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date: 25 June 2009

embargo: 00:01 hours Friday 26 June 2009

Barber to tell Berlusconi to put jobs first in run up to G8 summit

When TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber meets G8 summit chair Silvio Berlusconi as part of a global trade union delegation later today (today), he will say that G8 leaders must put jobs and recovery first, building on the positive proposals in the London G20 summit declaration.

Brendan Barber will also say that global leaders should resist the finance interests who caused the crash who are talking up recovery in the hope of avoiding tough regulation and going back to business as usual.

Union leaders will press for:

• A further global economic stimulus to fight unemployment and reverse the growing gap between rich and poor, both within and between countries.
• Rapid progress to get the G20 working group addressing the employment impact of the crisis up and running, and working closely with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the proposed ILO Global Jobs Pact.
• G8 leaders to advance work on a global charter for sustainable economic activity as advocated in paragraph 21 of the G20 London Summit, with a robust chapter on labour.
• Clear and unambiguous leadership on action to mitigate and adapt to climate change with a major initiative to create green jobs and build a low carbon economy.

Brendan Barber said: 'Only a few months ago, the world came close to financial melt-down. It was only saved from the abyss by bold government action led by the UK. Millions are still paying the price for the irresponsible policies of the financial institutions as they lose their jobs and livelihoods and it will be years before we get back to the same position as before the crash.

'Yet the world's most powerful vested interest, the global elite of the super-rich who did so well from the speculative bubble they helped build, are putting all their weight into opposing the fundamental changes we need. They want to go back to business as usual, are calling for deep cuts in public services rather than starting to pay fair taxes and are already back to paying big bonuses.

'Without some strong leadership from world leaders we will have missed the best opportunity in a generation to stop unregulated finance from pushing the world to the brink once again, and helping the world fight climate change through a green job-led recovery.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The union statement for the G8 summit is at

http://www.tuac.org/en/public/e-docs/00/00/04/E0/document_doc.phtml

- 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

- Congress 2009 will be held at the BT Convention Centre, Liverpool from Monday 14 September to Thursday 17 September. All applications for media passes must be received no later than noon Monday 7 September. Any applications received after this date will be processed in Liverpool and subject to a £50 administration fee. The form for media credentials, plus information on how to book wireless internet access and a phone line at the BT Convention Centre can be accessed at www.tuc.org.uk/mediacredentials

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk

Press release (600 words) issued 26 Jun 2009