UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Thursday 5 April 2012

So Who Takes Decisions in Europe?

UNISON has a record of questioning where democracy within the European Union lies and has consistently pointed out that the role of the European Central Bank overrides that of democratically elected politicians. Recent developments in economic policy have confirmed that the austerity programme that has been a policy reiterating a monetarist free market approach that places the wishes of bankers over the needs of the working people of Europe and has even lifted the ETUC out of its usual stupor.

Credit then to Aditya Chakrabortty in the Guardian for pursuing who was actually taking the decisions that have plunged working people into penury and seen unemployment across the Euro state reach crisis levels http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/02/bankers-decide-pay-mess-europe?INTCMP=SRCH

Reading the article confirms that the EU is blatantly a bankers Europe that ignores the industrial and social programmes, including benefits, pensions and employment and the wishes of working people, and prioritises the ideology of neo liberalism and the greed of the financial markets. Despite Cameron’s pathetic tantrums in Euro summits his economic policy follows exactly the same path.

The trade union movement across Europe has had a wake-up call about the true nature of the European Union and needs to start coordinating a strategic approach that challenges the undemocratic and elitist policies that have been imposed across the European state. UNISONActive has highlighted the heroic responses of trade unionists in Greece and Spain but our voice needs to be stronger and louder.
JC