ETUC calls Day of Action for a Social Europe, April 2-3 2004

international | public consultation / irish social forum | press release

Monday December 29, 2003 17:16

by DAPSE - DAPSE

ETUC calls Day of Action for a Social Europe, April 2-3 2004

A Cháirde,
A statement by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) follows. The message is radical and is a break from all that the ETUC has said and done in the recent past. We will see what is its real meaning.

At stake is :
Will there be a genuine common action between between the ETUC and the social movement(s)? Linked to that is the timetable of mobilisations in the next six months.

The ETUC's comments on the socially negative features of the draft European Constitution help organisations in Ireland like DAPSE.
Regards,
John

THE EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION (ETUC) CALLS FOR A EUROPEAN DAY OF ACTION

The ETUC has decided to call a European Day of action on the 2nd and 3rd April 2004 to demand a more social Europe. Hundreds of thousands of citizens will demonstrate to support a Europe of democracy, justice, equality, tolerance and freedom.

John Monks, General Secretary of the ETUC, said that Social Europe is under threat along with the national collective bargaining and welfare systems of individual member states. There are widespread attempts by Governments including those of the Centre left to:

Weaken welfare unilaterally;
Privatise public services;
Undermine social dialogue;
Block new social measures at the European level;
Encourage the US-originated doctrine of shareholder value to be the goal of all companies, in contrast to the traditional multi-stakeholder and social dialogue approach of European businesses.

This is totally unacceptable and Trade Unions must make their voice heard.

The single market in Europe was always going to cause huge changes and restructuring for millions of working people. The accession of 10 new countries in 2004 is going to increase the movement of capital and people. Both developments have been supported by the ETUC but on the condition that a strong social platform of worker rights, social dialogue, collective bargaining, decent welfare states and high quality public services and services of general interest are put in place to help people handle change.

This is not happening.

Governments are refusing to include adequate safeguards for Social Europe in the proposed new Constitution. Unless the policies and instruments (Part III) of the Constitution are brought into line with the objectives (Part I), the constitutional basis for Social Europe will be inadequate. The ETUC supports a new constitution for Europe and deplores the inability of Governments to agree one, on the basis of the result of the Convention on the future of Europe. The ETUC now wants to see early action to agree a Constitution with a strong social dimension. Otherwise, Europe will grind to a halt and the prospect of social advances will recede still further. < /P>

So, the ETUC calls on all its national affiliates and industry federations to organise on 2-3 April across Europe:

Protest action and mass demonstrations in the capitals and in the major cities of Europe;

Conferences and briefing sessions to raise the awareness of workers about what is at stake, and to alert them to the dangers posed by the US business way and its mere reliance on shareholder value.

Media campaigns to highlight our case for a strong social Europe to balance the single market and to contribute to a successful unification of Europe.

We want millions to be involved on April 2-3. We must make an impact on the thinking of Governments, businesses and all citizens.

We must stand up and be counted in support of
More solidarity and justice;
More social cohesion, equality and tolerance;
A strong European social model;
A socially oriented Constitution.
Our Europe is a social Europe - A social Europe is our Europe.
For more information, please call: Press Department: + 32 (0) 2 224 04 30
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