International actionday
For..., for..., for..., against..., against..., against....
??? (this is not adequate any longer)
We need a concrete European action against unemployment and
poverty:
As it is well known the French government decided to introduce
the 35-hours-week on January 1st 2000. The German Trade
Union Federation DGB forced already one year ago a policy of shortening
the working week (with flexibilisations) and renewed the old formulars
of working time-reduction of the 70ies. In Italy the workers
movement is discussing the 35-hoursweek without wage-losses etc.
etc.
A renaissance of the idea of working time-reduction
Productivity and capitalist economy are booming meanwhile the
mass-unemployment stagnates on a high level resp. is growing furthermore.
Now also the European Trade Union-leaderships prick up one ears.
They marched in Luxembourg at the top against mass-unemployment
and not so few of them are speaking about working time shortening.
Today the reduction of working time is much talked of!
For the conscious Left who became insignificant in the last years,
more than ever before exists now a big opportunity again to jump
on the „locomotive“ (of history). Obviously the Liverpool-docker-strike,
the Renault-strike and the road-blocades by the French truck-
drivers were the big events of the last years. Annother great
European action for a social Europe was EuroMarch towards Amsterdam
in June 97. Mainly the jobless-movements and the European Left
marched against Maastricht-Europe.
The European Unions and the jobless-movements must cooperate!
After the Luxembourgh-EU-summit at the best yearly >EU-controls<of
national measures for jobs are planned (under the pressure of
international >money-power<): the capitalists will rationalise
and demolish jobs furthermore in the interests of the best profits
by wandering in low wage countries and finance-speculation. And
what have in mind the big Unions and EuroMarch? They are still
planning international demonstrations. But nevertheless also the
next EU-govermental-summits will remain unimpressed and the capitalists
will increase mass-unemployment imperturbable!
In the future EuroMarch and consistent Unionists must do a little
more than hitherto. We must produce a real pressure to >inflame<
the capitalists and governments. Obviously today such a thing
is only imaginable when big Federations and jobless-initiatives
will act together! Proclamations and appeals could be a good thing,
but only a joint European action of the Unions and jobless-movements
could move the situation!
EuroMarch should start an initiative: For an European actionsday
in the factories and on the streets in the second half of 1998
Sure, against the capitalist offensives a substantial first step could only be an unlimited European General-strike (which extends the self-conceit of the working and jobless-people). But at this time the European working class is still far away from such a powerful European action. So let us start from the real situation.
EuroMarch has already good contacts to French, British, Dutch
and Italian Trade Unionists resp. worker-activists. These contacts
should be the starting point for a big initiative of EuroMarch.
Why don't we make a similar effort like the marches to Amsterdam?
After 7 working hours (at 2pm) an European break for 15 minutes
We should propose to the big Unions in Europe to organize on one
day in the second half of 1998 a break of work at 2 pm for example
15 minutes long. 15 short minutes, but everyone worldwide will
understand it as a clear sign against the „scandal“
of mass-unemployment and for the immediate introduction of the
35 hour-week. ALL progressive political and Union forces could
take part: the one who believe that today a reduction of working
time is only negotiatable with flexibilisations and loss of wages;
other forces will understand the 35-hour-week as a first tiny
point on the way to a consistent partition of work to all hands
on the base of growing standards of live. All tendencies in the
labour-movement should work together!
The second axe: Viril basic-incomes for all - indepentently
from working years and nationalities
Obvoiusly it must become a great actionday - the unions in common
with the jobless-organisations. But also the pupil- and students-movement,
die immigrants and pensioners etc. should join! All people who
are disconcerted by unemployment, flexibilisation, social cuts
or rassism should be on the streets on that day. For an European
actionday from Warzawa to Lissabon in factories, offices, schools
etc.: Breaking the work at 2 pm. And in the streets DEMONSTRATIONS,
STREET-BLOCADES, MEETINGS should take place...
Karl Fischbacher
(international-responsible of the Independent Unionists, Austria)
Vienna, 21.12.1997