Trade unions and the threat of populism and far right
Trade unions and the threat of populism and far right: how to win back the workers’ vote
Right–wing populist movements and parties are rising almost everywhere in Europe. A growing number of working people, including trade union members, feel attracted to the populist discourse and simplistic promises for preservation of jobs and the increase of public provisions. The ethnocentric worldview of the radical right clashes with democratic and pluralistic founding values of the trade union movement. The trade unions are among the actors fighting extreme right trends in the society but at the same time workers and some trade union members have been seduced by populist ideas. This conference will investigate the broader picture of far right in Europe and look at how trade unions have reacted to these developments in different European countries. What options are there for trade unions and what is their potential? What tools are being used by populist movements to spread their message and how should trade unions deal with that? And lastly, what is the political strategy of the different political families at the European level and how do they see the role of the trade unions in the battle against racism and extreme right?
Agenda
13:00-14:10 Opening remarks and setting the scene
Peter Scherrer, Deputy General Secretary ETUC and Thiébaut Weber, Confederal Secretary ETUC
Manuela Caiani, Associate Professor at the Institute of Scienze Umane e Sociali at the Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS) of Florence
14:10 – 15:15 Trade union strategies to fight extreme right
Therese Guovelin, Vice President LO Sweden
Frédéric Sève, National Secretary CFDT
Steve Turner, General Council member, TUC
Moderator: Thiébaut Weber, Confederal Secretary ETUC
15:15 – 15:45 Coffee break
15:45 – 16:40 Political mobilization strategies of the far right
Ruth Wodak, Em. Distinguished Professor; Chair in Discourse Studies, Lancaster University/University of Vienna
Tim Dixon, More in common
16:40 – 17:30 What does extreme right mean for European political parties
Tanja Fajon, MEP, S&D Group in the European Parliament
Philippe Lamberts, MEP, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance in the European Parliament TBC
Anne Sander, MEP, European People's Party in the European Parliament TBC
Moderator: Peter Scherrer, Deputy General Secretary ETUC
17:30 Conclusions
Peter Scherrer, Deputy General Secretary ETUC
Thiébaut Weber, Confederal Secretary ETUC
Simultaneous interpretation FR/EN will be foreseen.
Important note for trade union representatives: The ETUI can cover travel and accommodation costs for a limited number of trade union representatives who would like to attend the conference and/or closed trade union workshop before. Please send your request to Sophie Kasiers skasiers@etui.org
1st floor
Auditorium
Brussels, 1210
Belgium