EFFAT General Secretary Harald Wiedenhofer on the elections to the European Parliament
There is something different about this crisis. Recent decisions by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and spiralling social conflicts in the UK (Lindsey strikes), France, Italy and elsewhere all show that the EU is facing not just an economic, but also a social crisis. See election results: http://www.elections2009-results.eu/en/index_en.html
- How do workers benefit or suffer from the EU?
After two World Wars in the last century, the EU brought us 60 years of peace. Never before in the history of the world have representatives from 27 nations, in this case in Europe, worked together to create peace, democracy and prosperity for their citizens. In addition, a politically, economically and socially strong Europe is our sole effective response to the economic challenges of globalisation and our only chance to defend our social model. Admittedly, we also face some major problems in the EU, because although freedom of movement has given us a single European labour market, there are still no common European rules governing the protection of workers within it. Yet we urgently need such rules today!
- In what way does the ongoing financial and economic crisis also open up opportunities for a more social Europe?
There is something different about this crisis. Recent decisions by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and spiralling social conflicts in the UK (Lindsey strikes), France, Italy and elsewhere all show that the EU is facing not just an economic, but also a social crisis. Following the negative outcome of referenda in the Netherlands, France and Ireland, the EU is very much in danger of losing the support of its citizens and workers. It’s totally unacceptable for legitimate demands for equal treatment to be branded as protectionist or xenophobic. In fact, a far more scandalous fact is that so far neither the European Commission nor the Council of Ministers have done anything to protect workers against social dumping in Europe. For that reason there is now an urgent need for political action, and the principle of equal pay for equal work in the same workplace and the right to strike definitely both have to become enshrined in European social legislation.
- Why is it important that people vote in the European elections in June 2009?
Over the last few years the European Parliament has gained a tremendous amount of influence. For example, in recent months it has effectively supported us in our fight for equal rights for temporary workers and against any weakening of the Working Time Directive and backed our attempts to improve the European Works Councils Directive. If our aim is to create a more democratic EU that is closer to its citizens, we need an even stronger European Parliament. For this reason, we need to make sure that there is a high turnout for the European elections on 7 June.
Disappointment with misguided policymaking in Brussels definitely must not be allowed to plunge us back into nationalism. On the contrary, at European level we need to strengthen those individuals, entities and parties who substantially help us fight to establish a workers’ Europe, by duly voting them into the European Parliament.
European Parliament Elections webpage
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2009/default.htm?language=en