Search

date: 20 March 2009

embargo: 00:01 hours Monday 23 March 2009

G20 summit 'cannot be allowed to fail'

As the global trade union movement publishes its statement to the G20 summit today (Monday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has said that the 'stakes for the G20 summit are incredibly high' and that 'it cannot be allowed to fail'.

Brendan Barber said: 'This is a truly global crisis and the first recession to flow from a collapse in the financial system since the 1930s. Individual states can make a difference, but in a global crisis we need a global response.

'But there are worrying signs that the G20 leaders will not rise to the occasion. While there does seem to be a consensus to do something about tax havens, reports suggest that European leaders are resistant to a fiscal stimulus while the USA is opposed to more global regulation.

'We need both - as today's global union statement makes clear. Without a big co-ordinated fiscal stimulus this could be a deep and dangerous recession that may easily turn into a prolonged slump.

'But the Europeans who want to ensure that we never again face meltdown of the world's financial system and say we need a tough global system of regulation are also right.

'Governments should listen to their unions who all want to see a fiscal stimulus, action on tax havens and effective regulation, whichever side of the Atlantic or Pacific they come from. And unions are clear that we need not just a short-term stimulus, but action to make sure the world emerges as a fairer and greener place from the recession.

'It is not too late to tell world leaders that the stakes for this summit are incredibly high. This gives the Put People First march for jobs, justice and climate next Saturday (28 March) a new importance as it gives ordinary people who are the victims of this recession the chance to send a clear message to the summit that we need fundamental changes both in the UK and throughout the world.'

The international union statement will be handed to governments of the G20 by unions across the G20 nations including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and the USA. The text is available at http://bitly.com/ITUCG20

Its five key points are that the G20 must:

1. Implement a co-ordinated international recovery and sustainable growth plan with maximum impact on job creation focussing on public investment, active labour market policies, protecting the most vulnerable through extended social safety nets, and 'green economy' investments that can shift the world economy onto a low-carbon growth path.

2. Give developing and emerging economies the resources and policy space to undertake counter-cyclical policies.

3. Nationalise insolvent banks immediately so as to restore confidence and lending in the financial system and beyond this establish the new rules and mechanisms to control global finance with full stakeholder engagement.

4. Combat the risk of wage deflation and reverse the growth of income inequality by extending the coverage of collective bargaining and strengthening wage setting institutions so as to establish a decent floor in labour markets.

5. Prepare the ground for a far-reaching and ambitious international agreement on climate change at COP15 in Copenhagen this December.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- On Saturday 28 March the TUC will be part of the huge Put People First event which is made up of some 130 unions, development agencies, domestic poverty, faith and environmental groups. The alliance plans to tell world leaders attending the G20 summit - happening just five days afterwards on Thursday 2 April - that only just, fair and sustainable policies can lead the world out of recession.

- Put People First - March for Jobs, Justice and Climate starts from the Embankment at midday and culminates in a rally in Hyde Park which starts at 2.30pm.

- Around 120 organisations are now backing Put People First including: Acord, ActionAid, Action for Global Climate Community, Action on Disability and Development, ACTSA, Advocacy International, Akina Mama Wa Africa, AMREF UK, Article 12 in Scotland, ASLEF, ATL, Avaaz, BECTU, BOND, Bosco Volunteer Action, Bretton Woods Project, CAFOD, Campaign Against Climate Change, Centre for Democracy and Development, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Change is Coming, ChildHope, Christian Aid, Christian Ecology Link, CND, Compass, Concern Worldwide (UK), Co-operative News, Connect, CWU, Dalit Solidarity Network UK, Defend Council Housing, Do Something About It, Down2Earth Down2Us, ECCR, Ekklesia, Engineers Against Poverty, Equity, European Movement, Everychild, Fairtrade Foundation, Fatima Women's Network, Find Your Feet, Fire Brigades Union, Footprint Friends, Friends of the Earth, GardenAfrica, Global Call to Action Against Poverty, GMB, Green New Deal Group, Greenpeace, HelpAge International, Hives Save Lives, InterHealth, International Service, Jubilee Debt Campaign, Justice for Colombia, Labour Start, Lattitude, Learning for Life, Merlin, Micah Challenge UK, MRDF, Musicians Union, Muslim Council of Britain, NAPO, NASUWT, National Pensioners Convention, National Union of Journalists, National Union of Teachers, NCVO, NEF, New Internationalist, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Novas Scarman, NUS, One World Action, Oxfam, Pants to Poverty, PCS, People and Planet, Performers Without Borders, Philosophy Football, Plan UK, Progressio, Project Hope UK, Prospect, Red Pepper, RMT, Salvation Army, Save the Children, Share the World's Resources, Shelter, Sightsavers, Skillshare International, SPEAK, Stamp Out Poverty, STOP AIDS Campaign, Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, Sudanese Women for Peace, Synergy Centre, Tax Justice Network, Teach a Man to Fish, Tearfund, The Other Tax Payers' Alliance, Thirty-eight degrees, Tools for Self Reliance, Tourism Concern, Trade Justice Movement, Trades Union Congress, Trading Visions, Traidcraft, Transnational Institute, Transport Salaried Staffs' Association, UCATT, UCU, UK Aid Network, UNISON, UNITE, United Nations Association, Usdaw, VSO, War on Want, Welsh Centre for International Affairs, Womankind Worldwide, Women Opposing War, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, World Development Movement, World Vision, WWF.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (1,100 words) issued 23 Mar 2009