Workers demand EU action on rising electricity prices

EUROPE: European trade unions in the basic metals sectors called on the European Commission to act on increasing speculation on raw materials prices and rising electricity prices on April 15.

In a joint letter to Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Council President Herman van Rompuy, the European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF) and the European Mining, Chemical and Energy workers Federation (EMCEF) have called for immediate action from the European Union.

"Rising electricity prices are damaging our already weakened industries, making windfall profits for electricity companies. Pressure on raw materials prices is being heightened by financial market speculators trying to make a quick buck on the back of our industries. We must unite to ensure workers come before profits," demanded EMF General Secretary Peter Scherrer.

Over 250,000 workers are directly employed in Europe’s non-ferrous metals industries and 370,000 in the European steel industry, in regions already reeling from the economic crisis.

On April 22, the two federations, supported by the European Trade Union Confederation, are holding a European Action Day to highlight their concerns at EU, national and local level. For more information see here.

The two federations are calling for the following EU action:

• Renewed European efforts to achieve a binding, ambitious and comprehensive international agreement on the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) guaranteeing a level-playing field and a just transition towards a low-carbon economy: including commitments from emerging economies.
• Commission acceptance of national electricity price compensation for our industries from today, and not only starting from 2013, with European coordination to avoid negative spillovers.
• Inclusion of waste gases recovered from blast furnaces – including where these are used to generate electricity – in free allocations of ETS quotas to integrated steel plants.
• European action to avoid further concentration in the international raw material markets and to safeguard European raw material extraction.
• Initiatives to ensure fair price levels and long-term contracts for raw materials, and the development of European instruments guaranteeing reasonable prices for our industries in the future.

For more information go to the EMF website here.