BRUSSELS, June 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) says the austerity packages imposed by many countries around Europe will have a serious impact on the prospects for economic recovery. EPSU sends this message to the European Council meeting on 17 June.

Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, EPSU General Secretary says: "As governments swing the austerity axe they risk chopping off any green shoots of recovery, leaving workers, pensioners and communities to face the prospect of an even longer recession. We demand plans focused on investment in public services and infrastructure, on green growth and job creation and on addressing poverty and inequality."

EPSU represents 250 European unions which organize nurses, tax-collectors, labour inspectors, port control authorities, custom officers, teachers, civil servants, fire-fighters, police, elderly and childcare workers, cleaners, librarians, utility workers, prison guards, ambulance drivers and many other public service workers.

Most workers are on low- or middle incomes and now see their purchasing power reduced by pay freezes and pay cuts (see overview).

Governments are cutting or freezing public service jobs. EPSU estimates that employment will be reduced by some 200,000 jobs in 2-3 years time. First estimates show cuts in public spending to be more than 200 billion euros - more than the combined annual public expenditure of Hungary, Romania and Portugal.

EPSU underlines the cuts will: - Create more stress for the remaining overworked staff in hospitals, schools, prisons elderly homes and regulatory agencies. - Reduce the quality of public services - less care for the sick; less support for the poor and vulnerable. - Undermine enforcement of laws and regulations, so letting off the hook polluting corporations and employers that violate health and safety and other labour laws or evade taxes. - Have a knock-on effect on non-EU countries that see their export markets affected, and on developing countries as aid budgets are reduced.

EPSU, with over 8 million members, is building for the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) day of action on 29 September. Tens of thousands of people will march in Brussels to show their anger over the coordinated European cuts strategy that is hitting working men and women but leaving the wealthy, speculators and large corporations untouched.

EPSU is the European Federation of Public Service Unions. It is the largest federation of the ETUC and comprises 8 million public service workers from over 250 trade unions; EPSU organises workers in the energy, water and waste sectors, health and social services and local and national administration, in all European countries including in the EU's Eastern Neighborhood. EPSU is the recognized regional organization of Public Services International (PSI)

Detailed briefings at: http://www.epsu.org/a/6599 Media contact Jan Willem Goudriaan +32-2-2501080 [email protected]

SOURCE European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)