LAST WEEK BOB PENNINGTON took a look at Labour's EEC Manifesto and examined its proposals on nuclear weapons, its attitude to NATO and its approach to democratic rights. This week he looks at Labour's proposals on unemployment and notes its descreet silence on Ireland. IF LABOUR is going to rally voters behind its Eurobanner it has to come across as the party that is speaking up on the issues that concern them. What's more, it must have policies that look capable of solving the problems that plague society right now.
An issue copy ng millions people unemployment. In Britain there four million on the dole and the prospect of most of them getting a job mediate, or even the medium term look distinetly bleak. Nor is this a problem peculiari!
British.
Unemployment scourge that is spreading across capitalist curope Italy and Germany alone nave over million workless. But CONE get carried awar with the idea that 'crusade for jobs' is a clarion call 1or working class solidarity to beat the Cole cucuc The Manifesto lamely calls for 'all the member states to work together with others to pull Europe out of the siump'. Such proposal in Europe torn by capitalist rivalry is, to say LooKohl is more Chancellor interested in boosting German capitalism and makmeddled chaipeline • it can corner markets the other European capitalists would like, rather than cutting dole queues.
al c Mitterrand and his socialist supporters 1oo keen on helping Britain oui socialist leader of the CFDT, outs competition above cooperation when it COHe French capitalism. He has been 'We are beginning to see our competitors producing more reliable cars.' Labour's hopes that the all going to pull togelner to keep us i work a futile dream. The governments are committed to programmes austerity - Krasucki. the leader of the French CGT, Mitterrand's damns called plan for steel as an "anti-steel plan"!
Meanwhile Mitterrand is promising to lower taxes industry to encourage to invest. In Ine Dosses Germany the austerity programme is summed up Hans Mayr Metal leader who say. 'high profits for nicalls them and lower purchasing power for us' Like Thatcher the other governments EEC are out to slash jobs, cut public spending dild reduce living standards — in Germany last year, profits went up nine per cent and real wages dipped by per cent. year bnusn maustry broke I own record by importing more industrial it exported.
Against this background of accelerating slump savage government-inspired austerit! programmes Labour': plan for public investment and its offer to help British inour lo will markels home abroad' falls fat. It is a programme that is dependent on collaboration with the capitalists who keep stubbornly insisting on investing their money overseas because they can get a better return there!
There are no suggestions for nationalising the firms where public investment is supposed to go. All the Manifesto suggests Is making the 'institutions of the community' being made 'fully accountable through their own parlament. There are no plans for taking over • control of the banks and thus stoppof the country Even worse the Manifesto has nothing to say about what we should do in the here and now about job losses. Presumablv we must wait until Labour gets a majoritv in Britain and the curosocialists take over in Brussels. This is why the miners' strike, which has been the most inspiring and determined fight to keep jobs gets no mention.
Ah, , say the authors of the Manifesto, we are In favour of achieving 'rapid progress towards 35-hour week without los: don t m However they It make any proposals about united trade union and socialist action to win the 35-hou week. Perhaps they think the employers can be persuaded during a slump to • for less pay. Such faith rather touching.
The German working like the British miners, prefer action to faith have been organising to get a 35-hour They have rejected week Kohl's claim that 35-hours without a pay cut is 'daft and silly' ana know ina firms like Daimler Benz won't give an inch over what Guardian correspondent Walter Schwarz calls the 'sacrosanct 40-hour week'. The last for the 35-hour week held in Bonn attended by over 200,000 people. But Manifesto is coyly silent about linking up with this opposition to job 1ilass loss just as it keeps quiet on the miners.
And this will not do. Either Labour stands four square with who refuse to go down the road ' bidding or it al ine bosses restricts its opposition to promises of how life will better when gets elected. Such an approach will will it solve anything. But inspire no it is on Ireland that Labour mark nought out of 10 As British troops ram page and intimidate their way through the North and the courts dispense a justice that is an affront to human rights, Manifesto stays quiet or Ireland. Yet opinion po! after opinion poll show that there is a majority :! Britain for the withdrawa of British troops and in favour of a united Ireland But instead of building or. this mass support and link ing up with most of the socialists against presence Labour maintains its bi. partisan policy It puts the interests of its own capitalist before that of the Irish per back what turn what mass against Tory policy on thi issue. Even waer is on 1 a winner its leaders allegiance to British imperialism.
On Europe it ducks the Nowhere does the Manifesto say it is commitof the EEC — but after all that is only a comerence gecisio.
but says it has an 'op tion of withdrawal' Such an inspiring pro but Labour's enemies. 14 June turns out worse than Labour hopes for then it has only its timid and its impractical leaders to blame!
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