NEW SOCIAL PACKAGE DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH

This month the European Parliament held its first debate on the European Commission’s new ‘social agenda’, a package of 18 measures designed to reinvigorate Europe’s social dimension. However, the Socialist Group in the European Parliament (PES) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) do not believe that the measures so far announced go far enough. Both the PES and the ETUC believe that the European Union (EU) is still prioritising the single market over the social dimension. The ETUC has suggested that what we need in order to achieve an invigorated social agenda is a package of measures including: a proposal for a social progress clause or protocol; a revision of the Posting of Workers Directive to protect workers exercising their cross-border mobility rights and to prevent social dumping; a progressive revision of the Working Time and Works Council Directives; a Directive on non-discrimination outside the employment field; and action on the gender pay gap.

STUC AND MARITIME SECTOR UNION REPS TO MEET WITH SCOTTISH MEPs

Representatives from the STUC’s affiliated trade unions with membership in the maritime sector will be in Brussels on 16 October to participate in a public hearing on maritime employment organised by the European Transport Federation and the Socialist Group. Following the hearing the delegation will meet with Scottish MEPs to discuss the progress of the European Commission’s investigation into ferry subsidies in Scotland. The Scottish Trade Union Confederation, as well as leading economists, has voiced their concerns that, were the CalMac ferry network to be broken up, private operators would ‘cherry pick’ the most profitable ferry routes. As CalMac provides lifeline services to some of Scotland's most rural communities, the breakup of the CalMac ferry network could have a negative impact on the lives of the Scottish citizens who reside in these island communities.

SOCIALIST GROUP OPPOSE TOTAL LIBERALISATION OF TRADE IN SERVICES

By tabling a number of substantial amendments to a report on the Trade in Services, the Socialist Group in the European Parliament (PES) have managed to change the original emphasis of the report, which was too liberal. The amendments related to maintaining the distinction between commercial and non-commercial services. Whilst Socialists agree that services are playing an increasingly important role in international trade, we believe that water services and banking services cannot be considered in an undifferentiated way. It should therefore be considered a substantial victory that the final report provided for the preservation of public services, universal access to services and respect for the development needs of our African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) partners.

COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT QUESTIONED OVER TRADE UNION RIGHTS

My colleague, and fellow GMB member, Stephen Hughes MEP, used the visit of the Costa Rican President, Oscar Arias, to the European Parliament in September, to raise the issue of the failure to implement the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention and the harassment and disgraceful treatment of trade unionists on the banana and pineapple plantations. On the failure to ratify ILO conventions the President put his hands up and admitted progress had been slow but said that the government was committed to do this. With regard to the treatment of trade unionists in plantations, although he said he was aware of ‘difficulties’ in rural areas in relation to legal action on injuries and exposure to pesticides, he completely avoided any mention of trade union abuse and harassment. Socialist MEPs will continue to pursue this issue with the European Commission.

IRISH TUC ECONOMIC ADVISER TO ADDRESS EDINBURGH EUROPEAN FORUM

The Paul Sweeney, Economic Adviser to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and author of Ireland’s Economic Success – Reasons and Lessons is to address the Edinburgh European Forum on Thursday 18 September 2008 at which Catherine Stihler MEP and I will be giving a European Parliamentary Report. Paul will be talking on ‘Ireland in Europe: What Lessons for Scotland’. For more details of venue and time please contact:
DAVID MARTIN MEP (Scotland) Midlothian Innovation Centre, Pentlandfield, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RE, Tel 0131 440 9040, david@martinmep.com www.martinmep.com