mentary, this call for support across the movement will held our voices be heard more widely.
When the project to organise these marches in Britain was first launched in autumn 1996, June 1997 in Amsterdam seemed an awfully long way away.
Now there is an urgent need to get things moving again quickly alter the Christmas break.
The next month will sce the setting up of regional commit. tees in those areas where this wasn't possible before Christmas, as well as the continuing drive for further sponsorship and financial donations.
The most important date in all supporters calendars should be the next national meeting in SHEFFIELD Open Meeting of all sponsors and supporters of the European March against Unemployment and Exclusion JANUARY 18 12 noon - 4pm Sheffield Hallam University Opposite Sheffield BR station Speakers include: Christophe Agitoun from Agir Chomage! in France and a speaker from Liverpool Dockers. Robert Cremieux THE MONTH from November 19 to the December 19 saw a first in France: the, organisatons of the unemploved dem onstrated, petitioned, and cupied public buildings The autonomous movement of the unemployed has actually only existed for a few years. The trade union federations have failed, or haven't bothered, to organise the unofficial rate of unemployment is 12.7%!
This mobilisation of the jobless had been galvanised by a huge scandal. In 1996 the unemployment benefit system, UNEDIC, reported surplus of 13 billion francs (£1.7bn). This massive fund is the result of the use of selective criteria which deny than half of all unemployed people.
The official figures omit all those who no longer sign on, or who depend on help from charitable or other institutions, and who are not counted as secking work.
UNEDIC without the unemployed From 19 November to 19 De. of UNEDIC, the organisation which runs the unemployment inmet to decide on surance system, what to do with the 13 billion franc surplus of employees' and employers contributions over the total benefits paid out.
The unemployed, understanatoly, calico for an increase in benefit rates, the payment of allowances to all the unemployed, and an end to the system of periodic benefit cauctions This last measure is particulariy cynical, since the benefit has been cut by 17% while rates of long term unemployment are increasing.
The paradox is that the unemStart of the protests: the November 19 demonstration ployed are not represented on the Council. UNEDIC which decides on their fate is a organisation jointly managed by the employers' organisations and. the five trade union federations (CGT (Pro Communist Party), CFDT (pro Socialist Party), CFTC (Christian), FO (non-affiliated), and CGC (management)).
The unemployed movement has demanded, with varying emphases according to the organisation, to participate in the decision-making process of UNEDIC as well as in the management of ANPE (the national employment agency), the public organisation which manages the job centres.
The emergence of an unemployment movement Organisations of the unemployed independent of the unions are nothing new. The oldest has exisica for ten years. but lacy nao a low profile in society. At the end of 1996, the mass media finally discovered their existence under headline 'UNEDIC negotiations under pressure from the unemployed.' The three main organisations of the unemployed engaged in united activity for the whole oflast year.
"Agir ensemble contre le chomage' (AC!) (Act together against unemployment) organises wage carners belonging to various trade unions and the unemployed, whether ganisations. AC! defines itself as a crossroads of struggles against unemployment, and plays a significant unifying role.
APEIS (Association pour L'Entraide, l'Information, et la Solidarité, Association for Self Help, Information and Solidarity) is an organisaton or tc unemoyca crose to tne Communist Party. APEIS is mainly active in Communist-controlled municipalities, and in the Paris region.
Le Mouvement National des Chomeurs et Précaires (MNCP) (National Movement of the Unemployed and Insecurely employed) is tres. The MNCP is engaged in both militant activity and everyday advice for the unemployed.
To this picture should be added the link up made in 1996 with morements against social exclusion. Various organisations such as Droit au Logement (DAL) (Right to Housing), Comités Des Sans. Lo gis (CDSL) (Committees of the (Rights to the fore), participated in tc mobisaton, Iccing taemselves rightly concerned with the Unions, outside the main trade union federations equally demonstrated their presence at their side, including the FSU (teachers), SUD (Post and Telecoms), the group of 10 (autonomous sectoral unions), and some CFDT sectors.
One more effort The results of the UNEDIC negotiations indicate a new relationship of forces. It is not enough for the essential demands of the unemnoved just to be taken into account But dozens of UNEDIC offices werc occupica, ana tac occupatons cleared out by the police.
A local office of the CNPF (the main bosses' organisation), was also employed people, on the initiative O1 ALI and INe NINGE All these actions had a certain CapHance For the first time for several years, the UNEDIC negotiations did not conclude by worsening of the position of the unemployed. Some small steps forward were even registered. Some hundreds of additional francs from the 13 billion kitty were granted to the unem ployed. Benefit reductions for the long term unemploved were cased (they will only take place every six However, the essential demands remain: the right to work or a decent income for all, and the representation of the organisations of the policies affect them. to the concerns of the joint committees which are being set up to participate in next spring's European marches against unemployment, job insecurity, and social exclusion. Thus 1997 promises to be a good year for the development of the struggles of the unemployed in France.