The crisis countries, particularly those in southern Europe, find themselves exposed to a worrying downward spiral. Growing public debt calls for cuts in social security and in the labour market; rising unemployment results in a decrease in purchasing power and a reduction in the state’s tax revenue.
How can this development be turned around? Are there alternatives to cutbacks in the social area? What short-term and long-term approaches to solving the crisis can be developed to overcome it? How can workers’ organisations in Europe play a part in this, and what concrete possibilities for action do they have to improve the situation of workers?
These and other questions were the focus of projects co-ordinated and carried out by EZA in the 2012 fiscal year on “The impact of public debt on social security and the labour market”. The issues addressed were based on the Final Report and the Recommendations for Action from the EZA Financial Crisis Project from 2009/2010. At that time we were particularly concerned to develop our proposals for solutions to the crisis on the basis of Christian social values.
The brochure has been published in English and Spanish.
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