public health systems, workers, heroes & victims of coronavirus and our global vision of the society. We are stronger if we act together", Oliver Röpke said.

"We hardly need to remind our citizens of the important jobs the workers in health, care and other frontline sectors are doing to save our lives and to provide us with essential products and services". Every European citizen understood it. People, applauding every evening to these workers, have understood it.

This May Day also allows us to learn a number of lessons from this crisis. The first lesson is how interdependent we are. We face a global crisis, which is having a major economic, social and humane impact in Europe and in the world. Thousands of people have died, many jobs are forecast to be lost; it is clear that the survival and future of the EU is at stake. The second lesson is how vital our social security and public services are: thanks to them and to our healthcare workers, we are dealing with this crisis. However, the impact of the coronavirus is putting our health systems across Europe under enormous strain. The third lesson is that we have the possibility and the opportunity to build another world. When we start the reconstruction, our health systems and public services should be strengthened and our social systems upgraded. At the same time, we should make the European economy and industry more sustainable and create an innovation program to improve the EU countries’ future. Social partners must be fully involved in the design and the implementation of these measures.

"This is the time to think out of the box and show leadership. If not now, we will face a global recession. It is time to find a win-win situation for all member states, for every worker!  That’s why, when this is all over, a huge redress is due". Europe needs a transformation strategy, "a strong, social, sustainable and inclusive recovery and reconstruction strategy". Oliver Röpke added.