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ILC INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER NO. 119
A dossier of weekly information published by the International
Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples
February 22, 2005
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To contact us:
ILC International Newsletter
International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples
87, rue du Faubourg Saint Denis 75010 Paris, France
PRESENTATION:
In the last issue of the ILC International newsletter we published
the Memorandum that accompanies the Open Letter from the National Union
of Workers of Venezuela (UNT) to the Workers Delegates of the ILO. This
Memorandum is in reference to the complaint lodged by FEDECAMARAS
against the Venezuelan government and the UNT.
In this issue we publish the statement of support of this Open Letter
from the CUT in Brazil, which has mandated its delegate to the ILO to
reject the FEDECAMARAS complaint. Also below is a report from Daniel
Gluckstein, coordinator of the ILC, who interviewed Nicolas Maduro,
president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, in early February.
Spanish activists and trade unionists who voted "NO" to the
European Constitution after the February 20 referendum are launching an
appeal to all workers, activists and trade unionists who are fighting
throughout Europe against the European Constitution. They invite
everyone to participate in the European meeting that will be held in
Madrid on March 18 on the eve of the World Conference of the ILC.
You will also find a report from our correspondent in Germany and a
document we received from Belgium on "the demonstration planned by
the ETUC on March 19 in Brussels.
Anton Markus, assistant secretary of the trade union of the employees
and workers in the Special Economic Zone of Sri Lanka, has launched an
urgent appeal to assist in saving the lives of this union's members at
Ceyenergy Electronic (PVT Ltd.)
Word from China reaches us informing of an explosion at a mine in Fuxin
(northern China) where 203 miners were killed. A report asks:
"Should we still insist on the need for Chinese workers to have a
trade union of their choice, in accordance with ILO Convention 87, that
would defend their interests as in this case, where the miners could
have delegates that would enforce existing security measures?"
questions a Chinese Inquiry Commission.
Our World Conference is just a few weeks off. Please send in your
contributions.
Support the preparations for the ILC World Conference
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Page 1: Presentation
Page 2: Sri Lanka: An urgent appeal from Anton Markus to save the
lives of trade unionists at PVT Ltd.
Page 3: Venezuela: Daniel Gluckstein, coordinator of the ILC
interviews Nicolas Maduro, president of the National Assembly of
Venezuela
Page 4: Spain: After the vote on the European Constitution,
appeal to activists, trade unionists, youth, and citizens who say NO to
the European Constitution
Page 5: Germany: Klaus Schüller, SPD activist from Thuringia,
"Must we sacrifice our children to the greed of capitalism?"
Page 6, 7: Report from FGTB activists, "Can we defend social
Europe" by supporting the European Constitution?" Reflexions
on the "Euro-demonstration" on March 19.
Page 8: China: Explosion in a mine in Fuxin
Subscriptions
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SRI LANKA
URGENT APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION TO SAFEGUARD LIFE OF OUR
MEMBERS AT CEYENERGY ELECTRONIC (PVT) LTD IN SRI LANKA
Dear Comrades,
Ceyenergy Electronic Company (Pvt) Ltd. is a sister company of the
Ceylinco Group. Deshamanya Lalith Kotalawela is the chairman of the
company as well as the parent company. He is a well known businessman
and appears in the public eye as a peace maker and is one of the
founding members of the "Sri Lanka First" project. He has also
been active in promoting his company's "compassionate" side
for tsunami relief with large advertisements in the daily newspapers.
The Ceyenergy Electronic Company is approved by the Board of Investment
(BOI) Sri Lanka. There are about 200 workers in the factory of which 120
are women. The company manufactures energy saving bulbs at its Colombo
factory for local and export market. It also imports parts for
electrical goods the goods are compiled in the local factory, also for
local and export market.
The entire group of sister companies of the Ceylinco Group have no
formal unions, but yellow unions exists which are controlled by
management. All the workers of the Ceyenergy Electronic Company, except
for about 40 workers, resigned from the company's union and joined with
the Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union (FTZ&GSEU).
Immediately after being informed of the formation of the branch union (FTZ
&GSEU) by letter dated 19 November 2004 the company management
started union busting actions which included: unilateral termination of
three members, demotion of the branch union president, dismissal of one
of the activists, workers were denied their annual bonus which was
previously given every year; the so called services evaluation payment
was stopped for the majority of union members, continuous intimidation
and threats have been carried out, even resulting in bloodshed action to
remove the union, and no offer of overtime to union members etc.
Our union wrote several letters to Deshamanya Lalith Kotalawela,
chairman, and requested him to provide an opportunity to discuss these
matters to arrive an amicable settlement, but to date these letters have
not even been acknowledged. The union made a complaint to the
Commissioner of Labour and requested him to intervene in the dispute.
The Assistant Commissioner of Labour called for inquiry on 26 January
2005. The representative of the company did not attend the inquiry and
never showed any intention of attending.
In the meantime the BOI of Sri Lanka introduced Rs.500/- salary increase
to all BOI approved enterprises to implement with effect from January
2005 by considering the high cost of living prevailing in Sri Lanka.
This salary increase has also been denied by the company. The members of
the branch union at Ceyenergy factory decided to launch a picketing
campaign after normal working hours from 2 February 2005. When the union
activists were preparing placards on 1 February 2005 at their boarding
house, they were assaulted by a group of thugs. The thugs entered in to
the boarding houses and assaulted the workers by using wicket (cricket)
stumps and injured five activists including our branch union president.
Two of them are now admitted in the General Hospital and other three
others were discharged after treatment.
Other members of the branch union who reported for work on 2 February
2005 decided to go on a work stoppage in support of their fellow workers
who were assaulted because it is very clear that the company management
hired thugs to assault the union activists and this has posed a threat
of the lives of our members. Further our branch union members plan to
continue to their picketing until they are assured their safety. They
feel similar incidents will happen to them also. In addition the company
has a history of busting unions when it dismissed more than 1000 workers
at Blue Diamond factory in 1984.
We have launched this appeal internationally to gather support as we
feel this dispute has the potential for very serious ramifications. The
chairman, Deshamanya Lalith Kotalawela, is an extremely influential
businessman in Sri Lanka with close links to the decision making
authorities. It is our fear that our branch union members have little
chance of finding a fair solution without immediate international
pressure.
In addition we feel international pressure can be very effective because
Mr. Deshamanya Lalith Kotalawela is very concerned about his personal
and his company's public image. The union believes it is important to
expose his anti-union policies and his clear intention to use whatever
means possible to maximize profits of his businesses, even if it means
threatening life.
The union requests your immediate action by sending the sample letter to
the addresses given and the copies mention therein.
Please make sure sending the copy of the letters to us.
In Solidarity
Anton Marcus
Joint Secretary
Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union
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SAMPLE LETTER:
Deshamanya Lalith Kotalawela, Chairman
C/O Ajith Gunawardena, Director Operation
Ceylinco Group of Companies
Ceylinco Consolidated
13, Dickman's Lane
Colombo 4
Sri Lanka
Cc: ajith@itmin.com
Cc fax: +94 11 440 5829
Dear Deshamanya Lalith Kotalawela,
We write to you as per request of the Free Trade Zones and General
Services Union to urge you to intervene in the dispute at the Ceyenergy
Electronic Company (Pvt) Ltd.
It is our understanding that your group of sister companies of the
Ceylinco Group have no formal unions, but yellow unions exist which are
controlled by management. Since the formation of the branch union of the
Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union (FTZ&GSEU)
at the Ceyenergy factory union members have been subject to company
implemented union busting actions such as: unilateral termination of
three members; demotion of the branch union president; dismissal of one
of the activists; workers were denied their annual bonus which was
previously given every year; the so called services evaluation payment
was stopped for the majority of union members; continuous intimidation
and threats have been carried out, even resulting in bloodshed action to
remove the union, and no offer of overtime to union members etc.
We understand the union has written several letters to you, but there
has been no response to date. When the Commissioner of Labour called for
an inquiry on 26 January 2005, there was no representative of the
company present.
We have also learnt that the company has denied workers the Rs.500/-
salary increase to all BOI approved enterprises which should be
implemented with effect from 01 January 2005.
We are very concerned to learn violence has been used to intimidate
union members, specifically on 1 February 2005 when a group of thugs
assaulted several members as they were preparing placards at their
boarding house. Two members were severely injured and were admitted to
hospital; three others required treatment.
We are aware of your high public profile and image as a peaceful and
people friendly man and are disturbed about the activities being carried
out in one of your factories which are in fact the exact opposite.
On behalf of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Union we urge you
as the chairman of the Ceylinco group to:
- Ensure the safety of the life of the Ceynergy Electronic factory
workers
- Prevent the use of violence and intimidation against workers.
- Assist the authorities in finding the culprits who assaulted the
union's activists
- Stop all anti-union activities
- Respect the workers' rights to Freedom of Association and Collective
Bargaining as outlined in the ILO Conventions no. 87 and 98.
- Deal with the Free Trade Zones and General Services Union to arrive at
an amicable settlement of unsettled disputes at Ceyenergy Electronic
Company (Pvt) Ltd.
We look forward to hearing of the positive actions you have taken in
this regard
Yours sincerely,
(your signature)
Cc: Her Exercellency Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga, President of
Sri Lanka,
Presidential Secretariat, President House, Colombo 1
Fax: 94-11-2333703, E - mail: manila@president.com.lk
Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksha, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
"Temple Trees" Colombo 3
Fax: 94 -11- 2542870 / 71, E -mail: templetrees@sltnet.lk
Inspector General of Police, I.G.P. Office, Colombo 1
Fax: 94-11-2446174, E-Mail: igp@police.lk
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VENEZUELA
Support the Open Letter of the UNT to the Workers' Group of the ILO.
(See ILC International Newsletter Nos. 117 and 118).
The People are determined to build and defend their sovereignty at all
costs.
Daniel Gluckstein, coordinator of the ILC interviewed Nicolas Maduro,
president of the National Assembly of Venezuela
The escalation of threats against the government and the people of
Venezuela launched by Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State, has
ratcheted up another notch. The El Pais newspaper (February 17)
reports that "the United States is keeping an eye on Chavez'
military arsenal: Washington is concerned about Venezuela's re-armament
and its 'de-stabilizing influence.' This is the same language employed
on the eve of the intervention in Iraq.
The threat is directed at a legitimate government and sovereign people.
This escalation has increased daily in the aftermath of the announcement
by Chavez of the decree distributing land and the expropriation decree
of the Venepal factory. (See ILC International Newsletter Nos. 114, 116
and 117.)
A week ago, Daniel Gluckstein, international coordinator of the ILC, met
in Caracas with Nicolas Maduro, president of the National Assembly of
Venezuela and deputy of the "Chavista" MVR.
Question: Workers around the world have heard with great interest the
developments of the agrarian reform in Venezuela, particularly the
recent decree on the distribution of land to peasants. Can you explain
under what circumstances the Venezuelan government took these measures
and for what reasons?
NM: The law on land is currently being reformed to perfect the
instruments to wage the struggle against the large private estates --
the latifundios.
We advanced greatly in 2003: We distributed a million and a half
hectares to peasants, and offered credit support, machinery as well as
technical assistance. The result: A country that was 80% dependent on
food imports for its survival is now self-sufficient as far as rice,
soybeans and other important agricultural products are concerned.
This year, President Chavez announced his objective of distributing
three million hectares and to continue the fight to get rid of the latifundios
that have harmed the country. These latifundio have large extensions of
agricultural land; the unequal process of colonization of the land, in
fact, allowed 2% of the population to own over 70% of the productive
lands.
We are moving toward a deepening of the agrarian revolution. This slogan
has received support throughout the country. From 2001, when the reform
started, to 2002-2003, there was substantial resistance from the media
and the large landowners. But this year, the president's appeal was well
received by all national sectors, including opposition governors, who
have embraced the decree on land and who are in the process of working
in accordance with the same criteria as the government in the fight
against large properties and for the transformation of the country into
a productive nation from the point of view of agriculture and livestock
production.
Q: One of the accusations issued by U.S. imperialism is that the
Venezuelan regime doesn't respect democratic criteria when it comes to
trade union democracy. A complaint has been lodged within the ILO by
FEDECAMARAS against the Venezuelan government. What is your response, as
president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, to this accusation?
NM: The power that doesn't respect democracy throughout the world is
the government of the United States. You can look at the so-called
"democratic" process they have instituted in Iraq to see the
model they seek to impose on the entire world. It's a militarized
"democracy" that massacres its people, that denies its
national identity, and that organizes fake, fraudulent and gun-point
elections, which are held thanks to a state of siege. That is the
"democratic" model they offer the world. In Venezuela we have
an alternative democratic model, where the people have the power. We
have had ten or eleven elections in a row since 1999, including the
recall referendum of August 2004.
We would like to see Bush to be challenged by a recall referendum or
face eleven elections in a row.
I think that despite the recent conflict provoked with Colombia, the
year 2005 has a good start because it has shown that Latin America is
different, that it no longer responds to the dictates of Washington.
Washington is on its own. The U.S. administration is on its own when it
wanted to isolate the government of President Chavez, to push his back
to the wall and pressure him. That's what they believe. We were informed
that the U.S. ambassador had indicated a week ago that Chavez was
isolated on an international level and that no one on the continent
wanted or believe in him.
On the contrary, all the embassies, including that of Mexico and Peru,
which have right-of-center governments, reacted against the recent
infringement of national sovereignty and interference by the United
States in the affairs of Latin America. This makes the United States
even more dangerous, since they are not only aggressive and experts in
betrayal, but who knows what kind of a plot they will think up next.
Considering what Bush and Condoleezza Rice have in mind, we do no doubt
that there will be a confrontation.
What must be quite clear is that the Venezuelan people are determined to
build and defend their sovereignty at all costs.
We have beaten them well and good after their attempted coup, their oil
sabotage and in the August 15 elections, because in this referendum what
we beat was the Bush administration.
Q: Condoleezza Rice, speaking about Venezuela, says that
unfortunately the activities of the Venezuelan government over the past
two years haven't been "constructive". For Bush, it appears,
the only "constructive" government is the one that defends the
interests of the U.S. administration. You, on the other hand, speak
about the sovereignty of the Venezuelan nation. What do you make of
Rice's comments?
NM: We are not interested in Rice's criteria. Even if they have a
lot of power at this time, they lack what is fundamental to earn the
respect of the world: they have no ethical or moral power, because they
are not right. They are an enthroned economic group, who use the power
of the United States to support the oil and armament multinationals.
Bush and his ilk are the most dangerous group to attain power since the
arrival of Hitler in Germany.
We have no doubt they are a dangerous group, but at the same time they
can be defeated.
This proud nation of Iraq -- subjected for years to so many wars,
famine, and blockades -- have become a big headache, a new Vietnam, for
the United States.
(interview conducted by Daniel Gluckstein)
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The Brazil CUT trade union federation has mandated its representative
to the ILO to reject the complaint by FEDECAMARAS, the national
employers' association of Venezuela.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE CUT
The National Executive Committee of the Unified Workers Confederation of
Brazil (CUT), at its meeting on February 16-17, 2005, learned of the
"Open Letter to the ILO Workers Group" issued by leaders of
the National Workers Union of Venezuela (UNT).
The CUT rejects the proposal by FEDECAMARAS, the employers' organization
of Venezuela, to have the ILO Governing Body at its upcoming meeting in
March endorse the call for a Commission of Inquiry concerning the
situation of trade union freedoms in Venezuela.
João Antonio Felício
General Secretary
National Executive Committee
Central Unica dos Trabalhadores
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SPAIN
An appeal to the workers, the activists and the trade union leaders who
fight throughout Europe against the European Constitution.
Dear comrades,
We are worker activists, trade union leaders, youth and the people of
all the towns in Spain, from several sectors, who opposed both within
our organizations and publicly the ratification of the European
Constitution in the referendum of February 20.
We have voted NO. During these past months we have been subjected to a
campaign that has used all the media of the state and institutions to
try to demonize those who opposed the European Constitution. We have
shown the relationship that exists between this Constitution and the
directives that have emanated from the Treaty of Maastricht since 1992
and the policies that have been applied by successive governments. The
Zapatero government has been at the head of this campaign. During the
last few months, it has applied all the directives of the European Union
with disastrous results for the workers and peoples of Spain.
The results of the referendum are unquestionable: 70% of the registered
voters refused to support the European Constitution. They didn't vote,
voted no or left their votes blank.
Voters' participation was the lowest since the death of Franco, which
marks a sharp contrast with participation in the elections of March 14,
2004.
The majority that carried Zapatero into office has rejected the policy
of the European Union that Zapatero promulgates and applies.
These results will bring about a crisis in the country, considering the
contradiction between the aspirations of the majority and the policy
imposed on them by Zapatero and the policy his government has followed.
We must recall our background. For over eight years, we fought the
policies of the Aznar government, contrary to all workers' rights. In
order to impose the Euro and zero deficit, it sunk industry and
agriculture, provoked real estate speculation and multiplied the social
counter-reforms. In order to combat temporary employment it furthered
layoffs and introduced new forms of job irregularity (we still have 32%
temporary contracts), cut pensions and increased the period of
calculation through the application of the Toledo Pact, froze the
salaries of millions of public service employees, generalized
privatizations, regionalized health care in order to privatize it,
undermined public education and supported private education, drastically
lowered taxes for capitalists and raised those of the majority. In order
to divide us, it took advantage of every opportunity to confront the
people, especially on the pretext of anti-terrorism.
Its attacks against freedoms were seen by many sectors as a return to
aspects of the previous regime, especially in the reform of the Penal
Code, and the end of freedom for political parties that left some
sectors without the right to vote. This is the regression supported by
all institutions of the European Union.
Aznar placed Spain completely under the U.S. aegis, participating in the
destructive war against the Iraqi nation.
It intervened actively so that the European Constitution would sanction
this policy.
The mobilization of millions against Aznar began again after the
horrible attack of March 11, 2004 in Madrid, and the workers and peoples
of Spain took advantage of the general elections on March 14 to get rid
of Aznar and the PP they represented.
After March 14, the workers and peoples of Spain paved the road to
another policy. They obtained the withdrawal of the troops. They asked
the government to take measures to end these years of regression.
From the very first day when Bush was pressuring Zapatero, Brussels had
intervened so that the new government would not deviate one iota from
its policy, asking it to go even further than Aznar. The European Union
demanded that Zapatero not withdraw the troops and then decreed the
destruction of cultivated land and fishing boats, the closure of mines,
dismantling of public television, increase in relocations, opposition to
an increase in the minimum wage or the maintenance of buying power of
wages. In particular, it demanded the return of subsidies given for
naval construction and dismantling of the Izar public naval shipyards.
As if this wasn't bad enough, the European Commission sent an ultimatum
to the Spanish government on February 14, 2005, asking it to drastically
reduce pensions.
In the heat of this Bush-Brussels offensive, the Catholic Church
increased its provocations, asking for more subsidies and control of
education. The francoist judicial apparatus intensifies its attack on
democratic rights. Employers are opposed to any improvement in the
minimum wage and insist on the application of the "demands for
competition of the European Union," in particular questioning the
system of collective bargaining along with the role of the trade unions.
It should be noted that the government, after withdrawing the troops
from Iraq, has yielded to the pressures from Brussels. Zapatero
recognized he had the mandate to save the naval shipyards but he has
decreed the elimination of 40% of the work force and the major part of
the auxiliary industry. He has not repealed educational laws and has
eliminated university titles in order to impose the European Educational
Space. He has maintained Aznar's fiscal counter-reform while denying
public services to maintain their buying power and demanded from the
trade unions a total restructuring of the public function. It permits
the right to housing to be over-ridden through heightened speculation
and families increasingly falling into debt. It has broken the public
railroad company in order to give way to private interests. It has
opened a social dialogue starting with the demands of Brussels and the
employers, that threatens employment incentives, unemployment insurance,
pensions and conventions. Increasingly, sectors of the labor movement
are seeing a continuance of Aznar's policies.
While he seemed to anticipate the application of the European
Constitution, Zapatero is heading the campaign for its ratification. He
met with Chirac in Barcelona, who attacks the historic conquests of the
French working class, such as Social Security.
Throughout Europe this government appears to be at the forefront of the
policy dictated by Brussels.
The open crisis in the country must be resolved in accordance with
democracy, governing in order to satisfy the aspirations of the
majority:
- Hands off the retirement system. Recover all the rights.
- Cancel the plan to close Izar and keep the jobs.
- The railroads and RTVE must continue to be public, with all their
jobs.
- Abolish the LOU, the LOCE, and remove the decree of grades.
- Re-establish all public services.
- Re-establish all the freedoms and find a democratic solution to the
national question.
These are the concrete demands for a policy favorable to the interests
of the majority, a policy that can only be achieved by rejecting the
demands and directives of the European Union.
The battle we have fought in our country is only one stage in a long
struggle. We are committed to continuing it and we know that the next
stage the battle will continue in other European countries, especially
in France, where it is expected a referendum will be held in June. We
know that the majority of the labor movement in France rejects the
European Constitution. There will be referendums in other countries such
as Portugal, Denmark and Great Britain.
Dear brothers and sisters, on March 18 we will welcome a European labor
movement for peace, democracy and the rights of workers, organized by
the International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples. We want you
to fully participate in this meeting, send delegates so that we can
freely and with fraternity discuss the present state of the labor
movement and its organizations, on our common fight in defense of
workers' rights, of peace, democracy, the sovereignty of nations, for
the free union of free and sovereign nations of Europe, free from the
totalitarian institutions of Brussels and NATO.
NO to the European Constitution!
I support this appeal.
Name
Organization and post
Address/email
****************************
GERMANY
Must we sacrifice our children to the greed of capitalism?
A letter from Klaus Schüller, member of the SPD, presidium of the AFA
(labor commission of the SPD) from Land de Thuringe for the SOPODE
magazine.
Dear comrades,
I have often reported in this magazine, in the SPD and in the trade
unions on the social situation of people.
It's not only about the danger of the loss of a job, miserable wages and
the suppression of workers' rights that we have obtained with difficulty
throughout the years. No! It's equally about the danger of being
screwed, robbed, ruined and even shattered by the charlatans or the
financial crooks in the area of old age insurance where we are being
submitted to an increasing pressure.
I couldn't imagine how tragically our family could be affected: Our
daughter Anja, 28 years old, committed suicide because she couldn't see
her way out of a financial situation she couldn't control.
Anja had been led in 1998, to purchase an apartment in Chemnitz, in the
framework of private old age insurance, by the credit union BADENIA. The
credit amounted to 150,000DM, to which were appended life insurance and
other insurances against accidents, the loss of work, etc. All the
contracts were held by BADENIA or AMB-Generali as the parent society. A
veritable money making machine and a source of endless joy for our Anja!
She was 22 years old, a nurse at the university hospital in Würzburg,
she believed in hr counselors and she also believed in our policy, she
though she had done something good for her future and for her old age.
What a terrible and tragic mistake!
According to police testimony and her colleagues at work, the financing
of BADENIA with a ruinous packet of annexed credits and insurances that
accompanied it, as well as the problems due to the poor quality of the
apartment, totally overwhelmed our daughter to the point that she saw no
way out. She was, like so many others completely overwhelmed.
All these contracts had become a source of horror for our daughter,
since with her small nurse's salary of 1300 Euros and without any other
resources; she was no longer able in the end to cover the costs. Even
Gerhart Baum, the former minister who was her lawyer hadn't been able to
come to an arrangement with BADENIA, because according to this company
Anja's income was 200 euros over the limit for such an arrangement, and
incredible as it may seem it was 200 euros that finally determined the
life and death of Anja.
We can't believe it!
Thanks to our comrade Gerhard Renner (Fulda canton), we have been able
to learn over the last few weeks a lot about financing on a national
level, about loan companies with problems or worthless and especially on
the inglorious role played by banks such a the Commerzbank,
HypoVereinsbank, and especially BADENIA.
We were horrified to learn that after 1988 worthless loan companies
swindled over 300,000 families, and over a million households by the
purchase of real estate funds.
BADENIA, who led to the death of our dear Anja, itself expensively sold
and financed, at the expense of the clients it deceived in a revolting
fashion, around 10,000 worthless apartments.
Our family asks with rage and desperation what are BADENIA's affairs and
those of others that profit from and ruin their victims? What is the
mechanism of the profitable contracts for BADENIA and its partners, ABM-Generali,
where the consequences are catastrophic for the unsuspecting clients of
good faith?
Who are these people at BADENIA, and other financial institutions, that
knowingly swindle inexperienced people of good faith, push them into
desperation, and ruin them to the point where they attempt to end their
days? Where do we live? What have we fought for? What have we come to?
The fundamental values of the SPD are based on the highest imperative
because in this capitalist society, they see to it that the weakest are
not left behind and because we, the SPD, are charged with a great
responsibility, that of being advocates for the protection of this
clientele so that a just society can develop in freedom and democracy.
The fundamental law of the federal republic helps us along the way. The
last role we should play should be that of lawyers for banks and
insurance companies who treat their clients like gooses.
It is in this context that I have written to Gerhard Schröder. In
autumn 1989 I took to the streets to demonstrate against the SED regime,
and I participated in Thuringia at the foundation of the SPd (then the
SDP), because I want to fight for a socially just society. Nowadays I
think that a social-democrat chancellor should use his political power
to impose laws that better protect from "slavery brought about by a
pitiless banking system."
Can we reach this imperative???? Hasn't this carnivorous capitalism of
German management, as our former chancellor and comrade Helmut Schmidt
once described it not long ago, extended its domination and haven't they
trampled on all rights of man obtained with difficulty over dozens of
years? Must we sacrifice everything to globalization? Even our children?
In the worst cases like Anja?
Can the search for profits and gains be made at the expense of
defenseless youths? Can we impose and old age insurance that, instead of
the insurance envisaged, has become a veritable nightmare?
German credit institutions such as HypoVereinsbank and others are now
searching to resolve the problematic situation of their credits by
selling them to foreign consortiums. It's a modern way of slave
trafficking. German banks can't avoid their moral obligations in this
fashion.
I appeal to all of you, as parents, so that we, social democrats, impose
laws that prevent these financial machinations on innocents. In order to
prevent an old age insurance demanded by the state that obliges one to a
lifelong payment. In order not to be transformed into slaves of a
pitiless banking system that has only one objective, that of profits
that it will pursue up to the ruin of its clients for which it doesn't
care.
I thank you for your patience and your interest. No one can bring Anja
back to us. But you can participate to prevent others from becoming
victims of inhuman affairs and the methods of the German banking and
insurance systems.
In solidarity,
Klaus Schüller
***********************************
BELGIUM
An appeal to reflect on the demonstration of the ETUC on March 19, 2005.
Can we defend a Social Europe by supporting the project of the European
Constitution?
A contribution from the activists of the General Federation of Workers
of Belgium (FGTB) in regard to the 'euro-demonstration' planned for
March 19 in Brussels by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
We are activists of the FGTB and, like everyone else, we
demonstrated on December 21, 2004 to defend our social model that is
threatened by the present European policy that wants to make competition
and liberalitization an absolute law.
The ETUC supports the project of the European Constitution
We have just been informed of the appeal by the ETUC for a
euro-demonstration on March 19, 2005. We are aware that the second
part of this appeal up to its conclusion can be summed up as total
support for the draft of a constitutional treaty, also named 'European
Constitution.'
In effect it says: "In integrating by a constraining
force the charter of fundamental rights in the European Constitution, we
have reinforced social Europe. In this sense, the ETUC supports the
constitutional treaty of the UnionŠthe ETUC is in favor of the European
Constitution."
In conclusion the appeal: "Support the
euro-demonstration of the ETUC on March 19, 2005 and join us in the
fight for a social Europe!" Thus the ETUC wants us to
demonstrate for a 'social Europe' but in reality wants to obtain support
for the European Constitution Š that makes a 'social Europe'
impossible!
Can we blame the CGSP, that wrote the following in its newspaper
Tribune (22/11/2004) in regard to its positions in its inter-regional
Walloon congress: "The constitutional treaty doesn't offer the
possibility of building a social Europe. Could such a Europe be built
when the constitutional text reads, "a single market where
competition is free and not distorted," one of the objectives of
the Union and that all policies are subordinated "in respect for an
open market economy where competition is free."
Isn't it in the name of the principles of free competition that
employers liquidate our jobs, wants to block our wages, increase our
hours of work, and assaults our social model?
As far as we know, the FGTB has never said yes to the draft of the
European Constitution. On the contrary, the debate was declared open and
up to the present the only time the FGTB has spoken was against the
Constitution. Consequently, to join the ETUC appeal is an assault on all
the discussions and decisions within the FGTB.
Can we blame the federal congress of the general central of the FGTB
that was held on November 16 through 18, 2004, where it adopted a
position on the European Constitution in Point 60 of its resolution that
reads: "The congress hopes to see the development of a large social
and political debate in regard to the European Constitution. In order to
add fuel to the debate, it demanded the FGTB to initiate (the debate)
without waiting for a campaign on information and discussion. The
congress deplores the lack of transparency of the decisions taken by
different authorities concerning the European Constitution. In the
future, all European dossiers containing matters of interest to the
workers should be the objects of a democratic discussion prior to those
of the authorities."
Should we accept the affirmation of the ETUC according to which the
"charter of fundamental rights" contained in the draft of the
European Constitution is a step in the direction of a social Europe?
Should we blame the inter-regional Waloon congress of the CGSP
held on June 7 and 8, 20004, that considered the draft ot the European
Constitution as "unacceptable" and objected to the charter of
fundamental rights by declaring:
"The congress wishes to recall that the charter of fundamental
rights, that is the object of Part II of the draft of the Constitution,
is an instrument of social regression since none of the rights we hold
dear is guaranteed by this text that has a highly symbolic value and
opposable before the Justice Court of the European communities. We add
that numerous dispositions of this charter fall below what is foreseen
in the 1946 universal declaration of Human Rights. Also, as an example,
the "right to work" is insidiously replaced by the notion that
the "right to work" (Art. II-45). Such a reformulation
threatens all the rights derived there from. That's not all: the right
to housing and social security are respected where they exist and
"according to the rules established by the right of the Union and
national practices." There is no question of working for those
rights to apply to the entire European population. The same goes for
public services that the congress strongly criticized.
Should we blame the federal congress of the ALR sector of the CGSP that
on Novemr 16, 2004 took a stand on the European Constitution by
declaring: "The draft of the Constitution was adopted on June 18,
2004 and its text is the reflection of the most perfect of ultraliberal
wills that dominate European policies. No mechanism for revisions was
planned, which leads us to think that in order to modify it there has to
be unanimity. In its present state, the text cannot favor us in any
way."
For what reasons should we deny the positions taken and thinking that
come from the FGTB centrals and to rally behind those of the ETUC?
Should we remember that the FGTB and all its centrals, is an independent
trade union financed by the contributions of its members. We can't say
the same for the ETUC. We recall that on May 22, 2003, the FGTB held a
press conference and issue a communiqué announcing that the FGTB had
decided to boycott the ETUC congress to be held in Prague on May 26
through 29, 2003. One reason for the boycott was that the FGTB denounced
the financing methods of the ETUC and the communiqué indicated that
"73% of the ETUC's finances are derived from external
subsidies," that is to say from organisms linked to the European
Union.
Who is more credible? The FGTB central financed independently from
the European Union of the ETUC, which is essentially financed by them?
Ask the question and answer. We know that a former president of the
ETUC like Georges Debunne (who was also secretary general of our trade
union), a great partisan of Europe, has denounced the drift of the ETUC
towards something besides the trade unionism for which he always fought.
We read in Syndicats, the magazine of the FGTB on January 14, 2005,
about an appeal for a euro-demonstration summing up the themes of the
ETUC for March 19. The ETUC is calling for a demonstration for
"quality services." It's no longer about public services. It's
exactly the same approach which the text of the European Constitution
assaults the very notion of public service.
We also read that through this demonstration one would say "no to
the Bolkenstein directive." But since at the same time the ETUC
asks us to say "yes to the European Constitution," we have the
right to ask if the ETUC isn't using the Bolkenstein directive in order
to ease the approval of the European Constitution that would serve as
the mechanism to support directives of this type. Furthermore:
Can the CGSP deny when demonstrating in the Tribune of November 22,
2004 that the European Constitution and the project of the Bolkesntein
directive are the same?
The demonstration made by the CGSP cannot be ignored:
It is striking to note that the constitutional treaty has, among others,
the same objectives that the Bolkenstein directive has. In effect, for
this last is necessary to "diminish the paperwork that stifles
competition." Under this populist phrase, we must understand that
by "paperwork" is meant the rules dictated by public
authorities in order to protect the general interest. Many dispositions
of the constitutional treaty are in the same sense.
The constitutional treaty does not protect public services it
prepares their liberalization.
The defenders of the constitutional treaty alleged, hand over their
hearts, that its protects public services, we note they are wrong or,
worse still, they are lying.
Article III-22 is not as some want to underline, an advance, but rather
a regression. Firstly we point out that the constitutional treaty only
concerns the services of general economic interest (SIEG). This notion
is not equivalent to that of "public services." The SIEG must
experience the rules of competition and that only in a derogatory and
strictly limited manner can they be exempted. They do not constitute an
alternative to the market but on the contrary, an integral part of the
competition model. Contrary to public service that clearly understands
that next to the private sphere, there is a public domain with missions
that is specifically its own.
The constitutional treaty gives European legislators the possibility of
establishing principles and fixing conditions, especially economic and
financial that allows the SIEG to accomplish its mission.
In Article III-147, the constitutional treaty gives a legal base to
liberalization of services. The "European law-framework establishes
the measures to undertake the liberalization of a service. It's priority
is services where liberalization helps in the exchange of
merchandise."
To dangerously add up the objectives pursued by the Bolkenstein
proposal, the Constitution in Article III-144, stipulates that "in
the framework of the present sub-section (the one relative to the
freedom of providing services), the restrictions on the freedom of
providing services are forbidden without consideration for the member
states established in a member state other than that of the one
providing the services." (Tribune, CGSP, 22/11/2004).
The position of the CGSP clearly shows:
One cannot oppose the Bolkenstein directive by saying yes to the
European Constitution.
What is the ETUC's position?
A European summit was held on November 4 nd 5, 2004. After the
summit, Wim Kok (president of a high level group charged with counseling
the European Commission on theevolution of the Lisbon strategy), issued
the folowing report: "The European service s sector represents 70%
of the economic activity of the Union. Because of a large number of
legal and administrative restrictions, the European market is fragmented
into separate national markets. This situation must change now." Im
Kok's report makes the following recommendation: "The European
government and the Council must get together on legislation to
eliminated the restrictions or impede the entrance of providers of
services established in other member states, the European Commission
must give priority to make this demand respected." It's exactly
the policy contained in the draft of the Bolkenstein directive.
On the even of the European summit, approving the Kok report, the
ETUC published on November 3, 2004 a long declaration built on this
phrase: "The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports the
report on the evaluation on the course of the Lisbon strategy demanded
by a high level group directed by Wim Kok and presented today to the
European Commission." In approving the Kok report the ETUC approves
the contents of the Bolkenstein directive that it pretends to combat.
One can only come to the following conclusion:
The only way to definitively stop the Bolkenstein directive and the
others of the same ilk, is to say NO to the draft of the European
Constitution.
In conclusion:
Whether it is to demonstrate "for jobs" against the
Bolkenstein directive, for a social Europe and in this case one must
demonstrate against the draft of the European Constitution that wants to
impose on us a pitiless world of competition that from this moment on
(along with the European directives) leades to the mass suppression of
jobs, relocations, flexibility, blockage of wages, the liquidation of
our public services, and the disappearance of our social rights.
It is about the March 19 demonstration to support the draft of the
European constitution that wants to impose everything we reject. Each
one of us understands that this would be to renounce what we are as FGTB
activists, as the FGTB trade union.
That is what we ask all our comrades to think about.
First signatories:
Jean ALVES, délégué comité exécutif SETCa Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde ;
Tomas ARMAS, président de la section Communauté française de la Régionale
Bruxelles-Brabant de la CGSP-Enseignement ; Rudy BERTHELS, délégué
SETCa/finances-assurances, BHV ; Mohamed DAOUANI, délégué SETCa/finances,
membre du comité exécutif Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde ; Thierry DELFORGE,
membre du comité exécutif CGSP enseignement section Communauté française
de Bruxelles ; Philippe DE MENTEN, président de la CGSP-Enseignement
COCOF ; Kamal DHIF, délégué CGSP enseignement, membre du CE section
Communauté française de Bruxelles ; Gaëtan DUBOIS, délégué SETCa/commerce,
membre du comité exécutif Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde ; Yves EECKMAN, ex délégué
SETCa BHV ; Martine FOULON, déléguée CGSP SPF Finances ; Olivier
HORMAN, délégué CGSP SPF Finances.; Françoise JACOB, déléaguée
SETCa/industrie, section Bruxelles ; Rudy JANSSENS, président de la
CGSP-ALR COCOF ; Jean-Jacques LAYEUX, délégué SETCa/finances, membre
du comité exécutif BHV ; Eliane LUCAS, déléguée SETCa/FGTB-BHV ;
Pierre MARLHIOUX, membre du comité exécutif SETCa
Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde ; Karel MEGANCK, afgevaardigde BBTK financiën -
uitvoeringscomité Brussel-Halle-Vilvoorde ; Pierre MERVEILLE, délégué
SETCA/finances courtage, membre du comité exécutif Bruxelles Hal-Vilvoorde
; Nadine NEGLEMAN, présidente de la CGSP-Enseignement de Schaerbeek ;
Bernard NOE, délégué SETCa Finances ; Fabien PIERRE, délégué SETCa/industrie,
membre du bureau et du comité exécutif Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde ; Marc
QUINTELIER, afgevaardigde BBTK/ABVV financiën ; Henri-Jean RUTTIENS,
permanent SETCa ; André SMAGGHE, afgevaardigde BBTK/ABVV financiën ;
Daniel STUYCK, délégué SETCa/FGTB - Finances - BHV ; Nicole VALCKE, déléguée
SETCa-FGTB - Finances/Assurances ; Stephane VAN AUDENAERDE, délégué
SETCa/BBTK finances, membre du bureau professionnel assurances BHV ;
Laurent VANHAELEN, délégué SETCa/industrie BHV ; Joëlle VAN HOECK, déléguée
SETCa/commerce ; Marie-Christine VIRLEE, déléguée CGSP Administration
des pensions publiques ; Jacob VISSER, délégué SETCa industrie,
membre du comité exécutif Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde ; Patrick WIAME, délégué
CGSP SPF Finances ; Raymond WITTEMBOEL, délégué SETCa/industrie,
section Bruxelles.
*********************
CHINA
203 miners killed in an explosion in Fuxin
203 chinese miners were killed on Monday, February 14, in an explosion
at the Fuxin mine (province of Liaoning) in northern China. We publish
excerpts from the Commission of Enquiry report.
Tragic consequences of the policy of an "open economy"
The New Year's catastrophe: 203 miners were killed in Fuxin. It
should be the time to enjoy the festivities of the year of the cock. It
is a sad time for the families and comrades of the 203 miners of the
state collieries of Fuxin (13 miners are unaccounted for). No doubt the
explosion on February 14 will increase the balance sheet in the lives of
miners after the revolution of 1949, after the deaths of 304 miners in
two accidents in last October and November.
The general situation is so stressed that the authorities immediately
sent the secretary general of the government and the authorities of the
province of Liaoning, where Fuxin is situated, and prevented the local
media from reporting on the accident. The journalists were ordered to
receive reports only from Xinhua the official agency.
"It's incredible, I thought they had stopped production for the New
Year holidays. The llife of little people is worth nothing in China,
said a doctor in Fuxin. Let us recall what a journalist of the Dahe Bao
wrote after the mining tragedy in November (166 dead): "We never
hear from the trade unions when there is an accident in the mines, or
even when it's about the State Collieries. Recently it was reported that
a certain number of mine owners fined the miners who refused to go below
because of the danger. But not a single trade union spoke up to defend
the miners caught in this situation. The trade unions were created to
protect the rights of workers. If we think that the intervention of the
trade unions (As we see in WalMart that forbids trade unions, is what
the journalist is referring to. Ed. Note). Is an injustice, one must
think that the trade unions that don't work are a similar
injustice."
Must we demonstrate the need for the Chinese workers, to have trade
unions of their choice, in conformity with ILO convention 87, that will
defend their interests, and for the miners to have delegates that
enforce respect for the security regulations? The ACFTU, the official
trade union, is silent, in doesn't participate in the enquiry
commissions once the accidents happen, as was the case in the last
accident in November.
Regarding the New Year's mining accident: the chine miners produce 35%
of the world's coal supply, but the accidents in Chinese mines represent
80% of the world's total. From 1999 to 2003, the production of Chinese
coal increased 54% and furnished of China's energy requirements.
According to the China Business Weekly, the government has invested 12.4
billion yuans (1.3 billions euros) in mine security between 2000 and
2003 and announced it will invest another 51.4 billion yuans (5.2
billions euros).
In 2004 The China Quarterly published a comparative table of mining
accident over ten years between 1992 and 2001; there are ten times fewer
deadly mining accidents in the State Collieries than in the ensemble of
Chinese mines (collectively owned mines, privately owned mines, etc.)
but 150 fewer in the United States and 60 times fewer than in India. For
a ton of coal produced in China there are eight times more deadly
accidents in the collectively owned mines in towns and cities than in
the state mines.
---
This note appeared in the China Daily on December 9: "An
explosion at the Tongchuan mine in the province of Shaanxi cost the
lives of 166 miners last Sunday. The miners had refused to descend
because there was a risk of a gas explosion. But the managers didn't
listen to them and forced them to work. Several more tons of coal would
increase the bonuses for the managers, that thought "the game was
worth the gamble, to adapt to the fluctuating demand. The bosses fill
their pockets to brimming. Faced with the irresponsibility of their
employers, the leaders of our society should start to assume the role of
protectors of the weakest and defenders of social justice. China is a
socialist country and economic development should not set aside social
justice. There are local officials,mostly members of the Communist
Party, that seem to have forgotten they are supposed to "represent
the fundamental interests of the large masses."
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