>------------------ >Action for a Europe >without unemployment, without job insecurity, without social exclusion > >EUROPEAN DEMONSTRATION AT LUXEMBOURG >THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1997 > > >Europe has greatest concentration of wealth in the world. Today, it is >three times richer than it was thirty years ago. So why is there so much >inequality, injustice and unemployment? Why is there so much wide-spread >poverty, bad housing and social exclusion? Why the attempt to force women >off the labour market back into the home? Why the systematic expulsion of >immigrants? Why is the European Social Policy just a lot of hot air? > >SOCIAL MOVEMENTS ARE DEVELOPING THROUGHOUT EUROPE > >In view of the extent of social problems, we are witnessing an emergence >of social movements throughout Europe. These movements already exist on a >national level . Now, for the first time, we are actually witnessing the >emergence of a social movement truely European based. >There are two examples : the solidarity movement centred around the >Renualt Vilvorde conflict, and more recently, the European March against >unemployment, job insecurity and social exclusion. This March >started out from every corner of Europe and converged on the Amsterdam >Rally, June 1997, bringing together 35 000 people. >The Amsterdam demonstrators, like those who demonstrated for Renault >Vilvorde, demand a different Social European policy. A radically >different policy from that being put in place by the Maastricht Treaty >convergence criteria or that of the Stability Pact, signed in Amsterdam. >The primary effect of both these treaties involve cuts in social spending >as an excuse for reducing budget deficits thereby effectively blocking >any attempt to create a dynamic employment policy. > > >THE "SOCIAL QUESTION" AT THE HEART OF EUROPEAN DEBATS > >Are we going to Summit of hypocrisy? Are we going to accept the >masquerade of governments hiding behind the "convergence criteria", the >law of market forces and profits? > >If nothing is done to counter balance the present situation, the Summit >will end up with a negative result. > > >The European Commission has proposed that the European Union fix targets >to curb unemployment. The Commission's proposed aims are to reduce the >rate of unemployment over a period of 5 years from the 11% officially >recognised to 7%. This target figure is completely inadequate. Even more >so as there is no accompanying obligatory measures, that might lend some >credibility to such an engagement, in view of the fact that the Stability >Pact contains a string of measures, (including the possibility of heavy >fines) for any governement not respecting the guidelines set out. Yet all >this appears to be too much for Member States, as they have rejected >these very propositions at a ministerial preparatory meeting of the >Summit. In the same vein, the European Parliament refused, by just a few >votes, two resolutions : >one for a 35 hour week, the other, in favour of the Commission's >propositions. > > > > > >SOCIAL MOBILISATION IS VITAL ! > > >Confronted by such overt cynicism, only a mass movement, a movement on a >European scale, can change the course of events. The Luxembourg Social >Summit timetable could turn out to be a decisive step. > >The so-called official European trade union movement, the European Trade >Union Confederation(ETUC), did not mobilise for the Amsterdam Rally. >Whereas now, on the contrary, ETUC has decided to call a European-wide >demonstration in Luxembourg. Their demonstration will take place on >Thursday, November 20, at 14h 30, a choice of day and hour which hardly >permits a real mobilisation for those hundreds of thousands of >wage-earners, unemployed and young people at Luxembourg who demand an >alternative social policy. > > >Even the ETUC slogans are vague : a demand for a Social Europe, but >without defining the fundamental revendications for a real change. >Consequently, it is important that the European social movement can >manifest their unity with the maximum force possible. It is for this >reason that the network of associations and many trade unions involved in >the organisation of the European Marches and the Amsterdam Rally have >launched an appeal for a mass demonstration on Novembre 20, in >Luxembourg, with two key slogans : > >- a general and massive reduction in working hours throughout Europe >without loss of purchasing power, without job flexibility and with job >creation, a 35 hour week is the first step, a measure applicable >everywhere ! > >- an income giving everyone a decent standard of living, whether it be a >salaried person employed full time, or imposed part time, or with job >insecurity or unemployed. > > >DEMONSTRATE TOGETHER ON THE STREETS > >LUXEMBOURG, NOVEMBER 20, 1997 >RDV AT 14h 30, AT THE RAILWAY STATION > > > > > >THE EUROPEAN MARCHES AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT, JOB INSECURITY AND SOCIAL >EXCLUSION > >104, rue de Couronnes, 75020 Paris > >tel. 00 33 1 44 62 63 44 fax. 00 33 1 44 62 63 45 >Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >(Information Bulletin available on subscription) > > >-- >Marches europeennes contre le chomage, la precarite et les exclusions >104, rue des Couronnes Tel : +33 1 44 62 63 44 >F-75020 Paris France Fax : +33 1 44 62 63 45 >e-mail : mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.mygale.org/02/ras/marches/ > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] (information en français, lecture seule) >[EMAIL PROTECTED] (information in english, read only) >[EMAIL PROTECTED] (discussion, read/write, lecture/ecriture) >Gestionnaire de la liste: F. Sauterey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Regards, Tom Walker ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ knoW Ware Communications Vancouver, B.C., CANADA [EMAIL PROTECTED] (604) 688-8296 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
