---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: peter waterman <[email protected]> Date: Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 1:59 PM Subject: Re: [Networkedlabour] FW: ETUC announces European demonstration for 4 April To: Roland Erne <[email protected]>, [email protected], Debate is a listserve that attempts to promote information and analyses of interest to the independent left in South and Southern Africa < [email protected]>, WSFDiscuss List < [email protected]>, Dan Gallin <[email protected]>, [email protected] *Peter sez:* On the one hand, the ETUC is moving out from the European corridors of power(lessness) and into the streets. On the other, its 'new path for Europe' means back to an old, and failed, path for Europe. That is for a re-birth of a 'Social Europe' that seems to have existed mostly in the imagination of left-of-centre Eurocrats and Europhiles. And then, and more basically, for the rebirth of a Keynesian Utopia, with 'autonomous' social partners' (actually, of course, partners of and under capitalism) settling any friction between unions, corporations and states, around a bargaining table. This is, surely, a conservative utopianism, in so far as it mystifies a dystopian present and offers in exchange a mystified past. And this all presented without using the dread 'C-word', capitalism. Nor does it seems to reach out to those who have recently re-discovered the streets and added to this the tweets (here check out the book by Gerbaudo, 'Tweets and Streets'). They are evidently not invited to this party. Let's nonetheless wish the ETUC success with its demonstration, either taking part, or seeing online whether it has the kind of intellectual and ethical effect on the European and Global 99% as have done, separately or collectively, Madison, USA, the Arab uprisings, Democracia Real in Spain, the occupied squares of Istanbul and Athens, the streets of Sao Paulo and Rio, Brazil and [fill this space...]. *Now read on...* On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 7:19 AM, Roland Erne <[email protected]> wrote:
FYI
ETUC Press release
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*Crisis cannot be solved without sound social basis*
*ETUC announces European demonstration for 4 April*
18/12/2013
*The European Union will not get itself out of the crisis as long as it continues to ignore the real needs of its citizens, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has warned.*
As EU leaders prepare to gather in Brussels for their end of year summit, they continue to undermine the European project by prolonging the financial and social crisis and alienating millions of people across the union.
Speaking ahead of the summit on 18 December, ETUC Secretary General, Bernadette Ségol, announced that a European trade union demonstration will take place in Brussels on 4 April 2014, as the European Parliament prepares to elect new members.
Recently, the ETUC launched its campaign, A New path for Europe, outlining a bold new investment plan for the EU, based on a sustainable industrial policy and quality jobs.
In addition, it also set-out its manifesto for the European Parliament elections, which urges candidates uphold the social dimension of the EU, and reject any attempts to continue polices that diminish wages and working conditions.
*“We in the trade union movement do not believe that the crisis is over,”*said Bernadette Ségol. *“What we have to ask is, who is out of trouble? The financial system or the people?”*
*“Europe is extremely weak on its social dimension. Citizens do not agree with the kind of path the EU is going down. Such a Europe will be not be regarded kindly by its citizens, if it doesn’t change course.”*
*“Political leaders have to show they will protect workers; it is not just about freedom of the market, but also about social protection. That is why we are having this campaign.”*
- *A new path for Europe: ETUC plan for investment, sustainable growth and quality jobs*: http://www.etuc.org/a/11715<http://etuc.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=432f45140d9f6f58d0cb10aa1&id=e6ea3babfa&e=bc6a0fbe67> - *ETUC Manifesto on the European Parliament Elections*: http://www.etuc.org/a/11820<http://etuc.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=432f45140d9f6f58d0cb10aa1&id=f913d39453&e=bc6a0fbe67> - *Twitter Hashtag: #NewPath4Europe*
*The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) exists to speak with a single voice, on behalf of the common interests of workers, at European level. Founded in 1973, it now represents 85 trade union organisations in 36 European countries, plus 10 industry-based federations.The ETUC is also on Facebook <http://etuc.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=432f45140d9f6f58d0cb10aa1&id=630aff4347&e=bc6a0fbe67>, **Twitter <http://etuc.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=432f45140d9f6f58d0cb10aa1&id=679e9391ce&e=bc6a0fbe67>**, **YouTube <http://etuc.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=432f45140d9f6f58d0cb10aa1&id=90b32790f6&e=bc6a0fbe67>** and **Flickr <http://etuc.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=432f45140d9f6f58d0cb10aa1&id=545917a5bf&e=bc6a0fbe67>**. *
*Copyright © 2013 European Trade Union Confederation/ Confédération européenne des syndicats, All rights reserved.*
*More information:*
*Cillian Donnelly*
Head of Press and Communications Phone: +32 (0) 2 224 04 30 @: [email protected]<http://etuc.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=432f45140d9f6f58d0cb10aa1&id=20129e9b47&e=bc6a0fbe67>
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