At the meeting of the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), held in Brussels on 19–20 May, considerable attention was devoted to a statement on the geopolitical situation and its consequences for working people. In the document, trade unions assess growing international tensions, their impact on the economy and workers’ living conditions, and propose measures to protect people from the consequences of the crisis.

The discussion on the statement was active and principled. Tatjana Babrauskienė, representative of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK) on the Executive Committee, also submitted a number of proposals to strengthen the document. Several of these proposals were incorporated into the final ETUC position.

The Cost of Geopolitical Crises Must Not Be Shifted onto Workers

The statement expresses deep concern about rising international tensions, including Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, and increasing geopolitical competition over strategic resources. ETUC stresses that the economic consequences of these developments are felt first and foremost by workers and their families.

The document highlights that geopolitical conflicts drive up energy prices, fuel inflation, and reduce workers’ purchasing power. At the same time, some large corporations are taking advantage of the crisis and generating excessive profits.

ETUC also criticises the insufficient response of European Union institutions to the latest surge in energy prices, noting that many of the shortcomings exposed during the 2022–2023 energy crisis remain unresolved.

Trade Unions Call for Decisive Action

The statement calls for an urgent EU summit involving social partners. ETUC further urges policymakers to:

• limit excessive profit margins in the energy sector;
• introduce permanent windfall profit taxes;
• reform EU fiscal rules so that they do not hinder investment in people;
• ensure the effective implementation of the Minimum Wage Directive;
• strengthen protections for workers in remote working arrangements.

LPSK Proposals Received Strong Support

During the discussions, Tatjana Babrauskienė presented several proposals on behalf of LPSK.

First, she called for a stronger emphasis on the principle that increased defence spending must not be financed at the expense of social policies. It was stressed that resources from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and other cohesion funds should be protected from being redirected towards militarisation purposes.

Attention was also drawn to the need to strengthen workers’ protection in the context of digitalisation and the growing use of artificial intelligence. It was proposed to include provisions addressing the impact of algorithmic management on workload, workers’ mental health, and work organisation.

Another proposal sought to distinguish more clearly Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine from other geopolitical conflicts, while maintaining appropriate political recognition of the war’s significance.

All three of these proposals were accepted and incorporated into the final ETUC statement.

An additional proposal focused on the protection of refugees and migrant workers. It aimed to strengthen provisions safeguarding these workers against exploitation, discrimination, and unfair working conditions. The proposal received broad support, and it was agreed that the issue was too extensive to be fully addressed within a general geopolitical statement. Consequently, it will be dealt with in a separate ETUC document that is currently being prepared.

ETUC’s position sends a clear message: the burden of geopolitical crises, volatility in energy markets, and rising defence expenditure must not be placed on workers. Trade unions are calling on European institutions to adopt policies that ensure social justice, protect jobs, and strengthen workers’ rights, even in challenging geopolitical circumstances.