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The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) was established in 1973 to provide a trade union counterbalance to the economic forces of European integration. The OeGB was one of the founding members. Until spring 2003 OeGB president Fritz Verzetnitsch was president of the ETUC as well.
At present, the ETUC comprises 78 National Trade Union Confederations from a total of 34 European countries, as well as 11 European industry federations, making a total of 60 million members. The ETUC coordinates the activities of the 39 ITUCs (Interregional Trade Union Councils), which organise trade union co-operation at a cross-border level.
In addition to that, other trade Union structures such as Eurocadres (the Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff) and EFREP/FERPA (European Federation of Retired and Elderly Persons) operate under the auspices of the ETUC. The ETUC is recognised by the European Union, by the Council of Europe and by EFTA as the only representative cross-sectoral trade union organisation at European level.
The ETUC is headed by a Congress that meets every four years, and by an Executive Committee, which meets four times a year. Daily management is carried out by a Steering Committee and a secretariat based in Brussels. Around twenty committees and working groups relating to specific categories of persons, such as the elderly, or to particular sectors carry out the work of the ETUC.
The ETUC has set up a number of specialised bodies including:
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the European Trade Union Institute for research and studies,
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the Trade Union Technical Bureau (TUTB) for co-ordination in the fields of
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health and safety,
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the European Trade Union College (ETUCO), responsible for education and trade union training
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the Association for European Training of Workers on the Impact of New Technology (AFETT).
For further information see www.etuc.org/en/
Autor:
© Petra Szucsich
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European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
