Europe Follow

Myth one: the "rule of 85" is illegal according to the European Union (EU)

The furore over the Danish cartoons shows the growth of Islamophobia, writes Alex Callinicos

British unions oppose Bolkestein The European TUC has called a protest in Strasbourg on Tuesday 14 February against the European Union’s Bolkestein directive.

Lies over the rule of 85 The government says the rule of 85 must go because it breaches European Union (EU) anti?discrimination rules. But Socialist Worker has learned that the EU has denied that there is any need for this. Unison is aware of the EU’s advice.

On 21 November European dockers took to the streets and defeated a second version of a European directive on port services. This unnecessary, provocative and unbalanced proposal was presented less than one year after previous protests had forced the European parliament to reject the idea.

Dock workers across Europe have won a victory against the push for more neo-liberal measures across Europe.

Since the public sector strikes of November-December 1995 France has been in the vanguard of the resistance to neo-liberal policies in Europe. The French referendum on the European constitution on 29 May 2005 marked a decisive defeat for this attempt by the ruling classes of the continent to hard-wire free market policies into European society.

Around 6,000 dockers attempted to storm the European parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Monday. Police used water cannons and tear gas to try keep thousands of workers from across Europe away from the EU politicians.

Following European wide strikes and a thousands strong demonstration that confronted the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, MEPs have voted to reject the proposed Ports Services Directive by 532 to 120.

At the end of last year, Irish workers took to the streets in their thousands to defend the rights of workers who had been outsourced. Irish Ferries had, in the spirit of the proposed Bolkestein Directive, replaced 453 workers with low paid migrant workers.

John Rees introduced a discussion on Respect by putting it in the context of wider developments across Europe.

The dates for the fourth European Social Forum have been announced.