European Trade Union Confederation's Anti-austerity Strategy From 2010 To 2014

The four years 2010 to 2014 were regarded as 'the worst periods in European trade union history' by General Secretary Luca Visentini of the European Trade Union Confederation(ETUC).2 To be specific,on the one hand,the trade unions in Europe lost their significance and strength of influence when the European Union and the governments of member states adopted austerity policies after discussion.On the other hand,European trade unions' anti-austerity actions did not work out well either.The case study analyzes the anti-austerity strategies adopted by European trade unions to discuss why their anti-austerity actions did not get good results.In general,there are three questions answered:what kind of anti-austerity strategies were adopted by European trade unions;what were the effects of these anti-austerity strategies;why these anti-austerity strategies did not work out well.Firstly the reasons why the strength of European trade unions declined in this period of time are discussed as the background information.Then the history and the current situation of the ETUC are briefly illustrated as well as its important role in anti-austerity actions at the European level to be the basis of selecting it as the case for study.After that,ETUC's anti-austerity strategy from 2010-2014 is analyzed in detail by:1)dividing anti-austerity actions of the ETUC into two kinds-advocacy and lobbying actions,demonstrations and strikes;3)analyzing the strategies employed in advocacy and lobbying actions in two stages;4)analyzing the strategies employed in demonstrations and strikes,using European Day of Action and Solidarity in 2012 as an example;An overall assessment of ETUC's anti-austerity strategy in the four years is given as the conclusion.The central argument is that:anti-austerity organizations represented by the ETUC tried hard to affect the austerity polices of EU from inside by advocacy and lobbying actions and outside by demonstrations and strikes.They kept improving strategies,such as the investment plan in advocacy actions and multinational strikes in social movements.However,they lacked a unified,strong anti-austerity strategy,therefore the anti-austerity actions did not get good results.