PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen declares 1st May is the day to declare decent jobs for all- and Yes to the Constitution

Decent jobs for all

“ We should take this very special day to accelerate job creation in Europe and to foster economic growth in Europe”, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen has said today in a statement celebrating Labour’s day and Eastern enlargement.

“Economic growth is sluggish and the right wing agenda has not been successful in providing a good living standard to many citizens all around Europe. It is imperative to make the EU economy dynamic and the role of public policies is of extreme importance”.

“ Unemployment numbers in Europe continue to be too high. This is unacceptable!”

Fighting unemployment, reducing poverty and providing work for all is at the core of us as Socialists, Rasmussen has said. Today, more than ever, we need to act together and to co-ordinate their actions to increase growth, Rasmussen said.

More jobs is a key objective but job quality has to be ensured. “Our concern is not only about more jobs but also more decent jobs. Job quality is crucial and is a central part of our social model which ought to be preserved”.

One year for Europe 25 has been a good year, people are with us in new member countries, now we need to go forward in common to unify better social security with competition and more jobs, Rasmussen said.

But we need a strong Europe to fight unemployment. A crucial step in that direction is provided by the Constitution that consecrates important rights to European workers.
“ The charter of fundamental rights is an historical landmark in European integration and we must all support it!” Rasmussen argued.

Workers must be at the core of European policy. Indeed “the 1st of May for us is about social rights, social protection, social dialogue and the right of association”.
A yes to the constitution is a yes to more and better jobs and social justice.

Rasmussen pointed out international solidarity as essential to a fair and equitable European and world development. “Today I want to reaffirm once again our commitment to international solidarity as an essential component of sustainable development.”

That implies a strong solidarity among Europeans but also between Europeans and the rest of the word. In that regard, Rasmussen demands important steps to be agreed upon at the next UN meeting in September and also claims for a fair world trade that takes account of the development agenda. “I expect the next UN general assembly meeting next September in NY to be coronet with success”.

“ The development agenda has to be approved in the next WTO meeting in Hong Kong”.