PES activists Forum in Dublin has just started its workshops!

One of the first workshops was "Towards Decent Life - European Social and Employment Pact". The main goal was to have a real discussion between specialists and activists by focusing in a debate between the pannel and the public.

In a brief introduction, Solidar Secretay General Connie Reuter mentioned how important it is to act against the financial crisis and to reinforce social policies at European level - rather than keeping working on national level. Engaging civil society in defending decent work, fighting social dumping, integrating migrants were some of the points mentioned.

Seven PES activists intervened by bringing to the discussion the importance of having human rights respected when signing work agreements - since wages aren't always enough to pay the bills. Rising youth unemployment was also mentioned as a common concern since in some countries it is leading to dangerous attitudes. For instance, in Austria, 10% of the young people say they would favour an authoritarian government, as they believe it would solve the unemployment problem!

ECOSY Secretary General, Jana Besamusca, presented some of the actions  ECOSY is putting up to fight youth unemployment: legislate against unpaid traineeships; set up a minimum wage that is common to all ages; and having representatives of young workers in Working Councils.

For MEP Proinsias De Rossa, one way forward in achieving Decent Work for Decent Life is to "change the market-driven philosophy that has prevailed for the last 50 years and get back to the basic ideas of solidarity and equality".