Unite Viewpoint

Returned from the 2008 congress of the European Mining, Chemicals, Energy Federation in Prague. This is a European body which represents trade unions across Europe in oil, petrochemicals, chemicals, phramaceuticals, energy, glass and papermaking. Unite has a significant interest in all of these areas and played an important part in the conference. The biggest unions in EMCEF are IGBCE from Germany and the "Nordic Bloc" - who work together through Nordic - IN, a trade union federation covering the Nordic countries. The congress set out the policies of EMCEF for the next four years. All of the Unite delegation made contributions and speeches on a wide range of issues including equalities, health and safety in papermills, the current EWC revisions, organising and on the behalf of Unite I was able to propose the main motion on the future of social Europe and the recent ECJ decisions. The main points were that Europe is seeing an unprecedented neo liberal attack on labour and employment standards and on the terms and conditions of European workers. Employment rights that were won through the work and sacrifices of our members over decades across the European Union are now under real threat. The recent decisions of the European Court of Justice in regard to the Lavel, Viking and Rueffert cases could create a climate that could lead to worker being pitted against worker and create “a race to the bottom”. If the ECJ judgement stands we could could see National Agreements (such as Unite has in Construction and Print/Paper) undermined - therefore we have to now campaign to overturn the judgements and pursue and defend progressive social policies in Europe. The European Commission and the European Parliament now needed to stand up to European Governments who are intent on blocking the progress of social employment standards in Europe that have been developed over the past 60 years. John Monks, General Secretary of the European TUC told the Congress the ECJ judgements are already having an adverse effect on Union power. They have already turned some trade unionists against the Lisbon Treaty and they are leading many trade unionists to question whether there really is a Social Europe if the free market can ride rough shod over Collective Agreements. John announced that the ETUC would be seeking a social progress protocol to be attached to the treaties of the European Union making clear that fundamental rights are not secondary to the single market. This will be a big fight, John said, it was going to be a tough campaign, but it is one that we must win.