European Federation of Public Service Unions Congress continues until Friday 7th June
#EPSUcongress19
Over 550 representatives of European trade unions, with a combined membership of over eight million, will meet in the RDS in Dublin this morning (Tuesday) at the Congress of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU). EPSU is Europe’s largest trade union federation.
The Congress will be addressed by President Michael D. Higgins at 11.00am this morning (Tuesday). Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe will address the conference at 2.00pm on Thursday (6th June).
Kevin Callinan of Irish EPSU affiliate Fórsa, and Esther Lynch – the Irishwoman who was elected as deputy general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) last month – will also speak today (Tuesday). The conference concludes at lunchtime on Friday.
A copy of the congress agenda is available HERE.
Highlights of the conference include:
- Michael D. Higgins will address the conference at 11am on Tuesday 4th June.
- Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, will address the conference at 2pm on Thursday 6th June.
- Fórsa Senior General Secretary Designate, Kevin Callinan, will address the conference at 10.30am on Tuesday 4th June.
- Esther Lynch, Deputy General Secretary elect of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), will address the conference at 10.30am on Tuesday 4th June.
- Cat Hobbs, of UK anti-privatisation organisation ‘We Own It’ will address the conference as part of a panel on privatisation, public-private partnerships, and private finance, at 10.30am on Wednesday 5th June.
- European public service wage bargaining will be discussed by a panel of trade union leaders from Germany, Spain, Denmark, and Portugal (chaired by Esther Lynch of the ETUC) at 3pm on Thursday 6th June.
- The conference will discuss the future of work, digitalisation and climate change from 9.00am on Thursday 6th June.
EPSU is Europe’s largest trade union federation, and represents eight million public service workers from 265 trade unions. The Brussels-based federation organises workers in the energy, water and waste sectors, health and social services, and local, regional and central government. Its Irish affiliates include Fórsa, Siptu, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), the Energy Services Union (ESU), and the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS).