I think should prove of interest to many list members. Usual apologies to
those who may already have seen it via other sources.
Julian Wells
>-----Original Message-----
>From: jay ginn [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: 30 May 2001 12:27
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Fwd:
>
>
>
>The conference below (in defence of welfare rights) may be of
>interest to
>radstats listmembers. Due to the Recipient list being
>suppressed, I cant
>tell if its already been sent to the list -if so apologies etc).
>
>jay ginn
>
>> >From [log in to unmask] Wed May 30 11:06:45 2001
>>X-Sender: [log in to unmask]
>>Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 12:07:52 +0200
>>To: Recipient List Suppressed:;
>>From: Jean Pierre BARROIS <[log in to unmask]>
>>X-AntiVirus: scanned for viruses by AMaViS 0.2.0-pre6
>>(http://aachalon.de/AMaViS/)
>>
>>Dear Colleagues and Friends,
>>
>>Working part time in Britain and in France, I am involved in both
>>countries in the preparation of an international conference against
>>deregulation and privatisation and in defence of labour
>rights for all to
>>take place in February 2002 in Berlin.
>>
>>This campaign - you will see the appeal below - has received
>support from
>>a wide range of trade unionists and labour movement activists
>round the world.
>>
>>In Britain, Tony Benn MP has decided to join it.
>>
>>As part of this campaign I have just been contacted by Helen Peters a
>>colleague working at the university of North London who has drafted a
>>contribution to support the Berlin Conference to be
>circulated in the
>>British higher education sector.
>>
>>I am using my French e mail facilities to draw your attention
>to both the
>>contribution and the original Berlin appeal with the hope
>that you will
>>agree to endorse them and perhaps if you can to participate
>in the Berlin
>>Conference.
>>
>>Could you let me know your position?
>>
>>Yours
>>
>>
>>JP Barrois
>>
>>
>>
>>Academics and university staff support the Berlin Conference
>>
>>Appeal
>>
>>We are lecturers and university staff in higher education in
>the UK who
>>have come to know about the invitation to an International
>Conference
>>against deregulation and for Labour Rights for all to be
>held in Berlin in
>>February 2002 ( see below).
>>
>> This conference concerns us because of the need to defend the rights
>> of both students and all those who work in our universities in the
>> present climate of marketisation and de-democratisation
>which threatens
>> our sector.
>>
>> The situation in which universities are required to recruit and
>> teach more and more students with no corresponding increase in
>> funding makes conditions intolerable for both students and
>lecturers.
>>
>> Universities are turning towards speculation in property
>and commercial
>> activities in order to remain solvent with education no
>longer being the
>> central focus of activities.
>>
>> Young people are exhorted to take up further study as
>customers looking
>> for higher earnings and young working class people are both
>suspicious
>> and reluctant, being cynical about consumer exploitation.
>>
>>At the same time those who do study have to work long hours
>in part-time
>>jobs to keep their debts under control, with obvious effects
>on their studies.
>>
>>Insecurity and short-termism have become common-place in
>universities with
>>in many cases, including Oxford University, contract workers
>outnumbering
>>established staff. These workers have no political rights and no
>>democratic involvement in the running of their institutions.
>>
>> All this was started by the former Tory Government. The New Labour
>>government lead by Tony Blair, far from reversing these policies has
>> even aggravated the attacks aiming at privatising higher education.
>>
>> These developments in the British higher education sector cannot be
>> isolated from the same policies being enforced in other countries.
>>
>> These policies have the same origin: the international financial
>> institutions relaye'de by the European Union.
>>
>>The World Bank is clearly recommending deregulation of the
>public sector
>>of higher education and its transformation into a business
>like sector in
>>order to reduce public spending.
>>
>> In its 1999 report" Market Forces in Education" the World
>Bank wrote:
>> "The state in most countries is the major financier of
>education. And it
>> does not end there. In most countries the state is also the major
>> provider. It was not always this way, and in many countries
>there are
>> other providers : private (for- and non-profit), church,
>NGO, home. In
>> other words, there is a market for education."The market in
>education can
>> lead to important improvements in quality by encouraging
>innovation and
>> promoting efficiency "
>>
>>The WTO is still more explicit in its Background Note by the
>Secretariat
>>EDUCATION SERVICES : "Available sources emphasize the emergence of
>>innovative institutional arrangements between public and
>private entities.
>>One commonly cited example is the Western Governors'
>University, which was
>>founded by 17 governors of Western U.S. States and includes
>private sector
>>partners such as IBM, AT&T, Cisco, Microsoft, and
>International Thomson.".
>>
>> In Europe these policies of privatisation are relayed by
>the European
>> Commission and the forced march to the Euro imposing a
>drastic reduction
>> of public spendings.
>>
>> We feel that the Berlin conference is a step in the right direction
>> in the fight for properly funded higher education, decent nationally
>> negotiated salaries and conditions for all those working in
>> universities and the abolition of student fees as part of the
>> organisation of the resistance against deregulation in every sector.
>>
>> What is at stake is democracy of which the higher education system
>> but also public housing, the public transport system, the national
>> health service are founding elements.
>>
>> These gains cannot be defended or reclaimed without preserving the
>> existence of our unions which the international institutions wish to
>> transform into transmitters of these policies.
>>
>> The Berlin Conference is convened to organise the defence of labour
>> rights for all.
>>
>> We therefore support the conference and agree to
>participate in it and
>> call upon all colleagues, staff, academics, students, in higher
>> education to do likewise as a contribution to the
>international struggle
>> against deregulation.
>>
>>We call upon colleagues to contribute on the basis of their
>own experience
>>and join the higher education preparatory t committee.
>>
>>
>>First endorsers ( pers cap)
>>
>>Helen Peters Lecturer University of Noth London NATFHE, Ray
>Bush Institute
>>for Politics and International Studies University of Leeds,
>Rosa.M Hall
>>University of Leeds, Michael Evans University of Canterbury,
>NATFHE, Will
>>Patterson. University of Leeds AUT, Martyn Edelsten MSc courses in
>>International Animal Health and Tropical Veterinary
>Medicine.Centre for
>>Tropical Veterinary Medicine Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian,
>Dr. Nat M.
>>Queen University of Birmingham AUT, Malcolm Law University of
>York, Martin
>>Moloney.London School of Economics, Don Howe Unison shop
>steward York Br
>>(pers cap), Dr Jim House
>>The University of Leeds -Prof. Lucio Sponza University of Westminster
>>
>>Endorsement Form
>>
>>I endorse the contribution in support to the Berlin Conference YES/NO
>>I endorse the appeal to the Berlin Conference YES/NO
>>I join the higher education preparatory committee YES/NO
>>I wish to participate in the Berlin conference YES/NO
>>I donate ........£10.......£20.........£50.......£More
>>
>>( Make cheques payable to : ILC ( Berlin) PO Box 20 420
>London SE17 1WU)
>>
>>
>>
>>Name:....................................Union/organisation:..
>..................
>>
>>Address:......................................................
>.................
>>
>>PostCode:...................Phone:............................
>..................
>>
>>Fax:........................E.mail:...........................
>..................
>>
>>APPEAL
>>TO THE BERLIN CONFERENCE AGAINST DEREGULATION AND FOR LABOUR
>>RIGHTS FOR ALL (FEBRUARY 2002)
>>
>>Landmarks:
>>
>>An "International conference against deregulation and for
>labour rights
>>for all" will take place in Berlin, February 22nd to 24th, 2002. On
>>February 21st, an international conference for the defence of working
>>women will take place beforehand.
>>
>>Who and what founded that initiative?
>>
>>* February 2000, San Francisco: 560 delegates from 56
>countries meet in an
>>Open Workers World Conference (OWC) for the Defence of trade union
>>independence and workers rights. This action will be followed up by a
>>continuation committee in which AFL-CIO activists and leaders
>participate.
>>
>>* June 2000, Geneva: The International Liaison Committee for
>a Workers and
>>Peoples International (ILC) organises a meeting of political
>and trade
>>union leaders of 32 countries for the defence of ILO conventions,
>>especially ILO Convention 103 protecting maternity rights.
>They launch an
>>appeal for an international conference against deregulation.
>>
>>* December 2000, Berlin: German political and trade union
>leaders ask for
>>this conference to take place in Berlin and set up an
>organising committee.
>>
>>* January 2001 : An appeal to the workers of the world is launched in
>>common by:
>>- the continuation committee of the OWC and the San Francisco AFL-CIO
>>- the ILC, co-ordinated by the French Workers Party,
>>- The German organising committee.
>>
>>How is it being prepared?
>>
>>* Through the exchange of information on an international scale. An
>>international monthly bulletin is being published in French,
>English, Spanish.
>>* Contributions from each country, where delegations are
>being set up by
>>national organising committees.
>>* A financing campaign will guarantee the conference's
>independence from
>>states and official institutions.
>>We, the signatories of this letter of invitation, are extending an
>>invitation to workers, trade unionists and their
>organisations, to attend
>>an international conference against deregulation, to be held
>in Berlin in
>>February 2002.
>>
>>An Open World Conference in Defence of Trade Union Independence and
>>Democratic Rights was held in February 2000, and was attended by 560
>>delegates from 56 countries. In June 2000, trade unionists
>and political
>>representatives of the international labour movement from 32
>countries
>>meeting in Geneva in defence of the ILO Conventions decided
>to propose the
>>holding of an international conference against deregulation, and to
>>organise to make it happen. The Follow-up Committee of the Open World
>>Conference, made up of representatives of the international labour
>>movement, including activists and officers of organisations
>affiliated to
>>the AFL-CIO (United States), has seized on this initiative and has
>>proposed that the conference be held in Europe.
>>
>>We agree with this proposal.
>>
>>Around the world, workers are facing an offensive by the
>international
>>financial institutions, the IMF and the World Bank, the OECD and the
>>European Union, in the name of globalisation and the ìnew
>economyî. This
>>offensive is aimed at their collective social rights, labour
>legislation,
>>collective agreements and statutes, and at their social
>security systems.
>>
>>This offensive threatens to have serious consequences, each
>more serious
>>than the last. Every social gain and labour right, won
>through centuries
>>of struggle, now faces attack in order to reduce labour
>costs. And this
>>affects the workers independent organisations, both trade union and
>>political. In every country of the world, the workers and their
>>organisations are fighting against these attacks.
>>
>>This defensive struggle is dramatic in its scope. It ranges from the
>>defence of basic working and living conditions, to the defence of the
>>independence of the organisations of the labour movement. For
>many workers
>>and for whole peoples, it is a struggle for survival.
>>
>>The IMF and the World Bank has warned repeatedly that there
>was an urgent
>>need to deregulate and restrict democratic and labour rights,
>rights which
>>were gained through struggle and which were extended and defended
>>throughout Germany by the united workers since 1989: the
>social security
>>system, and the system of collective agreements and labour relations
>>protected in law. Pressure has mounted on the government and
>trade unions
>>to move in this direction.
>>
>>This explains why the government is being pushed to impose
>the ìreformî of
>>the compulsory pensions system, in the face of resistance by
>the trade
>>unions and the SPD. Under this ìreformî, the level of the
>state pension
>>would be reduced and a contributory pension would be introduced. This
>>ìreformî breaks with a historic gain of the social State.
>>
>>We would like to remind you of what Bernd Rissmann, the Vice
>President of
>>the Berlin-Brandeburg DGB, said at the Berlin demonstration
>against the
>>policy of radical cuts which, amongst others, threatens the
>education and
>>training of children and youth. He declared to more than
>30,000 parents,
>>teachers and school students: if the politicians are not
>ready to invest
>>more in education (Ö), they will share responsibility for the
>stench of
>>right-wing extremism The policy of social destruction, in the name of
>>globalisation, is responsible for the political and social
>despair which
>>feeds right-wing demagoguery.
>>
>>The implementation of such a policy by Gerhard Schroeder's government
>>threatens to result in a frontal clash with the broadest
>layers of the
>>population, the workers, the trade unionists and their
>organisations, the
>>social democrat activists. Every one of them is saying: we
>cannot accept
>>the undermining of the state pensions system, which is based on
>>solidarity. We cannot accept the push towards privatising
>public services
>>and public social infrastructures, or the growing pressure on
>the autonomy
>>of collective bargaining and national collective agreements.
>In the course
>>of this movement, there is also a strengthening of the wish
>to no longer
>>see the trade unions chained to a jobs pact. We know that
>this resistance
>>against deregulation, which is growing in Germany, is spreading
>>internationally. At the heart of this resistance lies the defence of
>>collective agreements, labour codes, social gains in every
>country, and,
>>on the international level, the defence of the ILO
>Conventions. We propose
>>that this latter aspect should form the objective of the
>international
>>conference against deregulation. The revision of the ILO
>Conventions is
>>now in fact on the agenda. For example, the revision of the
>Convention on
>>social systems is due to be debated at the June 2001 session
>of the ILO.
>>
>>This is why we are calling for the preparation of an international
>>Conference Against Deregulation, which will serve as the basis for an
>>international counter-attack by the workers. We propose to
>make a public
>>indictment of the anti-social, anti-democratic, anti-worker
>and anti-trade
>>union policy of globalisation, which, far too often,
>belittles the workers
>>and their families and threatens their very existence. We
>propose that, in
>>every country, and taking into account the different
>conditions, research
>>be carried out by the workers into the forms and mechanisms
>of the policy
>>of deregulation and its implementation in different sectors.
>This research
>>and contributions from every country will be collected into a
>Black Book
>>of deregulation.
>>
>>The aim of the Conference is to expose the destructive policy of
>>deregulation and its causes. The task of the Conference will
>also be to
>>discuss in order to determine how we can act together against
>the policy
>>of deregulation, which initiatives we can take and which
>campaigns we can
>>organise. Proposals in this vein should be made as part of
>the preparation
>>of the Conference.
>>
>>Our Conference is addressed to all workers of the whole world
>and their
>>organisations. It does not intend to compete with existing
>national and
>>international organisations. It does not intend to compete
>with any other
>>initiative. In keeping with the spirit of the San Francisco
>Open World
>>Conference, it is open to all currents of the democratic and labour
>>movement which regard resistance to deregulation as a basic
>necessity for
>>the future of the workers and the whole of humanity.
>>
>>This is why the signatories of this appeal hereby decide to
>constitute an
>>Organising Committee for this Conference. All of us who wish to work
>>together towards this goal invite you to take part. We propose to the
>>Follow-up Committee of the San Francisco Open World
>Conference that we
>>form together the International Preparatory Committee of the
>International
>>Conference Against Deregulation. Berlin, 27
>November 2000
>>
>>First endorsers
>>Berlin Conference organising Committee :
>>Michael ALTMANN, trade union representative ÖTV Frankfurt,
>SPD, executive
>>member AfA, South-Hessen (Land); Lothar ANDRES, official
>executive ÖTV,
>>Berlin; Manfred BIRKHAHN, President of the trade union HBV, Berlin
>>Bran-deburg (two Länders); Carla BOULBOULE, former member of
>parliament
>>for NRW, GEW; Rainer DÖRING, works council member, TU reps Chair ÖTV
>>(Berlin urban traffic); Udo EISNER, IGM, former SPD local
>delegate; Elke
>>FALK, works council member ÖTV, Berlin hospital; Heinke
>FÖRST, executive
>>member of a SPD constituency in Berlin; Karlheinz GERHOLD, full-time
>>official ÔTV, Berlin, SPD, President of AfA, Halle; Volker GERNHARDT,
>>works council President, Berlin hospital; Eberhard HENZE,
>works council
>>member, Berlin local government, ÖTV, TU reps Chair ÖTV;
>Karin HOFFMANN,
>>ÖTV, SPD; Markus HOFMANN, works council executive member,
>ÖTV, Employers
>>Insurance Dept; Gotthard KRUPP-BOULBOULLE, ÖTV, executive
>member of a SPD
>>constituency in Berlin; Wolfgang MAHNKE, ÖTV, SPD; Rainer
>MATTHES, former
>>member of parliament, Brandeburg Land; Jörgen MÜLLER, SPD, executive
>>member, Berlin Land; Henrik SCHENKER, full-time official ÖTV
>Berlin, TU
>>reps Chair for the social institutions of Berlin (creches, hospitals,
>>etc.); Gerlinde SCHERMER, former SPD member of parliament,
>Berlin Land;
>>Petra SCHMITZ, works council Presi-dent and TU reps
>Vice-Chair for the
>>social institutions of Berlin; Volkmar SCHÖNE, works council
>>Vice-President, Berlin local government, ÖTV, President of
>AfA-SPD, Berlin
>>constituency; Klaus SCHÐLLER, full-timer DGB Jena, President
>of AfA-SPD,
>>Thuringia (Land); Roswitha WEIDNER, Regional Womens Council
>ÖTV, Berlin;
>>Hans WEIGT, DPG; Axel ZUTZ, executive member of a SPD constituency in
>>Berlin, ÖTV
>>
>>San Francisco Conference follow up Committee :
>>Jack HENNING, Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus, California Labor
>Federation
>>(AFL-CIO) (San Francisco, California); Walter JOHNSON, Executive
>>Secretary-Treasurer, San Francisco Labor Council (AFL-CIO)
>(San Francisco,
>>California); Baldemar VELASQUEZ, President, Farm Labor Organizing
>>Committee (FLOC/AFL-CIO) (Toledo, Ohio); Mya SHONE, Office
>Professional
>>Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 3 and
>Co-Coordinator of the
>>Open World Conference (OWC) (San Francisco, California); Ed ROSARIO,
>>President, San Francisco Chapter, LCLAA, Co-Coordinator of OWC and
>>Coordinator of Western Hemisphere Workers Conference (San Francisco,
>>California); Daniel GLUCKSTEIN, Coordinator of International Liaison
>>Committee for a Workers International (ILC) (France); Patrick HEBERT,
>>General Secretary, CGT-FO Loire-Atlantique (France); Frank MARTIN DEL
>>CAMPO, National Executive Board member, Labor Council for
>Latin American
>>Advancement (LCLAA) (San Francisco, California); Nancy WOHLFORTH,
>>Secretary-Treasurer, OPEIU Local 3 (AFL-CIO) (San Francisco,
>California);
>>Alan BENJAMIN, OPEIU Local 3, San Francisco LCLAA and Assistant
>>Coordinator of Western Hemisphere Workers Conference(San Francisco,
>>California).
>>
>>First endorsers in Britain
>>
>>Tony Benn, MP - Andy Gillchrist General Secretary FBU- Mike Lawson
>>President FBU- Gary Jones, NEC, Communication Workers Union
>(pers cap) -
>>Stefan Cholewka , editor The Link , Ben Rickman Secretary
>Brent TUC - A
>>Tsiricos, President Luton Trade Union Council- Steve Metcalfe
>Chair RMT
>>0854 Br, President Lancaster TUC Tony Staunton. Chairperson, Plymouth
>>UNISON; Secretary, Plymouth & District TUC - Roland Biosah
>PCS Nec, TUC
>>Race Relations Committee (pers cap)- Mike Shotton Secretary,
>University
>>College Worcester Association of University Teachers (pers cap)- Seb
>>Martineau President Canterbury University NUS-Peter Walker
>trade unionist
>>University of Bath - - Don Howe Unison shop steward York Br
>(pers cap) -
>>Shaun O'Neil FBU Secretary, Rochdale - Steve Donnelly AEEU Delco
>>Electronics Liverpoool (pers cap)-Martha Osamor TUC Race Relations
>>Committee (pers cap)- Helen Peters trade unionist University of North
>>London - Glen Watson RMT London, TUC Race Relations Committee
>(pers cap)-
>>CLL. Tom Davidson , NATFHE North London University (pers cap)
>- Explo Nani
>>Koffi ALISC - Mark Holinrake Rochdale CLP - Keith Cross
>London Co-op
>>Party - Gareth Nash, Brecon & Radnor CLP - Nick Phillips
>UNISON southwark
>>, Richie Wanless, Zak Newton LINK Editorial Board- Robin
>Rankin, Rochdale
>>CLP- Janet Shapiro, NATFHE North London University (pers cap)- Ray
>>Shapiro, retired government statistician-Ray Bush University
>of Leeds-
>>Rosa.M Hall. University of Leeds-Dr. Nat M. Queen University
>of Birmingham
>>AUT (pers cap), Martyn Edelsten,Centre for Tropical
>Veterinary Medicine
>>Easter Bush-Will Patterson.Universit of Leeds.AUT.University of Leeds
>>(pers cap)- Michael R Evans Canterbury Christ Church
>University -Malcolm
>>Law University of York
>>--
>>--------------------------------------------------------------
>----------------
>>Universite de CRETEIL-PARIS12 Tel. : (16) 1.48 89 18 37
>>Internet : [log in to unmask]
>>--------------------------------------------------------------
>----------------
>
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