Billy Hayes Sppech at Fringe Meeting “IS THE EU ANTI-UNION?”

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SPEECH to the ASSOCIATION of LIBERAL DEMOCRAT TRADE UNIONISTS – Fringe Meeting “IS THE EU ANTI-UNION?”

Thank you for the opportunity to address you.

As the CWU is affiliated to the Labour Party, it is likely that not everything I say will be agreeable to you.

However, I appreciate this opportunity as I believe that it is necessary to have a positive engagement with the EU and on this I assume you do agree.
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The meeting’s title can be answered both “Yes” and “No” if we examine particular EU policies.

But, what answer would we give to the question “Is Parliament anti-Union?” Probably the same “Yes” and “No” answer again.

So I think we have to address the issue in the round, in order to examine the particular contributions of EU institutions and policies.
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To start with, the EU as an organisation of national Governments, is not inherently anti-Union. Indeed the whole EU project had been premised on the idea of a social market, as well as a common market.

Therefore, there has been an acceptance that the Trade Unions have a positive role to play.

Certainly the various tri-partite, and social dialogue bodies, confirm this positive involvement.
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Of course, the Treaty of Rome is explicitly anti-Socialist. Many Trade Unions will reject this. And many Socialists, like myself, will live with it for the moment.

But I think Union engagement with the EU assures the commitment to integrated and international co-operation.

Whatever the shortcomings of the founding Treaty on the Common Market, or indeed the Lisbon Treaty, the choice needs to be to take part.
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As Trade Unions in Britain, we can make our contribution by pressing the national Government and our MEPs for progressive legislation across Europe.

This brings us into convergence with Trade Unions in other EU countries where real agreement is possible.

I would like to refer you to the Paris Declaration of the European TUC – published in May this year.
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Faced with the economic crisis, the ETUC summarises the aims of its Declaration as “fight the crisis – and win the aftermath.”

That means Trade Unions co-operating in the EU to press for such policies as:

• Investment in an expanded European recovery plan.

• Strengthening the welfare systems.

• Stronger workers’ rights – and an end to short-termist market principles.
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• Better pay – and stronger collective bargaining.

• European solidarity through regulation of financial markets - a fairer distribution of wealth - and no return to casino capitalism.


Now these are modest aims. –

But they illustrate how easy it is for Trade Unions to utilise the EU framework to promote workers’ interests.
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Equally, the experience of British Unions – certainly since 1979 – has been that many of the most important positive rights achieved have been as a result of EU legislation.

Indeed it is notable how regularly British Government has campaigned against such rights.

Certainly, the current Government continues to display such an attitude over the Postal Workers Directive.
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I am aware that many in the Trade Unions have a much less positive view.

In the TUC debate, a couple of years ago, I had to reply to an EU debate, in my capacity as TUC Spokesperson on Europe.

The position put forward that I responded to, was that the EU is the source of all our problems in the British Labour movement.
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Of course, I argued that this was very wrong. After all, we have had decades of British Governments acting on the right wing of the EU policy debates.

The whole neo-Liberal agenda has been unstintingly promoted against the European social model.

But, many Trade Unionists are concerned about the apparent right turn underway in the Union.
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Certainly this impression has been reinforced by the European Court of Justice rulings in the cases of Viking, Laval, Ruffert and Luxembourg.

In the Viking case, the court clearly decided that business freedoms took priority over Trade Union rights.

In the Laval case, Trade Unions could not take action to enforce agreements being denied to posted workers.
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In the Ruffert case, contractors could escape honouring collective local agreements.

And in the Luxembourg case, posting employers do not have to observe minimum terms negotiated beyond the Posted Workers’ Directive.

There is great alarm in the Unions on these issues.
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Certainly the action in the Lindsey Refinery dispute and the construction workers disputes, demonstrate that Employment Law in the UK is being undermined by these rulings.

We then have a serious fight on our hands. –

This we are pressing through a number of avenues:

• Firstly by supporting these workers taking action now.
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* Secondly by pressing the British Government to ensure UK Employment Law is honoured where effective.

• And finally by supporting the initiatives of other European Trade Unions, and progressive parties to get the ECJ positions overturned.

None of this helps the climate for a positive engagement with the EU. But we have to act now.
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The truth is that there is a struggle in the heart of the EU between the traditions of European social democracy – and the new orthodoxy of neo-Liberalism.

And it is strange perhaps, that just as neo-Liberalism demonstrates its
bankruptcy of ideas in the world recession – yet its hold over labour market regulation appears to be tightening.

This is a struggle whose outcome is in the balance.
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In my view this should lead to greater engagement with the EU. It must lead to more international co-ordination – not less.

But the outcome is not predetermined. If we cannot win this battle – then the most reactionary forces in Europe will prevail.

The recent EU election results show just how widespread the rise of far right, racist and fascist parties is. It’s not just about two BNP MEPs.
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It’s about a widespread disillusionment with the social democratic, social market project.

Large numbers of progressive minded workers are simply abstaining, unwilling to fight, unable to see an outcome.

It is therefore vital that we work out the most positive policy approach to the EU from the Trade Unions and Labour Movement.

Thanks for listening.

[norbert]

Of course it's anti - union and undemocratic . The agenda is more privatization directives and private cabals , I doubt if they'd want unions getting in the way .

There's also the Common Purpose Agenda which has big business & banking funding though superficially it's a training charity . :mfo is one of the biggest Europhiles going & there is a lot of tentacles if you will in the UK - to and from Mandy , Cameron is very much a Common Purpose plant , you only have to listen to the language he uses .

Usually you start worrying if you find yourself agreeing with Vanessa Redgrave , now it's the Euro - Sceptic Right too ! , though there is far left groups like Bob Crow's latest vanity project like no2eu . If ? ? elected their MEP's will not participate WTF !

It'll all end up in tears for the Tories with Cameron . God help us all with the choices available .

[IWW Fellow Worker]

I went to hear Bob Crow at a fringe meeting on the Luxembourg Judgement. I wish we had Bob Crow instead of Billy.

[norbert]

I went to hear Bob Crow at a fringe meeting on the Luxembourg Judgement. I wish we had Bob Crow instead of Billy.

Opinions are divided on Bob Crowe in the RMT , it can be that tw** Bob Crowe or they think he's the best thing since sliced bread . As for ASLEF , it's more strikes than a Zippo Lighter with the RMT , the RMT call ASLEF the brake monkeys separatist union , as for TSSA well .......... . There's also a breakaway union that the companies don't recognize after a ASLEF " Bonding BBQ " & the subsequent dismissals and court cases

As bad as things are , at least it's only one union , RM would love to play three unions up against each other and the RMT bar London envy the CWU , Billy or no Billy .

You'll get people like Bob Crowe as the rank and file get disenchanted with the " corrupt right wing old guard " , however it can be the Pied Piper of Hamlyn scenario .