From 9 to 11 October 2020, a seminar on the subject of “If work does not close the door to poverty: the role of workers' organisations” took place in Athens, Greece, organized by FIDESTRA (Associação para a Formação, Investigação e Desenvolvimento Social dos Trabalhadores ), in cooperation with IPCM (International Platform for Cooperation and Migration) and with the support of EZA and the European Union. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the seminar took place as a hybrid seminar, with participants on-site and participants who were able to attend via video.
The seminar was attended by 56 representatives of workers' organisations from Greece, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Germany.
Greetings were given by the following speakers: Fernando Moura e Silva, President of FIDESTRA - Portugal, Nikolaos Kioutsoukis, DAKE President - Greece, Piergiorgio Sciacqua, Co-President of EZA and 1st Vice President of PICM (MCL / EFAL) - Italy, Panagiotis Mitarakis, Minister for Immigration and Asylum.
Fernando Moura e Silva referred to topics that were reflected on throughout the seminar, e.g. poverty, social exclusion, social inequality in the EU, social policies of the different EU countries, factors for decent work, such as opportunities for productive work with fair remuneration, Safety at work and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, organisation and participation in decisions that affect one's own life, equal opportunities. He referred to the ILO, the main aim of which is to enable women and men to have access to decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, justice and dignity.
Nikolaos Kioutsoukis spoke about social and work-related constraints due to migration flows in the host countries. He called for solidarity within the EU and guidelines to solve the problem of migration, especially the illegal migrations. The European countries would have to pursue a reception and integration policy. Inclusion must be based on solidarity between nationals and foreigners, with equal access to social support services, equal opportunities for access to health, education and adequate housing. The migration crisis is a European problem and a challenge for everyone.
Minister Panagiotis Mitarakis called for decision makers, workers and trade unions to be involved in migration issues. It takes respect for people in order to find possible and positive solutions. There needs to be support from infrastructures such as schools and other educational centres and the integration of migrants and improvement of all conditions under which they are welcome in our countries.
The following program seminars took place:
Panel discussion on the topic of "Effects of this forced economic mobility / migration on the labour market in the sending and receiving countries" with Rainer Rißmayer (Germany), Stelios Christodoulou (Cyprus) and Américo Monteiro (Portugal)
Orlando Coutinho (Portugal) on "Decent work, the tool to eradicate poverty and promote European social dialogue"
Rafael Rodríguez-Ponga (Spain) on the topic “The structural reasons that give rise to migratory flows. What can be done to avoid a deepening of occupational and social exclusion "
Round table discussion on "Guidelines for work integration, a tool to close the door to poverty" with Paolo Cesana (Italy), Christina Hermann (Germany), Silviu Ispas (Romania), Eduardo Perez (Spain), Panagiotis Kordatos (Greece)
Keynote speeches on "In times of the pandemic: The role of trade unions in the fight against poverty, work and social exclusion" by Joseph Thouvenel (France), Veselin Mitov (Bulgaria), Bogdan Hossu (Romania)
Carmen Quintanilla (Spain) on the topic "Women in rural areas in this crisis"
Conclusion of the seminar / conclusions / lines of action: Maria Reina Martin
A guiding principle emerged from this seminar which guided the contributions of the participating organisations and demonstrated the commitment of all to building a Europe with a real social dimension, a Europe in which all citizens have equal rights and obligations.
In order to achieve this "new Europe", it is important to work on the reality of work, supported by community and extra-community migratory movements (third countries).
During these two days of work and exchange of ideas, the structural reasons that cause this migration flow were identified in the "work-exporting" countries, commonly known as departure countries.
Attention was drawn to the constraints and problems caused by this migration flow in the host countries.
But it was even more important and relevant to raise awareness of the consequences of this economic mobility/migration on the labour market, in the countries of departure and the receiving countries. The awareness that this task is collective, that there are no countries that are "free" from this phenomenon because it is not geographic location that puts us in the problem, nor in the solution. It is the fact that we are all Europe!
Furthermore, as the participants in this seminar saw, the role of workers' organizations in this matter is not insignificant. On the contrary, they are responsible for being the voice of these workers in the political bodies of our respective countries.
Here in Athens, the cradle of democracy, the workers' representatives in loco experienced the reality of a country which, as a borderland, suffers the first effects of these migratory flows, and they became all the more aware that the problem is not just that of Greece but that of Europe as a whole is. And if the problem is for everyone, then the solution must be for everyone too.
Migratory movements, whether communal or extra-communal, which are a reality, must not continue to create situations of imbalance in Europe through their form, their intensity and their causes.
The participants were aware that this issue could divide European cohesion and that is why they were all the more aware that they can and must contribute to a Europe characterized by cohesion, justice and unity. That is the strength of Europe. That is the commitment we made.
It is a commitment that is about networking, exchanging situations, supporting those who arrive, integrating them into labour markets and societies, without, however, losing our European identity.
Workers' organisations should be vigilant about demographic imbalances, the lack of a skilled workforce, situations of social conflict, social dumping, precarious work, illegal networks, labour exploitation and undignified work.
Therefore, they reaffirmed the idea that social dialogue is an indispensable tool in promoting concrete labour policies that allow the gap between employment levels, social protection and decent work to be narrowed, in short, the convergence between the two population groups (locals and Foreigners).