Strategy

Social dialogue, social pacts Social dialogue, social pacts or a social Europe? by dave — last modified 2004-07-11 12:14

A "social Europe" has been a standing demand of the European trade union movement on the governments and on the EU for many years. If the integration of Europe should be successful, it had to be accompanied by a strong social dimension – a people’s Europe. This, also, was the expressed aim of the European social democracy – to regain control of capital forces and create the «social Europe» through the European Union. Now, social democratic or social democratic dominated governments for the first time since the establishment of the EEC, have been dominating the EU for some years. The «social Europe», however, is still in store. Article by Asbjørn Wahl, published Monthly Rewiew, Vol. 54, No. 2 2002, New York.

The brutalisation of work under neo-liberalism by dave — last modified 2004-07-11 12:24

Increasing exclusion from the labour market, an all-time high in sick leave and disability retirement, increasing stress at the work place, less influence over one’s work situation: the signals that something dramatic is about to happen to our labour market and our whole relationship to work are many. And yet, although ten thousands are excluded from employment every year, there is little focus on the real reasons and driving forces behind this development. Most politicians and employers are staring blindly at the symptoms. Even the trade unions are not willing to go under the surface.