workers one week to accept a packet of cuts, or face the sack. Despite protests, the trade union (OSPA) has accepted a compromise" which reduces salaries, increases the working week to 48 hours, and allows the generalisation of part-time work at the nationalised airline.
The government and media are trying to present public sector workers as "privileged," and the main barrier to Greece's economic development.
More than one third of economic activity in Greece takes place in the underground economy, and the official unemployment rate is 10%.
Despite its declarations of support for public sector workers, the Greek Communist Party is refusing to work alongside former party members who split to form the left-reformist party Synaspismos. [TA/JD] being integrated into collective
Denmark Half million private sector workers on strike Denmark was shut down on 27 April by the most widespread labour protest Since 1985. Private sector workers in industry, transport and construction stopped work in protest at a new collective bargaining agreement proposed by employers and trade union leaders. Anders Lange and Katrine Toft Mikkelsen
Employers and union leaders had insisted on combining the voting in several sectors, representing 500,000 workers (Denmark has about 5 million inhabitants), in the hope of drowning protesters in a sea of apathy, and making it more difficult for any one sector to oppose the collective bargaining settlement.
This time, the manoeuvre backfired Anger and mobilisation, by shop stewards and workers in the steelworkers, unskilled workers (SiD) and women's unions (KAD) meant that the deal was rejected overall. This means that graphic workers, who voted to accept the agreement, have still been drawn into the conflict.
Benefiting from a more democratic voting procedure than in previous years, the campaign for a "No!" vote was able to build itself nation-wide, and find roots in the transport, metalworking and construction workforce
Many rank-and-file workers, who had supported the demand for a sixth week of annual paid holiday, were outraged by the employers miserable offer. In the construction sector, the offer is for 1.5 extra days vacation, paid at a maximum hourly rate of 100 Dkr (US$14.60), 4 International Viewpoint #300 which is less than the average salary in the sector. Leaders of the Metalworkers Union settled for an extra holiday on December 24th - which in many workplaces is already a holiday. In those years when December 24th falls at a weekend, there would be no compensation.
Denmark has one of the highest productivity rates in the world, and, after a decade of extreme moderation, workers are increasingly frustrated that they do not receive a fair share of the profits they generate. Industrial wages have risen in recent years, since the decentralisation of the bargaining process. But workers are also demanding an increase in the minimum wage, and improved working hours, which are still negotiated centrally.
As well as these specific protests many workers are fed up at the circus which dominates the evening news for three months every second year, when men in suits drone on and on about the importance of the agreement, and the difficulties involved, only to come out with such miserable proposals at the end of the negotiations. Working people feel - correctly - that they have little influence over "their" negotiators
On the other hand, it is clear that many trade union leaders have responded more-or-less positively to the strike movement, in an attempt to justify their status and position. With more and more employers keen to negotiate directly with their workers, the central trade union apparatus is under pressure trom below. It is also being squeezed "from above," as more and more European Union directives are bargaining agreements. Since these directives are not negotiable, union leaders have little room for manoeuvre.
Denmark's political, economic and media elite find it hard to accept that the agreement was rejected. The agonised questioning in the media ("what went wrong?", "How could they do that?") brings back memories from June 1992 when Denmark voted "No!" to the Maastricht Treaty (and won the European football championship, but that's a different story).
The parallel with 1992 is particularly relevant since Denmark will hold a referendum on the EU's Amsterdam Treaty on 28 May. This is a difficult situation for Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, the recently reelected Social Democratic Prime Minister, since many social democratic voters are against further EU integration. Many voters are increasingly frustrated that the entire establishment, including the leaders of the trade unions, are so pro-EU
A new agreement between trade union leaders and employers is unlikely in the short term. So the government may have to intervene some time in May. Probably not too close to May 1st, the symbolic labour holiday, but not too close to the EU referendum on 28 May either.
One problem for the government is that employers will insist that any new settlement cost no more than the existing proposal.
Progressive currents in the trade union movement are working to maximise active participation in the protests, so as to maximise the possibility of real gains for private sector workers *
: of the Socialistisk Arbejderparti, 35373217, <socinf@inet.uni2.dk›
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Europe
A Counter Summit is being organised by the Reclaim Europe coalition, in response to the Summit of European Union leaders, which opens in Cardiff on June 15th. Like the June 1997 Amsterdam counter summit, it will host a range of debates, criticisms and discussions of the EU aimed at national and international campaigners. This will include: • Friday evening: Meeting with international speakers and updates on campaigning. • Saturday: Forum on the EU and the consequences of its present agenda. Speakers panel on four broad themes: Employment, social welfare, the environment and implications for the rest of the world, followed by workshops and discussions. • Sunday: Discussions and workshops on the theme of "alternatives to the present EU and campaigning strategies"
Cardiff Counter
Summit
On Saturday 13th at 1.30pm the counter-summit will be suspended for the demonstration "No to a big business Europe - Yes to Jobs, Public services and Democracy." This mass demonstration is organised by the Cardiff Euro Summit Demonstration Committee. It will focus on Welfare cuts, employment, equality, environment and social exclusion/racism. It will start and finish with a rally with
A Fourth International meeting will also be held. For details contact Alan on +44 181 800 7460, fax 880 1846, e-mail <outlook@gn.apc.org>
Other events on Sunday 14th include an Animal Rights demonstration organised by "Uncaged". and a "People's vigil for peace and justice," Organised by the People's Vigil Steering Group, on the theme "Jubilee 2000, and the cancellation of 3rd world debt. Speakers include Glenys Kinnock MEP. This is not an explicitly religious event, but it is supported by the churches of the Cardiff Churches Form and other religious bodies of Cardiff Interfaith Forum and was initiated and is been underwritten by Church in Wales.
Free sleeping bag accommodation in Cardiff is being organised for those travelling from abroad University accommodation is also available, at £15 ($22.50) a night. Contact: Reclaim Europe!, 1 B Waterlow Rd, London N19 5NJ Tel: +44-171-272 9333 Fax: 561 0800, E-mail: europ@globalnet.co.uk or europ@astra.global.net.uk Web site: http://www.geocities.com/Rainforest/5581/ proclaim its goal of a United Ireland while