European Union Employment Ministers are holding a "Social Summit" to discuss
how to implement the measures on employment that were agreed at the Amsterdam Summit in
June. These measures are extremely weak and did not contain any extra spending to create
jobs. On the other hand the Amsterdam Treaty incorporated both the Maastricht Treaty and
the Dublin Stability Pact with all their austerity measures in preparation for the
European Single currency scheduled to start on January 1 1999.
These measures require all governments in the European Union to eliminate budget
deficits, and is resulting in huge cuts in welfare, education and health spending. All of
this further adds to Europe's existing estimated total of 20 million unemployed and 50
million living in poverty. Gordon Brown remains committed to Maastricht and Amsterdam even
though he doesn't intend to take Britain into EMU just yet - which is why he has made it
clear that many more cuts are on their way.
The fight back has begun. Over the last two years we have seen a massive wave of
strikes and demonstration's across Europe. French lorry drivers are back in the news again
as Jospin tries to wriggle out of the concessions made last time round. The Prodi
government in Italy may have survived this time but this doesn't mean all is plain sailing
from now on either for them or any other European Government.
Between April and June last year the Euromarches against Unemployment, Job Insecurity
and Social Exclusion marched across 17 European countries calling for jobs and welfare,
culminating in a 50,000 strong demonstration in Amsterdam and forcing unemployment onto
the European agenda.
The CGT, the main trade union federation in France, has called for a massive
demonstration in Luxembourg on November 20 to demand real measures to combat unemployment
- including the introduction of a 35 hour week across Europe. Not wanting to be left
behind again, the European Trade Union Congress ( which includes the British TUC) has
backed the call.
The Euromarch campaign, including activists from Britain is supporting this action.
Measures are being taken to get sympathetic labour movement bodies to organise
transport, including for unemployed people. For further information or to book a seat
ring: Glen Voris, St Helen's TUC Resource Centre on 01744 755889.
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