Andrew Watt
@andrewwatteu.bsky.social
General Director, European Trade Union Institute
@etui.bsky.social
Formerly www.imk-boeckler.de
EU economic governance, comparative political economy, European integration, socio-ecological transition, wage bargaining
Deutschland-Versteher
Vietnam ..
more
General Director, European Trade Union Institute
@etui.bsky.social
Formerly www.imk-boeckler.de
EU economic governance, comparative political economy, European integration, socio-ecological transition, wage bargaining
Deutschland-Versteher
Vietnam
Economics
58%
Political science
32%
www.etuc.org
Beyond its immediate impact on wage setting, if it had ruled differently the Court wd have dealt a harsh blow to confidence in the EU as a vehicle for social progress and cohesion and not just for market opening
(positive vs negative integration).
ETUC statement: www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...
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(positive vs negative integration).
ETUC statement: www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...
2/2
CURIA - Documents
curia.europa.eu
It is a huge relief that the European Court of Justice has rejected the demand by Denmark and Sweden to annul the Adequate Minimum Wage Directive.
A resume of the judgement in FR is here: curia.europa.eu/juris/docume...
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A resume of the judgement in FR is here: curia.europa.eu/juris/docume...
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Reposted by Francesco Saraceno
www.etui.org
The @etui.bsky.social is holding its annual Future of Work conference on 10-11 February 2026
If you want to present work in this area, submit an abstract
🚨 by November 14th 🚨
Details see:
www.etui.org/events/futur...
If you want to present work in this area, submit an abstract
🚨 by November 14th 🚨
Details see:
www.etui.org/events/futur...
Bidenomics: Truly Transitory Inflation, Remarkably Successful on Employment & Growth—But Unable to Break Through the Media Misinformation Machine
My attempt to set forth a balance sheet: Bidenomics was an extraordinary success. The economy healed fast; the story never did. A brief moderate transitory inflation. A long and strong jobs and...
open.substack.com
Update
@delong.social has just issued this assessment of Biden(omics). He details its overwhelmingly positive impacts, and shows the failure to cut though media misrepresentation to which several commentators also drew attention: open.substack.com/pub/braddelo...
@delong.social has just issued this assessment of Biden(omics). He details its overwhelmingly positive impacts, and shows the failure to cut though media misrepresentation to which several commentators also drew attention: open.substack.com/pub/braddelo...
‘The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain’
A fitting introduction from ETUI General Director @andrewwatteu.bsky.social to our recent event 'The global economy in stormy times', with speaker Peter Bofinger and discussant László Andor 🌍
🧵👇
A fitting introduction from ETUI General Director @andrewwatteu.bsky.social to our recent event 'The global economy in stormy times', with speaker Peter Bofinger and discussant László Andor 🌍
🧵👇
A short overview of last week's event on the challenges facing the EU and German economies, with Peter Bofinger and Laszlo Andor.
🚨 Link to Prof. Bofinger's slides at the bottom!
🚨 Link to Prof. Bofinger's slides at the bottom!
EU’s biggest political group bets on far-right support to cut green rules
Push to slash red tape drives an ever-bigger wedge between Europe’s traditional centrist coalition.
www.politico.eu
www.politico.eu/article/epp-...
Apart from the substantive damage to the EU's green agenda, this is an extremely worrying development: the centre-right (EPP) is demonstrating its willingness to get into bed with the hard right. This opportunism puts the pro-European, pragmatic coalition at risk.
Apart from the substantive damage to the EU's green agenda, this is an extremely worrying development: the centre-right (EPP) is demonstrating its willingness to get into bed with the hard right. This opportunism puts the pro-European, pragmatic coalition at risk.
Ein #Tarifvertrag lohnt sich: nicht nur, aber gerade auch zu #Weihnachten. 77 % der Arbeitnehmer*innen mit Tarif können sich auf ein #Weihnachtsgeld freuen – fehlt der Tarifvertrag, sind es nur 41 % !
Aktuelle Auswertung von Lohnspiegel.de und WSI-Tarifarchiv ➡️ www.boeckler.de/data/pm_ta_2...
Aktuelle Auswertung von Lohnspiegel.de und WSI-Tarifarchiv ➡️ www.boeckler.de/data/pm_ta_2...
In Germany around half of all employees receive a Christmas bonus payment #Weihnachtsgeld.*
But this is true of more than three quarters of workers in firms with a collective agreement, but only about 40% of those without.
* Often a fixed % of the monthly wage, sometimes a fixed absolute amount
But this is true of more than three quarters of workers in firms with a collective agreement, but only about 40% of those without.
* Often a fixed % of the monthly wage, sometimes a fixed absolute amount
Reposted by Andrew Watt
ETUI
@etui.bsky.social
· 6d
‘The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain’
A fitting introduction from ETUI General Director @andrewwatteu.bsky.social to our recent event 'The global economy in stormy times', with speaker Peter Bofinger and discussant László Andor 🌍
🧵👇
A fitting introduction from ETUI General Director @andrewwatteu.bsky.social to our recent event 'The global economy in stormy times', with speaker Peter Bofinger and discussant László Andor 🌍
🧵👇
Reposted by Andrew Watt
Ein #Tarifvertrag lohnt sich: nicht nur, aber gerade auch zu #Weihnachten. 77 % der Arbeitnehmer*innen mit Tarif können sich auf ein #Weihnachtsgeld freuen – fehlt der Tarifvertrag, sind es nur 41 % !
Aktuelle Auswertung von Lohnspiegel.de und WSI-Tarifarchiv ➡️ www.boeckler.de/data/pm_ta_2...
Aktuelle Auswertung von Lohnspiegel.de und WSI-Tarifarchiv ➡️ www.boeckler.de/data/pm_ta_2...
Seen thru this lens, Biden(omics) appears all the more clearly as a tragedy of historical proportions. Had he been fit, his genuinely pro-worker policies would have tied in many of the forces discussed here and likely avoided the loss of swing states.
@mcopelov.bsky.social @deanbaker13.bsky.social
2
@mcopelov.bsky.social @deanbaker13.bsky.social
2
The ascension of America’s Catholic right
Catholics and labour groups are re-emerging as a powerful force in the new political landscape — and their votes are up for grabs as never before
www.ft.com
Very interesting article, unfortunately paywalled, that shows just how fragmented and complex class, party-political, racial and religious allegiances have become in the US.
www.ft.com/content/e0a2...
@jonathanhopkin.bsky.social
1
www.ft.com/content/e0a2...
@jonathanhopkin.bsky.social
1
PS
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
www.etui.org
If you are in Brussels, don't miss our event tomorrow with Peter Bofinger and Laszlo Andor. Details 👇
My point is, exactly, that it is not a matter of (increasing) total spending.
It cannot, I think, sensibly be disputed that Russia has weakened itself militarily and economically by its attack on Ukraine and that this theatre ties up the bulk of its remaining capacity.
It cannot, I think, sensibly be disputed that Russia has weakened itself militarily and economically by its attack on Ukraine and that this theatre ties up the bulk of its remaining capacity.
www.etui.org
PS
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
Even in Germany fiscal space is limited after the shocks of recent years. After years of damaging self-denial, to splurge now on military kit will inevitably squeeze out vital spending in other areas. Voters will notice. This is a gift that the Putin-friendly far right will greedily accept.
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And, of course, "security" is about so much more than military strength. Europe's citizens and workers crave the economic and social security that comes from investment in climate resilience, research and development, Just Transition measures, a solidaristic neighbourhood policy, among others.
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Even defining "security" in purely military terms, a go-it-alone strategy by Europe's largest member state makes no sense. EU countries already hugely outspend Russia (which is anyway weakened and bogged down in Ukraine): what is needed is coordinated deployment and targeted joint procurement.
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Even if the armaments will be largely domestically sourced, the longer-run multiplier effects of military spending are likely to be much smaller than from investments in clean tech and measures to facilitate its deployment.
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On top of this come massive public and private investment needs to accelerate and cushion the green and digital transitions; the €800bn figure cited in last year's #Draghi report, subsequently revised upwards, implies around €250bn for Germany - a year.
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3. Germany Lacks Political Will to Finance Needed Public-Investment
Boost
After more than a decade of weak public investment, Germany has accumulated a substantial public-investment backlog. The requirements for additional public investment in the next decade are likely in ...
www.openbookpublishers.com
Germany suffers from huge under-investment in physical & social infrastructure going back decades.
www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.116...
It has finally thrown off the debt brake, the most obvious manifestation - except for Deutsche Bahn train delays - and proximate cause of this failing.
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www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.116...
It has finally thrown off the debt brake, the most obvious manifestation - except for Deutsche Bahn train delays - and proximate cause of this failing.
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Germany’s new €377B military wish list
A new procurement blueprint seen by POLITICO shows Germany’s plan to become the backbone of the continent’s defense revival.
www.politico.eu
www.politico.eu/article/germ...
Yes, Europe needs to do more to ensure its own defence and wean itself off US dependence. But for Germany to splurge hundreds of billions on military hardware is economic and political madness.
Short 🧵
1/
Yes, Europe needs to do more to ensure its own defence and wean itself off US dependence. But for Germany to splurge hundreds of billions on military hardware is economic and political madness.
Short 🧵
1/
Housing on the European Council agenda
More investment and some regulation needed to address acute crisis
open.substack.com
open.substack.com/pub/laszloan...
Housing is rapidly moving up the EU policy agenda. Laszlo Andor covers some recent developments here.
Housing is rapidly moving up the EU policy agenda. Laszlo Andor covers some recent developments here.
How dozens of Trump’s donors have benefited from his second term
While previous presidents have introduced policies that have helped supporters, such incidents are now more common and overt
on.ft.com
First three come, first served. (Sorry no more can do.)
on.ft.com/4q6i77E
on.ft.com/4q6i77E
How dozens of Trump’s donors have benefited from his second term
While previous presidents have introduced policies that have helped supporters, such incidents are now more common and overt
on.ft.com
2 (paywalled) FT reports on.ft.com/4olkLoi & on.ft.com/4omXW3F detail the massive corruption at the heart of US pol & econ system. Inefficient and polarising at the best of times, such a system is highly unstable. The crypto swamp in particular creates little of value, but massive risks of crisis.
Ich schätze Ihre umweltpolitischen Kommentare aber das ist nur noch beschämend und menschenverachtend.
He was never going to get anywhere with his European ideas without German support, and it was not forthcoming.
Faced with Trumps' tariff chaos, the EU needs to reach a understanding with China, to reduce disruption. But it cannot be based on China massively diverting sales from US to EU while curtailing exports of critical materials for European production and clean tech on.ft.com/42FMvvI
Reposted by Francesco Saraceno
Andrew Watt
@andrewwatteu.bsky.social
· Oct 10
The Draghi Report, One Year Later: Europe Still at the Starting Blocks
One year after the Draghi Report, Europe remains trapped in a cycle of low productivity and weak investment
fsaraceno.wordpress.com
@fsaraceno.bsky.social on Europe's failure to kickstart investment, one year after the Draghi Report
fsaraceno.wordpress.com/2025/10/07/t...
fsaraceno.wordpress.com/2025/10/07/t...