Discours de Bernadette Ségol, Secretary General of ETUC, the European Trade Union Confederation at the Summer University of the French Socialist Party in La Rochelle, France, on August 23rd, 2013. en français
Here is an extract in English:
But today, our priority for social Europe is primarily a plan for economic recovery in Europe, the only way to boost growth and quality employment.
Such a plan is possible. It requires innovative use of existing institutions, it requires a good economic solidarity between European countries. For this, we need a long-term vision.
This vision is sorely lacking. Such a plan can only work if Europe comes out of the blind veneration of the 3% deficit.
Yes, we must restore public finances and reduce the level of debt, but the best way to do this is not to blindly cut costs and wages, as was imposed upon the Greek or Spanish, Portuguese, Irish, etc. … the best way is to boost growth and extend the slope of the deficit and debt curves over a much longer period of time.
…
We call for a new European social agenda, we call for a directive on restructuring a program on health and safety. We call for a social progress protocol. We call for a European industrial policy. We call for the implementation of the youth guarantee, particularly in countries that need it most. This is denied us in the name of economic liberalism. We do not have majorities and alliances necessary to change the desperate lack of social progress. But we will not cease to denounce
this fact. We will continue to say that European integration is tenable only if it brings social progress.