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How can we make social Europe a concern for everyone?

Deborah Littman, Chair of London Citizens Living Wage Network & UNISON National Officer for Bargaining, t the New Social Europe debate of the PES Manifesto Consultation admitted she wholly agreed with many of the proposals in the PES Manifesto, but was concerned on how we get there, how we make social Europe a concern for everyone.

Work has been made insecure, the social wage has been reduced and there was been a steep decline in bargaining power from workers. Communities have been dismantled, workers distanced from their employers or contractors. There has been a very deliberate policy to push back the gains of the workers, often by stealth.

Expectations have been constantly lowered to the extent that our goal becomes not how we can make it better, but how can we prevent it being that bad.

How can you organise when you don’t know who you’re actually working for? The trade unions struggle with bargaining, sometimes too conservative in their approach. The game has changed – we need to deal issue by issue.

How can we fight for this manifesto? How can we make it exist in real life? How can we turn it into something powerful?

There is an issue of language – we have now replaced a collectively provided social wage with individualised budgets – losing the economies of scale and the social benefits of the former.

We need to frame the language on the notion of accountability. The corporate forces need to be accountable to the community, we need to reassert this notion that you are responsible for what you do to your workers. There is something more than money, giving back to your community.

Deborah explaining that with London Citizens, they focus on developing leadership skills and organising a “listening campaign”, bringing together 2500 people from over 90 organisations across London. They developed a range of proposals and voted on the top four to submit to the Mayor of London, asking him not only to take this forward but to work with us.

Deborah proposed that we need to:

  • build a strong coalition within and beyond the labour movement
  • build a “listening campaign” for the manifesto and the next elections
  • frame the language on the notion of accountability to the corporate forces

See more of her proposals and her debate here:

Check out the different debates of the “Globalisation of the community, how can we build a more social Europe” here

3 comments | April 6th, 2008by Noel Hatch

How can we go in confidently and boldly about intervening and imposing a degree of accountability?

Michael Walsh, Research Director for Community at the New Social Europe debate of the PES Manifesto Consultation introduced the trade union Community as the only union in the UK that has spoken up for the European Union, but often the message doesn’t get across, such as when we talk about “social dialogue”.

The EU record doesn’t compare favourably with the British record. Free markets don’t work. We need to disentangle the European dimension from national politics; otherwise people will bash Europe in order to bash the government. Great social victories have been attributable to the European Union, especially on equality.

Michael proposed that we need to:

  • disentangle the European dimension from national politics, otherwise people will bash Europe in order to bash their national government
  • shouldn’t lose faith in our basic beliefs - we should prepared to intervene in favour of a more social Europe
  • go in confidently and boldly about intervening and imposing a degree of accountability
  • build coalitions across society and intensify European co-operation

See more of his proposals and his debate here:

Check out the different debates of the “Globalisation of the community, how can we build a more social Europe” here

2 comments | April 6th, 2008by Noel Hatch

Proposals from the floor on the New Social Europe debate

The proposals from the floor included:

  • Including business in living wage coalitions across Europe
  • Committment to temporary and agency workers EU directive
  • Harmonise corporate tax across the European Union
  • Translating social values into business language
  • Redistribute nationally and internationally
  • Regain the notion of accountability
  • EU trade power to expore social values

To see moreproposals and the debate please see the two videos below:

To read more:

The debate is far from over, so keep your submitting your ideas!

Check out the different debates of the “Globalisation of the community, how can we build a more social Europe” here

1 comment | April 6th, 2008by Noel Hatch

We’re all Londoners - Campaign session to mobilise the EU vote for Ken

Monday 31 March and Thursday April 3

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Meeting at London Labour HQ, 39 Victoria Street, London (how to get there)

Help prevent the BNP from gaining a seat on the London assembly by helping to increase EU citizens’ turnout!

People who work in London, pay taxes in London, commute in London, raise families in London, should be made aware of their right to have a say in how London is run.

But EU Citizens living in the UK are four times less likely to be on the electoral register than UK citizens. So by activating the EU vote you help the integration of non-British EU citizens into British society.

In the case of London, this means contributing to London functioning better for everybody who lives here.

This phone bank organised by the Labour Movement for Europe (London & South East) will also enable you to meet (other) centre left activists living in London who come from across Europe.

We will provide a full script and a brief training sessions for those who have never done this before.

All you need to bring is yourself and motivation to encourage EU citizens to come out and vote on May 1st!

For more information get in touch with David Schoibl:

dschoibl@hotmail.com

07976 252 768

ON ARRIVAL PLEASE SEE SECURITY DESK AND/OR CALL DAVID

Spread the word on and offline

  • ‘Pledge europeanvoters’ to 60022 (in the UK only)
  • Sign this pledge in Facebook

Add comment | March 29th, 2008by Noel Hatch

Shape the PES Manifesto Events

Help shape the PES Manifesto at the following events we are organising (click on the respective links)

26th February: Unity or diversity? Which Europe do you want?

4th March: Democracy and diversity - Your Europe or mine?

11th March: Globalisation in the community - How can we shape a social Europe?

18th March: Taking it global - How can Europe change the world?

26th March: Going green - How can we save our planet?

During the year we will be undertaking a consultation in conjunction with the Party of European Socialists to come up with some ideas to contribute towards the upcoming PES manifesto.

Through PES Activists, the Your Space manifesto helps make connections that will keep social democratic parties in touch with the most creative, dynamic and innovative thinking in politics, but also enhance mutual understanding between activists across Europe and with our own communities.

YourSpace means that the PES agenda won’t just be shaped by the leadership of our national parties but by all members. Not only that it will also be inspired by people with an interest in what we do and who want to participate. This creative space will offer a chance for all to help us identify the up-and-coming policy challenges we need to address. This is why we, as PES activists have a great opportunity and a great responsibility - to engage those around us, our friends, families and neighbours to join the debate so that we can build support across the European electorate because we will have reflected the needs of all our citizens

This manifesto will inspire energy and enthusiasm to the political debate and we want to share this enthusiasm and encourage it to develop within our parties and beyond, in our societies.

Please contact lme.lse@hotmail.co.uk for more information.

Add comment | February 10th, 2008by Noel Hatch

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