Terry Conway from Socialist Outlook talked to Christophe Aguiton from the European Secretariat of the Euromarches on May 4 when he came to London to speak at the London May Day festival. SO: What have been the most Important gains of the campaign so far?
CA : This is not the first European wide mobilisation because we have the action in Belgium. France, spain and staly around Renault-Vilvorde but it symbolises the year 1997 in which we are beginning to see the construction of pan-Europcan social movements. This is really new in We did have the tradition of mobilisations across by farmers because half the budget of the European Union was for the Common Agricultural Policy but at the nothing.
We had the first expenience of a European strike with a one day and last year there was the first strike in Telecommunications, The actions around the closure of Renault-Vilvorde were critical because it showed a change of mood in some of the key countries of Burope - in Belgium, France, Italy and Spain.
It is in that context that our campaign and our march exists.
It is the first mobilisation in all the European countries - even Luxembourg had a national committee to build the marches.
We have people mobilising ins Switzerland, in Norway, even little things happening in Iceland. These mobilisations are aiso attracte to those outside the EU: in Morocco, вукр, sout noca, Drazil and Mexico for example. SO : The campaign in France had a head start over most other places because you were able to build on previous campalgns by Agir Chomage (AC! -one of the organisations fighting unemployment which previously had very successful marches). Has this campaign been able to go beyond those previous successes?
CA: Yes, definitely. Through this campaign we will have organised more than 150 meetings in with the support of lots of unions and unemployed groups. The actions around the closure of RenaultVilvorde were critical because it showed a change of mood in some of the key countries of Europe - in Belgium, France, Italy and Spain.
All the organisations of the unemployed are involved thistime together with groups like DAHL - the movement for homeless people and many unions.
At the same time it is important to recognise that while these movements are very important in French social and political life what we can organise at this stage are symbolic events, popular events rather than We must understand this is the beginning of the morement - we have small forces but with important support in public opinion. On this basis it is possible to build something much bigger which will last for the years to come. SO: How successful have you been in involving women in the France was very important in the 7us but in the sus was in accus Now we see some important changes. At the beginning of the big strike wave in 1995 we had a huge demonstration on November 25 for women's abortion rights.
Then recently there was a huge Assizes or convention of women with 2000 people, the vast majority women, with the support of all the left parties and unions. This convention supported the march, and was involved in it with no controversy.
At the same time in Grenoble the women's group there are putting togéther a white book with women's specific demands and calling on other women across Europe to become involved in that project. SO : How has the development of the struggle for the right of immigrants in France affected the march?
CA: The development of the sans papicis movement over the last year has been very important. It started with an Aurican Icaocasaip and now other groups are coming forward reflecting the diversity of immigration to France.
This movement is linked to the marches because there is reciprocal soldarity. Dunng the san papict struggle many from the unemployed morement were involved.
Ve have discussions planned discuss how the 'sans papiers' will support us. SO: What do you think should happen after the mass demonstration in amsterdam CA: There are two important in. terrelated tasks. Firstly we need to strengthen the existing networks:
that they have to work until 65 to for example the European Network of the Unemployed which is the only European organisation of the unemployed that exists.
It is also necessary to open the Europcan rUG to orner forces Some unions such as the CGT and SUD in France are not part of the ETUC and this must change. We must try to build all the existing At the same time we need to build co-ordination between activists involved in the different networks - the official structures are not sufficient for what we need to do. Those organisations are not the only voice we need.
We think the Euro-march cam. paign can give a complementary berween the different social movements to the official structures. We can build a very broad network.
them.