This week, ÖGB Europabüro, the Brussels Office of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions together with AK EUROPA, the Brussels Office of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour and British and Swedish trade unions hosted a panel discussion on “BREXIT”. The discussion dealt among other with the question what impact a possible departure of Great Britain from the EU would have on employees, how the trade union movement would position itself in respect of the “BREXIT” issue and how one could fight for a EU, which one had to criticise with regard to so many aspects.

TUC - Steve TURNER: Cameron needs the trade unions

Steve Turner, General Council Spokesperson on Europe of the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) explained the current situation in Great Britain: there was great disillusionment with politics in general. Concerning the BREXIT question, there was no classic division into the right or left wing; both the left and the right were made up of supporters and opponents of a BREXIT.

The government led by Cameron too had not yet committed itself. The Referendum had come into being because the Tories wanted to bring up an objection to UKIP. However, there was no consistent strategy of the government. In order to avoid BREXIT, Cameron would need the votes of the working class; hence, he needed a campaign led by the trade unions.

The TUC was convinced that trade unions were stronger within the EU. He was therefore faced with the challenge to motivate people to vote. Therefore, trade unions had to find a narrative, which would inspire and motivate people.

ETUC - Esther Lynch: running a campaign for the social protocol

Esther Lynch, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) was convinced that the interests of the workers would be asserted most effectively in a common Europa, as otherwise there might be the risk of workers from different countries being pitted against each other. Apart from that, in the meantime the economic power of some multinational concerns would exceed the GDP of some small economies, a reason why national states were only able to breast this supremacy as a unified force.

Cameron had made a poor decision if he counted on mobilising the workforce: after years of attacking social and labour laws, workers and employees were demoralised and set against him. One must also ask the question how trade unions were supposed to campaign for remaining in the EU, if they themselves expressed massive criticism at the EU, considering the fact that little positive had come from it in recent years. That is why one had to, run a campaign to enshrine social rights at EU level in form of a social protocol, hence adding social rights to EU Treaties.

ÖGB - Erich Foglar: wage, tax and social dumping are the issues the EU really suffers from

To begin with, Erich Foglar, President of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) explained that the discontent with the EU originated from different sources: there are some, whose main wish is for less bureaucracy and others, who would like to see a more social Europa. Many would ask the question: “Is this the EU, which can fulfil the original expectations? Does it remain a “free trade area deluxe” or does solidarity at last assume the same position as the four market freedoms?” So far, social policy had been completely neglected; the sole focus on competitiveness had been a recurring theme throughout the entire EU policy, when in fact fundamental rights for workers and wages would not present any obstacles to competition.

In spite of all criticism: becoming a national state again would mainly hit the workforce. Hence, the EU was at crossroads: fundamental social rights had to be given the same importance as market freedoms. Wage, tax and social dumping were the issues, the EU really suffered from. It was much easier to stir emotions against the EU, because workers hardly associate anything positive with the EU: for example, working under zero hour contracts in Great Britain, or the destructive frenzy of the Troika in Greece.

LO - Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson: finding progressive ideas and solutions

According to the President of Swedish Trade Union Confederation, Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson, Swedish trade unions were convinced that Great Britain should remain in the EU. One should ask oneself the question if one really expected an improvement if Great Britain would leave the EU. Hence, one had to find the questions, which would go to the heart of workers. Good arguments were required to raise hopes for a better future again. To achieve this, one needed progressive ideas and solutions for the problems of workers. For example with regard to the posting of workers and in some cases the thereby created weakening of labour standards: (country specific) regulations had to apply in the country where workers were employed and the relevant taxes had to be paid in that country too.

Further information:

Pictures of the event