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On the EU front, I see several countries whose working classes have a long history of class struggle and militant trade-unionism, and where far-left-wing parties still garner around 5-15% of the vote. France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Britain, Sweden. Other "peripheral" countries (Greece, Portugal, Ireland, LAtvia, Lithuania) are forced into austerity policies, like the rest of us, but retain a "different" 'more nationalist ? more anti-imperialist ? outlook) due t the fact that they have only recently appeared n the stage. They concentrate on (real !) fears of being marginalized in the EU, f being forced into deals with the IMF that will begger them, of being once again the "playthings" of greater powers. As for France, Spain, µItaly, Germany, Britain and Sweden, the working-class, the unins know what they have to do : go on strike. They all have numerous examples, in their own history, of long-lasting but ultimately successful strikes. Now must be the time to forge alliances between the most radical unions of all those countries in rder to trigger a pan-European unlimited strike. The Spanish UGT and CGT, the Italian CUB and ISI, the French CGT, SUD and CNT, segments of the German IG Metall, segments of the British TUC, the Swedish SAC must start a concerted campaign against "austerity" policies in Europe that are directly organized by European corporate and banking interests. The problem is that many unions have been corrupted by European bosses to such an extent that they can no longer properly wage a class struggle. We must focus on building GRASSROOTS ties between Italian, Spanish, German, British, French and Swedish workers and unions. A general conference of "militant" European unions, with delegates SELECTED BY UNION MEMBERS from each union, should be convened (maybe to coincide with the G-20 meeting scheduled in Nice, France, in June). And a concerted effort should be made at scheduling strikes in different countries at the same time : railway workers going on strike in June at the same time in France, Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy. Manufacturing workers going on strike simultaneously in Stockholm, PAris and Barcelona. All building towards a massive Europe-wide general strike. The European capitalist bankers and industrialists are well organized to fight the class-war, now it's time for European workers to do the same. ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
