Trade union leaders of Europe discussed the current situation with COVID19 pandemic and its impacts on societies, economies and lifes of millions of European people, virus containment measures and measures to protect employment, promote economic activities and guarantee incomes of workers adopted by national governments as well as solidarity efforts of unions of Europe to face the multifaceted crisis in the Pan-European region.

Special attention was devoted to attempts of certain employers and politicians to use the crisis to even further reduce workers’ rights and fundamental freedoms, including in Croatia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Hungary.

The PERC leaders adopted a statement with clear demands to national governments, international institutions, including the European Union, and employers and business.

The PERC leaders also discussed the ITUC global activities, the EU policies in the field of wages, Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood and the ETUC actions in that regards, outcomes of the high-level mission to Ukraine, situation in trade union movement of some SEE and Central Asian countries, as well as the PERC planning for the coming weeks.

It was decided that in the times of crisis the Steering Committee shall meet regularly to ensure consolidated response to its consequences from Pan-European trade union movement, its contribution to the global trade union agenda and to operatively guide the secretariat activities.