Across Europe unemployment, job insecurity, social exclusion and poverty are growing. The demands will be: • A guaranteed job for all, and a decent standard of living. • For an immediate massive reduction of working hours, coordinated on a European level, without loss of wages or purchasing power. • Opposition to compulsory partean summer school in more radical Greek Communist Party. The presidents of two left parties, Synaspismos and DHKKI, attended in person.
The press conference provided an upbeat contrast with another of the day's events - French Prime Minister L. Jospin's press conference with his Greek counterpart K. Simitis.
Compensating for their inexperience with determination and enthusiasm, the organisers facilitated a wide range of debates - on organising the unemployed across Europe, the crisis in Eastern Europe, and the building of closer links between unemployment activists in the various countries of the network.
Flushed with the success of this event, and the growing interest of Greek activists for the EuroMarch initiative, the Greek committee is
A2U Most staff at the hospital attended an angry protest meeting to fight the cuts. Nurses are already on a work to rule and threatening a national stoppage.
More and more potential for explosive class conflict is building up within southern Irish society. Increasing numbers of working class people feel alienated by the gross social inequalities and moral hypocrisies. Workers are pleased that the economy is booming but also realise that they are not getting a deserved share of the new wealth. * Source: Socialist Outlook logne, Germany time work, child labour, and social dumping. • Opposition to the enrichment of the minority and the impoverishment of the majority. • The redistribution of wealth. • Opposition to all forms of exclusion and discrimination, including those based on gender or race. Yes to the full right of asylum for the persecuted. • Defend the welfare state. Yes to social rights in all areas (housing, education, health etc.) with the necessary funding.
The European Marches are appealing to the peoples of Europe, to associations, trade unions and social forces, to make June 5th 1999 a massive day of mobilisation.
Final plans were made at an open conference in Cologne on January 23-24th. National committees will launch the campaign in the coming weeks. [SO] * Greece now trying to organise a train which will sweep through the Balkan countries, bringing a wide range of radical voices to Cologne for the counter-summit to the EU and G7 heads of state meetings.
This is an ambitious project - not just in terms of cost, but given the diplomatic tensions and disrupted transport links that still plague the Balkans.
Of course, the Committee's main activity is organising unemployed workers inside Greece. By linking up with the Athens Local Union, which regroups all of the trade union and political left in the capital, the Committee is currently building the core groups which, in the coming months, should create, for the first time, a real Greek movement of and for the unemployed. [GM] *
International Viewpoint #308 February 1999 7
* USA
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