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16/06/2005
No to Economic Cannibalism
Yes to Social Democracy and
Co-decision
No one voted against “
Throughout the
past half century, most governments of member states have been more attached to
business interests than to those of labour. Whenever the need to harmonize two
pieces of European social legislation arose, it was not the law offering the
best protection that served as the model, nor was it a fair compromise between
the two that became the EU norm. No, when the playing field was levelled, it
was consistently levelled “down” for labour and “up” for business. The biggest
recent change, the introduction of the EURO, was craftily pushed through
against a democratic majority’s will, in casual disregard for a Danish referendum,
as you will remember. It may soon become apparent that the EU citizens were, as
often, right when their “leaders” went wrong. The EURO forces
relatively weaker economies to compete “freely” with the world champion in
exports;
When norms
protecting workers’ interests are being established, the lowest common
denominator should be rejected. It is better to work and wait for a compromise
than to let the least socially minded states to impose their will throughout
It is easy to
formulate a “Regulation for the Protection and Development of
the European Social Standards” that would ban the lowering of social standards
under the pretext of harmonizing legislation. Putting such a Regulation to an EU
wide referendum would help to reconnect the governments and the peoples of
The reader may
have noted that up to here, member state governments have been criticized for
their role. This is right because it is they who control both the openly
“intergovernmental” and the so-called “supranational” parts of our institutions;
in political reality they appoint the major players on the supranational field.
There is something
that the EU institutions can do of their own accord, provided they dare act
without governmental permission. The “Protocol on the privileges and immunities
of the European Communities of
Regaining lost
confidence begins at home, with industrial relations between the institutions
and their staff. In theory, at least, no one can stop the twenty five EU
Commissioners from taking a formal Decision (which carries the force of law) to
the effect that “their” institution will at a minimum respect the social
protection standards of the countries in which it works when they exceed it’s
own. The Commission goes through an exercise of stakeholder consultation before
taking decisions. It would be well worth the trouble to organize a staff-wide
referendum, not because there are doubts about staff views on salary-cuts,
but as demonstration of respect towards those of us who do the work, and as an
approach to the ideals of industrial democracy.
[1] You will remember that it remains controversial whether