Rimini, 06/05/2010
It is always a pleasure to visit Italy and a privilege to attend CGIL events, which are always held in nice places – the summer school in Chinciano Terme in Toscana and now this Congress, like the last, in the land of La Dolce Vita. I hope this Congress is a dolce experience.
I arrive in Rimini straight from Athens and the general strike yesterday of the Greek trade unions. Europe is not so popular in Greece – the terms of the bail out are tough. 16% of GDP to be cut over the next 4 years, with the burden falling on public spending and public services. It is not clear that the rich will pay a fair share. It is clear that working people will pay a heavy price, perhaps for the next year.
I met the President of the European Council, President Van Rompuy, on Tuesday to urge that the terms be eased to ensure that they are not used to push de-regulation, privatisation, and ultra-liberalisation but instead respect the principles of the European Social Acquis. Without Social Europe, working people will not support Europe. We cannot live in just a business Europe.
I met the President of the European Council, President Van Rompuy, on Tuesday to urge that the terms be eased to ensure that they are not used to push de-regulation, privatisation, and ultra-liberalisation but instead respect the principles of the European Social Acquis. Without Social Europe, working people will not support Europe. We cannot live in just a business Europe.
I also urged that if Europe could rescue many banks with few conditions applied, it should equally be ready to help countries in distress without lengthy sermons or lectures about morality. As you will know, Italian banks did not need rescuing. I congratulated an Italian friend on that. He replied “we were lucky – our bankers mostly cannot speak English – or work computers”.
It is important that countries observe the rules of the euro. But it is equally important that solidarity is practised and that Europe succeeds.
In many countries at present the forces of the Right are on the move. Some of these are nationalistic, others are downright racist. Even the more moderate ones tend to be eurosceptic. The British Conservatives never cease saying “I told you so – the euro would never work”, and they could be the government of the UK tomorrow.
But the euro does work – and it can work better with more economic governance, with taxes on speculative transactions in the world of casino capitalism, with a new Eurobond system where the EU borrows money cheaply to lend to countries which are in difficulties, with our own European rating agencies that are publicly, not privately owned by the banks and other financial institutions.
Don’t forget Standard and Poor, who marked down Spain last week, rated Encon and sub-prime mortgages as Triple A. Where is their credibility? Why should they be allowed to damage Greece and Spain?
Democracy is like a tender plant. It needs regular attention. It needs care. Otherwise the weeds grow and strangle it. We’ve seen that in post-war Europe, and even more so in pre-war Europe, including in Italy. When democracy and the economy are in trouble, the far Right flourish, and the racists, the nationalists, grow stronger. Greece and Spain know all about that.
Europe must nurture its countries in difficulty, not force them into recession and not impoverish them to a point that many in the population are near to revolt.
Europe must nurture its countries in difficulty, not force them into recession and not impoverish them to a point that many in the population are near to revolt.
There are better ways – social dialogue, collective agreements, democratic debate and European solidarity are those ways.
I was accompanied yesterday by a senior representative of the DGB who spoke similarly to me to the demonstration. We have solidarity at union level. Now we must fight to win the battle for hearts and minds.
In that fight for a stronger Europe, for a stronger ETUC and for solidarity, I know we can count on the CGIL, and indeed other Italian trade union confederations, to play a powerful and leading role. Long may you continue to play that role.
Best wishes to Gulglielmo, to Nicola, Roberto, Gianni, and Julia, who work well with us. Thanks, too, to Walter Cerfeda for all his work with the ETUC. Greetings and solidarity to you all. Our fight marches on for Social Europe, for worker solidarity and for a better world.
I wish I could stay longer and experience more of the CGIL’s dolce vita. But I am trapped between the Greek general strike and the British general election, so I must leave right away.
Good luck to the CGIL, good luck to Italy, good luck to Europe.