European Round-up

Huge protests against EU directive on services OVER 100,000 trade unionists converged on Brussels on last month during a European Union summit to protest against controversial plans to “liberalise” all public services. Strong opposition was also expressed over the draft directive by France’s conservative government and Sweden’s social democratic administration. The directive has since been suspended for “redrafting” in an attempt to assist French leader Jacques Chirac win a looming referendum on the EU constitution on May 29. However, British prime minister Tony Blair, who supports the services directive, made clear that the contents of the offending directive would remain the same and was also enshrined within the proposals for an EU constitution. Blair recently told the House of Commons “the European constitution gives a push for the services directive”. A growing number of trade unions across Europe are expressing hostility to the EU constitution as it enshrines a particular economic system based on extreme neoliberal ideology, ie mass privatisation. Latest polls have shown a majority against the constitution in France and a larger majority against in Britain. G A Trade Unionists Against the EU Constitution pamphlet outlining why the labour movement should oppose the services directive and the EU constitution is available free from Unity House, mark the envelope TUAEUC. France stops for jobs and pay FRENCH trade unionists launched a united day of action last month for improved purchasing power, jobs, employment rights and to defend the 35 hour week, which the government has eroded. Rail, metro and maritime services came to a standstill as more than one million public service and private sector workers joined countrywide demonstrations with rail and urban transport union members out in force. Trade unionists expressed anger at the spiralling profits of French companies while purchasing power has fallen and unemployment has risen to above 10 per cent. Rail unions said that the one per cent wage rise suggested for 2005 by SNCF, the French rail operator, was inadequate. SNCF last year reported profits of about £87 million, made through cost reductions including 3,300 jobs. European Rail workers slam ‘liberalisation’ EUROPEAN rail unions descended on Strasbourg last month to fight against the opening of rail transport to competition. Almost 2,000 representatives of European rail unions, including from the UK, demanded the withdrawal of the European Union’s draft directive to liberalise rail passenger traffic. The measure is due to be debated by the European Parliament in June. European Transport Workers’ Federation general secretary Doro Zinke said the directive “means the privatisation of European rail services. “And after what we have seen regarding safety following rail privatisation in the UK, the fight to defeat this measure is urgent.” Seafarers strike as new French flag threatens jobs FRENCH seafarers launched strike action as the National Assembly (parliament) passed the law on the country’s International Shipping Register (RIF). The stoppage also involved deep-sea vessels as crews went on strike at their next port of call. The RIF, which replaces France’s Kerguelen second register, states that the master and second officer must be French with at least 35 per cent of the crew being European Union nationals on French-financed ships and 25 per cent on other vessels. The Socialist and Communist parlia- mentary groups called the RIF a “Flag of Convenience”. No major changes are expected as the text goes through the Senate. Greek day of action against poverty RAIL and metro workers were in the forefront of a 24-hour general strike that halted much of Greece last month. Thousands of trade unionists demonstrated in Athens in protest against the conservative government’s privati- sation plans implemented following criticism from Brussels that it was breaking the rules of the eurozone’s so- called “stability pact”. Greek TUC leader Christos Polyzogopopoulos said poverty was increasing and unemployment spiralling – it has now reached 10 per cent of the workforce. He said that purchasing power had fallen since the introduction of the euro in 2001 and almost one-third of the population now lives below the poverty line. RMT News – European R ound-up NO REFERENDUM: A protest in Berlin in front of the Brandenburg Gate demanding that Germans be allowed to have a referendum on the controversial EU constitution after France and Britain agreed to a poll. Referendums are illegal in Germany and German politicians have rejected popular demands for a vote on the constitution, which will fundamentally change how member states are governed. 7