Andrew Watt
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andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt
@andrewwatteu.bsky.social
3.1K followers 1.2K following 1.2K posts

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
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Political science 32%
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andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 16h
Robin, what alternative to joint EU debt issuance would be "governing like a geopolitical force"?

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 16h
Workers have been collectively going on strike for fair pay and better conditions for a long time.
As far as we know, for more than three thousand years.
sarahebond.bsky.social Sarah E. Bond @sarahebond.bsky.social · 18h
November 14, 1152 BCE: the first recorded workers' strike occurred in ancient Egypt under Pharaoh Ramses III. Artisans and laborers working on the royal tombs at Deir el-Medina stopped working in protest of delayed and insufficient rations, a form of wages. collezioni.museoegizio.it/en-GB/materi...
The so-called “Strike Papyrus” written by Amunnakht The scribe Amennakht is the author of this papyrus in the hieratic script. It is a report concerning a strike held during the reign of King Ramesses III in the village of Deir el-Medina. The workers protested because they had not received their regular food rations, which constituted payment for their work in the Valley of the kings. “Year 29, secondo month of the Inundation, day 10. Today the work squadron passed the control post shouting “we are hungry!” It is 18 days this month that (the men) go and sit at the back of the funerary temple of Tuthmosis III”. Despite various attempt at conciliation, the protest lasted a number of days. To the officials who tried to persuade them to return to work, the workers replied: “We are here because of the famine and thirst. We are not accustomed to not having unguents, fish, and greens. Write to the pharaoh our perfect lord, take note of our words, and write to the vizier, our superior, because we are in need of our provisions”. Inv. no. : Cat. 1880 TPOP Material: Plant fiber / Papyurs Date: 1187–1157 BCE Period: New Kingdom Dynasty: Twentieth Dynasty Reign: Ramesses III Provenance: Egypt, Luxor / Thebes, Deir el-Medina Acquisition: Purchase Bernardino Drovetti, 1824 Museum location: Museum / Floor 1 / Room 06 DEM / Central wall Selected bibliography: Andreu, Guillemette (a cura di)-Andreu, Guillemette, Gli artisti del faraone: Deir el-Medina e le Valli dei Re e delle Regine, Milano 2003, p. 187. Cline, Eric H.-O'Connor, David (ed.)-Cline H., Eric-O'Connor, David, Ramesses III: the life and times of Egypt's last hero, Ann Arbor 2012, pp. 67, 112, 118, 120–122, 136, 141, 352. Edgerton, William F., “The strikes in Ramses III's twenty-ninth year”, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 10 (1951), pp. 137–145. Gabler, Kathrin, “Methods of identification among the Deir el-Medina workmen and their service personnel: the use of names, titles, patronyms and identity marks in administrativ…

Reposted by Andrew Watt

sarahebond.bsky.social
Sarah E. Bond @sarahebond.bsky.social · 18h
November 14, 1152 BCE: the first recorded workers' strike occurred in ancient Egypt under Pharaoh Ramses III. Artisans and laborers working on the royal tombs at Deir el-Medina stopped working in protest of delayed and insufficient rations, a form of wages. collezioni.museoegizio.it/en-GB/materi...
The so-called “Strike Papyrus” written by Amunnakht The scribe Amennakht is the author of this papyrus in the hieratic script. It is a report concerning a strike held during the reign of King Ramesses III in the village of Deir el-Medina. The workers protested because they had not received their regular food rations, which constituted payment for their work in the Valley of the kings. “Year 29, secondo month of the Inundation, day 10. Today the work squadron passed the control post shouting “we are hungry!” It is 18 days this month that (the men) go and sit at the back of the funerary temple of Tuthmosis III”. Despite various attempt at conciliation, the protest lasted a number of days. To the officials who tried to persuade them to return to work, the workers replied: “We are here because of the famine and thirst. We are not accustomed to not having unguents, fish, and greens. Write to the pharaoh our perfect lord, take note of our words, and write to the vizier, our superior, because we are in need of our provisions”. Inv. no. : Cat. 1880 TPOP Material: Plant fiber / Papyurs Date: 1187–1157 BCE Period: New Kingdom Dynasty: Twentieth Dynasty Reign: Ramesses III Provenance: Egypt, Luxor / Thebes, Deir el-Medina Acquisition: Purchase Bernardino Drovetti, 1824 Museum location: Museum / Floor 1 / Room 06 DEM / Central wall Selected bibliography: Andreu, Guillemette (a cura di)-Andreu, Guillemette, Gli artisti del faraone: Deir el-Medina e le Valli dei Re e delle Regine, Milano 2003, p. 187. Cline, Eric H.-O'Connor, David (ed.)-Cline H., Eric-O'Connor, David, Ramesses III: the life and times of Egypt's last hero, Ann Arbor 2012, pp. 67, 112, 118, 120–122, 136, 141, 352. Edgerton, William F., “The strikes in Ramses III's twenty-ninth year”, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 10 (1951), pp. 137–145. Gabler, Kathrin, “Methods of identification among the Deir el-Medina workmen and their service personnel: the use of names, titles, patronyms and identity marks in administrativ…

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 1d
For a shorter and less technical critique see this paper by Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi: iep.unibocconi.eu/europes-inte...

Astonishing how a natural home bias in consumer preferences is not allowed for in the original analysis biasing the estimates upwards.

2/2
Europe’s Internal Tariffs: Why the IMF’s 44% Estimate Doesn’t Hold Up | IEP@BU
iep.unibocconi.eu

Reposted by Christian Chavagneux

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 1d
I've often heard the claim that inner-EU regulatory barriers are equivalent to a tariff of almost 50%. It always felt wildly implausible. Good that it is now being subject to serious scrutiny 👇
It doesn't hold up.
Policymakers are looking for the keys under the lamppost, not where they lost them
1/2
voxeu.org VoxEU @ CEPR @voxeu.org · 1d
@ckhead.bsky.social & @thierry-mayer.bsky.social‬ argue that the recent estimate of an equivalent 45% tariff in intra-EU costs is likely too high & vastly overstates the barriers which could be lowered due to Commission policy decisions.
cepr.org/voxeu/column...
#EconSky
Graph of the evolution of EU15 integration in four datasets. All 4 datasets agree that the impact of borders has gone down over time. A recent paper which has gathered significant attention estimates a 45% tariff equivalent of intra-EU border costs. This column argues that this estimate is likely too high and depends on the particular dataset used and specific estimation choices. Therefore, it also vastly overstates the barriers that are akin to tariffs and could be lowered as a result of European Commission policy decisions. Instead, it argues that there are more urgent reforms with larger potential benefits, such as boosting EU innovation capacity and R&D spending.

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 1d
Update
Today what was forecast 👆 came to pass. In the European Parliament the centre-right EPP voted with all shades of the right, against the centre & left, to gut EU legislation on corporate responsibility to ensure environmental and social sustainability

bsky.app/profile/nvon...

#SeenThisMovie
nvondarza.bsky.social Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 1d
And here is the second, 'Mr. Hyde' part of today's votes - where the EPP sides with the far-right, ranging from the ECR, to Orban & Le Pen's 'Patriots for Europe' and the AfD's 'Europe of Sovereign Nations' for a centre-right to far-right majority on the Omnibus 'deregulation':

Reposted by Steve Peers, Andrew Watt

nvondarza.bsky.social
Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 1d
And here is the second, 'Mr. Hyde' part of today's votes - where the EPP sides with the far-right, ranging from the ECR, to Orban & Le Pen's 'Patriots for Europe' and the AfD's 'Europe of Sovereign Nations' for a centre-right to far-right majority on the Omnibus 'deregulation':

Reposted by Thierry Mayer, Andrew Watt

voxeu.org
VoxEU @ CEPR @voxeu.org · 1d
@ckhead.bsky.social & @thierry-mayer.bsky.social‬ argue that the recent estimate of an equivalent 45% tariff in intra-EU costs is likely too high & vastly overstates the barriers which could be lowered due to Commission policy decisions.
cepr.org/voxeu/column...
#EconSky
Graph of the evolution of EU15 integration in four datasets. All 4 datasets agree that the impact of borders has gone down over time. A recent paper which has gathered significant attention estimates a 45% tariff equivalent of intra-EU border costs. This column argues that this estimate is likely too high and depends on the particular dataset used and specific estimation choices. Therefore, it also vastly overstates the barriers that are akin to tariffs and could be lowered as a result of European Commission policy decisions. Instead, it argues that there are more urgent reforms with larger potential benefits, such as boosting EU innovation capacity and R&D spending.

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 3d
Honourable mention to Euractiv, thanks Nikolaus!

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 3d
Update
The Court now has a good summary explanation in English
curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1...

Noticeable that this important ruling has not, as far I can see, been picked up by leading European media. 🙄
Streaming - Court of Justice of the European Union
Court of Justice of the European Union
curia.europa.eu

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 3d
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...

2/2
www.etuc.org

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 3d
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...
1/2
CURIA - Documents
curia.europa.eu

Reposted by Francesco Saraceno

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 7d
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...
www.etui.org

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 8d
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...
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

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 9d
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!
etui.bsky.social ETUI @etui.bsky.social · 9d
‘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 🌍

🧵👇

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 9d
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.
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

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 9d
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
wsiinstitut.bsky.social WSI Düsseldorf @wsiinstitut.bsky.social · 9d
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...

Reposted by Andrew Watt

etui.bsky.social
ETUI @etui.bsky.social · 9d
‘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 🌍

🧵👇

Reposted by Andrew Watt

wsiinstitut.bsky.social
WSI Düsseldorf @wsiinstitut.bsky.social · 9d
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...

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 11d
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

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 11d
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
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

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 16d
If you are in Brussels, don't miss our event tomorrow with Peter Bofinger and Laszlo Andor. Details 👇
andrewwatteu.bsky.social Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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...
www.etui.org

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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.

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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...
www.etui.org

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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.
7/7

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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.
6/

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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.
5/

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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.

4/

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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.

3/

andrewwatteu.bsky.social
Andrew Watt @andrewwatteu.bsky.social · 18d
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.
2/
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