In a surprise turn around the German trade union umbrella organisation the DGB have come out against the EU-Canada Trade agreement known as CETA. A document available to download here spells out why tacit previous support has been over-turned.
The DGB has faced criticism of its previous stance, not just from some German unions but also from EU unions, who now see the opposition of the DGB as a step towards getting Angela Merkel to pull the plug on the who deal.
This remains to be seem as Merkel was instrumental in rescuing the deal after the Belguim regional parliament in Wallonia rejected the agreement and EU and Canadian officials were scrambled to save it by tinkering around the edges of the agreement.
The DGB document is clear that the revised document (described in some quarters as merely “putting lipstick on a pig”) does not satisfy them on a number of accounts including protection for workers. More soon……
