TUC to world - unions should be above the law
Yes, that's what they are saying, via the European Trade Union Confederation, of which it is part:
That is just one part of a frankly extraordinary document to which it has put its mark, 'The London Declaration: a call for fairness and tough action'.
Its laundry list of demands in the face of current market turmoil (which is all down to the markets, not interference by government, natch) includes the following:
Or in other words back door pseudo-nationalisation of banks, pension funds, insurance companies and old Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all.
Thus choking of the ability of said FI's to invest, create wealth etc etc. Sounds like a return to a seventies style socialist siege economy to me.
And how do they intend to force the Swiss into this? If this is pan-EU, the gnomes of Zurich will be the biggest European beneficiaries, although our sensible EU shunning friends in more northerly climes might also be well placed to kickstart serious financial services industries.
From the wonderful people who brought us Concorde, British Leyland, the Channel Tunnel and all sorts of other destroyers of capital. I'm sure that Brown and his homunculi would be just as good at picking winners as his fellow socialists in the past. I've always loved the phrase 'the real economy' impying as it does that banking and the like are not as dignified and horny-handed a way to make a living as digging coal. Not that that is very green, is it?
So everybody wins, nobody loses. That is so going to happen.
Thought they didn't believe in zero sum games. Anyway, who's afraid of hyper inflation?
And not people being responsible for their own actions?
Good job they are crying in the wilderness. I hope.
"The ETUC therefore calls on Europe to fight for workers' rights, for fair and decent wages, for stable jobs and for strong collective bargaining practice, independent of and not subordinated to law courts and judges".
That is just one part of a frankly extraordinary document to which it has put its mark, 'The London Declaration: a call for fairness and tough action'.
Its laundry list of demands in the face of current market turmoil (which is all down to the markets, not interference by government, natch) includes the following:
"injections of public money into financial institutions that carry with them public influence and control so causing a fundamental change in behaviour"
Or in other words back door pseudo-nationalisation of banks, pension funds, insurance companies and old Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all.
"much tighter control of financial institutions' ability to leverage their operations, by strengthening the ratios of solid assets to liabilities"
Thus choking of the ability of said FI's to invest, create wealth etc etc. Sounds like a return to a seventies style socialist siege economy to me.
"an international, certainly European, level of effective regulation. This is necessitated by the scale of global financial capitalism which now transcends most individual nations. A European Ratings Agency is necessary"
And how do they intend to force the Swiss into this? If this is pan-EU, the gnomes of Zurich will be the biggest European beneficiaries, although our sensible EU shunning friends in more northerly climes might also be well placed to kickstart serious financial services industries.
"government action to ensure that funds are available for investment in the real economy, helping develop green jobs and technologies and sustainable development"
From the wonderful people who brought us Concorde, British Leyland, the Channel Tunnel and all sorts of other destroyers of capital. I'm sure that Brown and his homunculi would be just as good at picking winners as his fellow socialists in the past. I've always loved the phrase 'the real economy' impying as it does that banking and the like are not as dignified and horny-handed a way to make a living as digging coal. Not that that is very green, is it?
"help provided for workers affected, for householders threatened by eviction, for pensioners threatened with poverty in old age, for entrepreneurs seeking investment capital. (Yes, they did say that. Chutzpah doesn't come close) It is not fair that the main beneficiaries might be those who caused the mess".
So everybody wins, nobody loses. That is so going to happen.
a European-level response to the slowdown that is unfolding in the real economy to prevent the financial turmoil intensifying further as well as to avoid a return to the 'beggar-my-neighbour' approach of competitive wage moderation and reductions in social protection which harm workers and their families;
Thought they didn't believe in zero sum games. Anyway, who's afraid of hyper inflation?
"urgent return of public policy attention to the major issues of income and wage inequalities. It is inequality and poor wage income for ordinary workers that are driving households into ever more debt through risky financial market techniques".
And not people being responsible for their own actions?
Good job they are crying in the wilderness. I hope.
Labels: Class war, Common sense? What's that?, Sane economics, Unions
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on Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 1:30 pm.
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And whose funding them?
According to a handy FAQ on the website, "...It also obtains financial support from the European Union, for example funding for social dialogue meetings, workers’ information and consultation, and training activities."
How did I guess?
Shades of 'They will sell us the rope with which we will hang them', although there is a rather disgusting encomium for some Italian communist 'euro patriot' on EuparlTV that I nearly blogged t'other day.
Anyway, good spot. Cheers.
I refer you to this:
http://cityunslicker.blogspot.com/2008/06/having-old-friend-for-dinner.html
for a prescient comment on the matter.
I think if you look at equal pay where no win no fee lawyers are suing councils and unions if one person loses out under a collective agreement
ie an equal pay agreement where back pay only goes back 2 years because the council cannot afford it
then they may have a point
just ask a council leader
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