(17 March 2016) He came straight at us, hand stretched out to greet us. We were guests at the congress of the Brazilian union FNU and I was speaking on the work of EPSU and PSI to fight water privatisation. Lula, the then leader of the metal and automobile workers’ trade union was running for President: a position he won four years later. Our host Abelardo, who had run a national campaign against water privatisation, later became minister in the new Lula government. Access to water services was improved for many. During the congress, Lula spoke of addressing Brazil's growing inequality; he wanted to lift workers and poor out of poverty. And he did.
I reflected on this when signing the petition of CUT and ITUC in defense of Lula and his work. Lula is under attack as a corruption scandal engulfs him. If he is implicated he should not be above the law, but for now this is a convenient attack on a powerful symbol of social progress. Such an attack distracts from the corrupting role the elites play in the country, where the media is largely controlled by just a few powerful families. Destroying his legacy – a legacy which shows that progress is possible – is their aim.
In contrast, rather than addressing growing inequalities in the European Union by proposing concrete measures, on 8 March the European Commission began an almost year-long consultation process on what is known as the “pillar of social rights.” This pillar should ensure more social convergence, especially in the Eurozone, but it contains far too much talk of the corporate Better Regulation instead. The European Commission is not clear on how the social pillar will improve working conditions or what it will do to close the persistent gender pay gap, for example.
The Commission could have used this opportunity to propose legislation that improves working conditions and ensures a fairer Europe: a real social agenda. By showing that the European Union seeks social progress, this approach would also regain the confidence of disenchanted European citizens, of whom increasing numbers are turning to the anti-EU and anti-immigration agendas of political parties on the far-right. The results of recent elections in Croatia and Slovakia are worrying, where politicians such as Marian Kotleba have toyed with Nazi-symbols in their parliaments. Municipal elections in Hessen and three regional elections in Germany have seen an anti-immigration and anti-EU party win considerable support. Research has shown that union members vote for such parties, too: workers are concerned about the future of their jobs. But scapegoating problems on refugees and the EU does not address Europe’s economic problems: rather, it pitches workers against workers.
I believe that it is important for the European trade union movement to show that we are working together to promote the interests of workers and our communities – across borders. We will have several opportunities to do so in the coming months. On World Water Day this 22 March we will once again highlight the demands of the Right2Water campaign. On 28 April we commemorate the workers that have been killed and suffered injuries and illness as a result of their work. 1 May is upcoming and a strong message of the need to address wealth inequality will sound out across Europe and the world.
I also want to ask your support for an action we will undertake on 7 April (World Health Day). EPSU’s health and other care unions will be leading activities to defend investment in their sectors. Please join with colleagues and spread the word about our concerns. Our services need sufficient staff and resources; workers demand decent pay and respect for their skills and qualifications. This will also be a moment to underline that health, social and other public services should be excluded from trade deals: that our health and care are not for sale.
In solidarity
Jan Willem Goudriaan
EPSU General Secretary
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