NO SUCH THING as a free lunch? Not so when It comes to preaching the gospel of the European Union inside the trade union movement in Britain!
Those attending the conference on European Monetary Union (EMU) organised by the South East Region of the TUC on November 29 were offered tree entry, a fat package of literature and a sumptuous free lunch. It turned out that the conference was funded by the EU!
The gathering was a object lesson, if such was needed, of the state of much of the trade union movement, particularly those parts of It controlled by the TUC.
The event, which was presented as a "debate", only projected one side of the argument - that of gung-ho support for the EU and the single currency. Its two opening, key-note, speakers wore a ropresentative of the European Commission and a represantative of the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF):
The conference viewed a slide show from the EEF which was not only arguing full support for ontry as soon as possible, but listed as the requirements for this the continued reduction of the social wage, the control of wages as such, and the need for continuing and greater "flexibility" In the labour force.
Lengthy introductions from the top table were followed by three three minute Interventions from the floor, all against EMU, and then a 20 minute reply from the platform speakers.
In the afternoon the keynote speakers were Dave Felkert from the TUC office in Brussels. who was gung-ho for EMU, and John Edmonds, speaking for the General Council of the TUC.
Later there was a panel of speakers which included a representative of HM Treasury!
Edmond's position was reluctant ontry into EMU: though he ridlenied any suggestion of not going in. He argued that "hard choices" had to be made, and although there were many probloms with entry - not least that unemployment would be increased as a result - there was "no alternative". The right thing to do, he argued, was to go into EMU and fight for full employment.
Edmonds' answer to those from the floor who had pointed to the mass strikes across Europe in recent years against the austerIty programmes in preparation to the single currency was: "If I was going to mobilise people across Europe It would not be against the EMU but for full employment."
True this was not the full TUC position - which is let's get into EMU as quickly as possible because it is a very good thing. He Edmonds: "Do I want EMU? Not for a minute or two, I've only just eaten one" was, however, doing a very good job on behalf of the General Council.
There was little opportunity for those in the audience of 100 people (probably about a third) who were opposed to EMU to present an alternative or to point out that the two concepts - full employment and the single currency - are mutually exclusive.
The experience underlines the necessity for a socialist, working class, opposition to be argued across the trade union movement.
A good start was made by the European Marches and good work is being done by Trade Unions against a Single Currency, but the big battle is still to be had particularly as we move closer to an eventual referendum on the issue.