Diary of the
European Marches 1997
N° 1: Paris, Monday 14th april 9 p.m.
Friday 11th april in Tangiers / Morocco
The launch of the March in Tangiers, Morocco took place on Friday afternoon, 11th April. A press conference was held on the premises of the Moroccain Trade Union (UMT), one of the two large trade unions in Morocco. Present were 200 people; Moroccain trade unionists, delgation from the association of Educationally Qualified (school leaving sertificate etc.), principale unemployment association, and delegations from France and Spain.
A meeting was held in the street, joined by a further 200 people.
Saturday 12th april in Algésiras / Spain
On Saturday morning, the 12th April, the marchers took the boat for Tarifa, a small town on the tip of the Spanish peninsula.
Four Moroccain marchers from Tangiers were due to cross the straits in order to join up with the March: 3 marchers this week-end and 1 shortly afterwards. The Spanish authorities refused to grant them visas.
The French and Spanish marchers leaving from Tangiers joined up other marchers from Spain, France and Germany, at Tarifa. Later in the afternoon they arrived in Algesiras for a reception organised by the town hall. There were about a hundred marchers present.
The next day, the marchers left for Seville.
Saturday 12th april Grenoble / France
Delegations from different European countries arrived in Grenoble during the morning. From Turin, and Milan, Italy, came 50 marchers, joining other marchers from Spain, Switzerland and Great Britain. There were also French marchers from Paris and Lyon. The British representative regretted that they had to delay their own marches two weeks after the General Election of May 1st, but that it was vital to get rid of the Conservatives first, and that they were closely following all marchs that had already started. The Mayor of Grenoble laid on lunch for the marchers before their departure.
After the reception at the Grenoble Town Hall, 150 marchers left for Saint Martin d'Hères where the Italians then left the march to return by coach to Italy. The marchers walked on to Gières for a reception and refreshments where an open-air debat was held on the local problems of unemployment and social exclusion. The local town hall explained their initiatives to promote seasonal work during the tourist season for the local youth unemployed and promised to examine the question of free transport for the unemployed.
Already the first videos and photos of the French Alpine march have been received in Paris. These videos were made by 2 marchers trained by Canal March.
Saturday 12th april at Brest / France
The march left at 14h.30, supported by 150 to 200 people. The Brest group was made up of AC!, Culture and Liberty, CGT Unemployment Committee, Federation of Family Unions, UDSEA, CGT local district union, FSU, CGT Alcatel, Group of 10 with SUD, SNUI, SDE....
It should be especially noted that among the participants, there were 4 young people from Alençon, who have now joined the Breton marchers after following a marchers' training programme. They will march all the way to Amsterdam.
There was a reception held at the Brest Town Hall where the Mayor promised the marchers to meet the Brest collectif in order to discuss a wide range of local problems, such as free transport for the unemployed and housing problems.
Arrival in Plougastel where a Bagad - a Breton orchestre with bignous and bombardes played to the marchers, followed by a reception at the town hall.
De 300 à 400 militants de différentes associations de chômeurs (AC!, APEIS, MNCP), de lutte contre les exclusions (DAL, Droit Devant!!, CDSL) et de syndicats (SUD, syndicats CFDT,...) ont occupé le château de Versailles, et en particulier la chambre du roi et son balcon.
C'est en effet de ce balcon que, le 4 août 1789, ont été annoncé l'abolition des privilèges. Ceux-ci étaient, à l'époque, liés à la naissance. Aujourd'hui, c'est contre les inégalités liées au revenu que l'action était menée.
Cette action avait pour but de protester contre une loi dite « de cohésion sociale » qui sera présentée au Parlement le 15th april et était l'occasion de marquer, à Paris, le coup d'envoi des marches européennes.
Sunday morning, 13th April, 30 permanent marchers continued the march. The cortege was preceded a tractor driven by a member of the delegation from the Federation of Small Farmers. By 11h.00, the march arrived in Daoulas (3,000 inhabitants) in time for the local market. Here the marchers' stock of badges and march journal was entirely sold out,to such an extent that it seemed as if the local population were all wearing badges and carrying the march journal! An official photo call took place in front of the town hall.
Monday evening, 14th April. A public debat was arranged at Chateaulin on unemployment and rural employment with the Federation of Small Farmers and the trade union Group of 10.
Sunday 13th april Paris / France
Around 300 to 400 activists from different associations of the unemployed (AC!APEIS,MNCP), and those associations in the fight against social exclusion (DAL,Droit Devant!!, CdSL), and unions (SUD unions from CFDT...) occupied the Chateau of Versailles where they took over the King's rooms and spoke from the king's balcony
This was the very balcony that on the 4th August 1789, the abolition of privileges was declared. At that period, such privileges was linked to birth. Whereas today, the struggle is against the inequality of income!
The object of this action was to protest against a bill, incredibly entitled, the bill for »social cohesion«. This bill is due to be presented before Parliament on 15th April, and that is also the day chosen for the official launch of the Europeen March.
Sunday 13th april Almeria / Spain
After a mass meeting in Almeria, the march left with about 100 supporters. The marchers were made up of French and Spanish nationals.
Monday 14th april: Sarajevo
A symbolic departure of the European March was organised at Sarajevo and Tuzla (Bosnia). This done through a press conference, because of the high number of journalists covering the Pope's visit to Sarajevo on the 12th and 13th April. At the same time, there was also a series encounters and debats organised with miners and postmen from Tuzla, with further debats with hospital staff. It was agreed that 2 students from Sarajevo, joined by 2 postmen, 2 miners and 2 nurses. should join the march to Amsterdam.Monday 14th april Crotone / Italy
A rally was held at the Eni factory, a major productor of the Italian chemical industry, now in the process of being privatised. Hundreds of workers were present at the rally which was organised by an ad hoc committee of all the non-federated unions and to the local CGIL. The rally decided upon joint action and for coordination in the combat for employment in the meridional regions of Italy.Monday 14th april in Finland: en attente de leurs informations.
Monday 14th april Portugal
Message from Carlos Lopes, du Centro de Apoio Aos Desempregados, Setubal:Portuguese marchers are with us in spirit and hope to be there in Amsterdam on the 13th and 14th June, to express their anger with all the other European and International marchers, against the men who are responsible for the situation which has lead to unemployment, job insecurity and exclusion.
Text preparing the Marches Coordination 11/96
- The Marches
- 11/04
- Tangiers / Morocco
- 12/04
- 13/04
- 14/04
- 15/04
- 16/04
- 17/04
- 18/04
- 22/04
- 25/04
- Palencia / Spain
Sarajevo Tuzla / Bosnia Monday 14th april
The press conference at Sarajevo, Monday morning, 14th April, was somewhat disrupted by the Pope's visit taking place at the same time. However, news items were transmitted to different radio and television channels which retransmitted the news items (with Carol Faure, an unemployed activist of the French association). Still Monday morning, things going very well at Tuzla, a working-class and multi-ethnic town. Meetings took place with the miners' union, then on to the hospital, with Xavier Rousselin, from CGT Onic, and for the European Coordination. Later Carol and Xavier met the postmen at 14h.00 -their union was the first independent union to be created about four months ago. A union march took place in the town's streets, the first time such an event had occurred since the war. A ceremony took place in Kapija square, with people leaving bouquets of flowers at the spot where 71 people died, mostly young people, in May 1995. A wreath was laid in the name of the March. Eight Bosnians are to join the French march to Amsterdam in the middle of May. All that remains to be done is to get the visas.Dublin / Ireland Monday 14th april
The future march is due to set off in June. An official launch of the march took place in front of the European Commission Offices in Dublin. The rally was well covered by the media, with interviews of marchers, INOU officiels and with Christopher Aguiton for the European Coordination.Brussels / Belgium Monday 14th april
On Monday, while waiting for the march to pass through Belgium, Belgian marchers and other groups invited themselves for a little visit to the officies of Mr Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission. His office is well known to the unemployed, as it is on the way to the local job centre in Etterbeck where they have to sign on. Many associations were there, the Front des Sans Abris (Homeless), les Compagnons du partage, le Syndicat de locataires (tenants association), the Commission jeune de la Marche europ‚enne (Youth M.E.), and a local respresentative of the CSC. A delegation was received, where an unemployed worker symbolically offered a pair of used sneakers, worn down in the fruitless search for jobs to Mr Jacques Santer. The Belgian delegation also informed Mr Jacques Santer, that the European March is due in Brussels in May, and that it will make a special stop in Vilvoorde. The delegation assured him that they would certainly get in touch with him soon so as to join them in setting up a debat.Toulouse / France Monday 14th april
The European March will leave Toulouse on the 1st Mai. But as a kind of rehearsal, a demonstration and a squat was organised for the badly-housed by various associations,: the Mid-Pyrenees March group,(TO7, AC!Sud, DAL, UTC, APEIS-Cahors, Informelles, Culture and Libérté, CGT Comit‚ de Chômeurs, Groupe des 10, with the support of FSU, UD-CFDT, SGEN-CFDT). A subsidiary of Usinor-Sacilor was symbolically occupied for one night. A rally against the privatisation of France-Telecom also took place.Brest March/ France Monday 14th april
The Brest March Diary is being written up by Michel Cochet who communicates the energy and enthusiasm of those on the Brest part of the march. Here in brief is what he has noted: Monday, the 3rd day of the march. Stopped at the Nobel de Pont de Buis factory. Reception given by Sud Chimie, followed by a reception given by the local town hall. Then we continued marching on to Chateaulin. We suspended a banner over the motorway bridge which was cheered by lorry drivers. After a reception at the town hall, a debat was held in the evening on local taxes with the tax union, SNUI, and a representative of the Confederation of Small Farmers of South Finistere. There are fifteen permanent marchers on the Brest march.Le Mans / France Monday 14th april
The group of Le Mans (AC!,ASDEIC Bouloire, ASTRE Le Mans and La Flèche, Federation of Small Farmers, FSU, SUD-PTT, SNUI, Une Terre Humaine, CSF, JOC, Atams, CCQS, JAC, Paij) arranged a meeting in front of the local job centre (ANPE), to speak about the European March. A programme of initiatives has been organised for the region, which will include going to Alen‡on on Labour Day, 1st May, to meet up with the Brest part of the MarchGrenoble March/ France Mardi 12th april
On Tuesday evening, a reception was held for the marchers at the Chambery town hall. The mayor is a former socialist minister. The marchers met a tenant living in local council housing (HLM) under the threat of eviction at the end of the month. The order was made by the local town hall! At first they refused to reconsider their decision. But faced with the threat by the marchers to camp in front of the local town hall, the tenant was swiftly promised rehousing. Local groups have promised to keep on a eye on the tenant's case and to look after her.On Wednesday morning, there was an occupation of the local job centre (ANPE) of Chambery, to demand the right to put up notices by local unemployment groups; a meeting was held and tactics discussed with them. Later in the day, there was a visit to Trivalor business premises.Spanish March
Murcia / Spain wednesday 16th april
The actual departure of the Spanish march took place today at Murcia with two hundred marchers on route for Alicante. The march will then go in the direction of Perpignan, France. There are six French marchers, including two marchers trained to take video recordings of the march. The first important stop will be Barcelona, where a debat is scheduled on the rights of immigrants. Representatives from French immigrants and anti-racists groups plan to be if they can. The Catalan committee of the March is made up of trade unionists (CGT, Barcelona Workers Committees, Federation of Catalan Workers, etc.), associations (civic plateform for social rights, immigrant federations, Kairos, Soldarity Associations House, many youth organisations, the Assembly of unsuppressives, squat groups), and political organisations (the Greens, Catalonia Communist Party...)
N° 3: Paris, Monday 21th april 3 p.m.
Brest Marche / France
There is a Brest chronicle »Once upon a time in the West« being written by Michel Cochet. Four numbers are planned, and the first part is already available on the Internet in French. Reading it will give a lively impression of the rich panorama of the march.Tuesday, 15th April. Extracts from the chronicle. »The marchers are in Quimper. The march left for the Prefecture, accompanied by over 200 people. Such support warms the heart! It's clear that the people of Quimper kept their rendez-vous with the march. At the Prefecture, our friend the accordonist, agreeably completed his sono. We formed a symbolic human chain around the building, blocking the traffic. The results were great. We're received by the Head of the Prefect Cabinet. A first for the Breton March. He said that he understood us, and that he wished us well and gave us the best of luck, and also said that our march was vital in these times when unemployment is a scourge. His sympathy was such, that listening to him, you wondered if he really was a representative of the present government, which we know only too well...« Later after dropping by at the youth hostel, we set out to enjoy a sumptuous buffet given by the Mayor of Quimper at the House for Associations of Pen Ars in a working-class district. The local youths were also invited to share the evening with us. There was a lively atmosphere. The buffet was followed by a show put on by different groups of young people: music, juggling, Breton music - absolutely great! To round off the evening, there was a short debat. Here we invented a new sort of meeting: marchers lined up like rows of onions facing the guests and in a few words gave an idea not only of their experiences , but also their personal messages as marchers. The effect was incredible. The hall was full. The questions and answers were then followed by an appeal to the people of Quimper to continue this joint initative and to fight against local unemployment and to send a coach to Amsterdam. The presence of so many young people and in particular those from the local Arab community, served to underline the object of our action, which is to fight against the party of hate that is being built up on social problems caused by unemployment and exclusion. The slogan of the march is »work for all and all together!«
Arrived in Lorient, Wednesday, 16th April, where there was a meeting and a debat organsied by APEIS of Lanester and AC!Lorient. There were a less satisfactory level of participants compared to the preceding days.There was an unemployed person who raised the question as to why we were are so few and why is there such poor contact between the unemployed and the trade unions? Two ideas emerged from this discussion: firstly, that there should be closer ties between the unemployed and the unions, and secondly, there should be a consensus on key ideas, because this division with unions is not understood and is not dignified in the current social climate which confronts us.
At Hennebont, the marchers were warmly received at the local market, where the day ended with a big Fest Noz.
- The Marches
- 11/04
- Tangiers / Morocco
- 12/04
- 13/04
- 14/04
- 15/04
- 16/04
- 17/04
- 18/04
- 22/04
- 25/04
- Palencia / Spain
Grenoble March / France Mardi 12th april
The Grenoble Women's collective for the Rights of Women, prepared a white book for the march and a banner calling for »Unity for the Rights of Women.« This white book will be carried by women members of the march to Amsterdam and throughout the march will be used to testify their hand, their experiences and comments so that unemployed women can have the opportunity to express themselves. The women behind this initiative have also launched an appeal to interested groups to meet them at every stage of the march. Contacts: Elles s'en mêlent, 3 bis rue Cl&233;ment, 38000 Grenoble, or by E-Mail: nicolad@ac-grenoble.fr. Mobile tel. n° of the march: 06 08 57 82 10.Italy tuesday 17th april
In Italy there has been no march departures. But there has been a series of meetings in different towns and cities. The purpose of most meetings has been to creat the right conditions to set up independent unemployment movements and to encourage coordination on a national level with working people's organisations.In Rome, Tuesday, 15th April,
In Florence, Wednesday, 16th April,
At Livourne, Thursday, 17th April,finland tuesday 17th april
The marchers started out in great enthusiasm despite the stark polar conditions of the North of Finland, because the tiny village of Ivalo is well within the artic circle. A form of rally took place, organised by the Finnish Coalition of the Unemployed. The participants wore an orange chasuble. The march organisers estimated that they would be going through 81 towns and villages. The 4 marches will converge between Helsinki and Turku on the 10th May. This date has been chosen because it is the anniversary of the agreement made between the government and the federation of trade unions for the reduction of unemployment benefits. The media is following the march with close attention. As for Canal March, it is filming the Finnish marchers and the video cassette (n°2) will be available at the end of April.
Greece vendredi 18th april
In Athens, Friday, 18th April, a meeting was held with over 300 people, with the vice-president of the CGT, responsible for European matters and also a French representative. Mobilisation for the march started a few months ago. Therefore, the results of their efforts were impressive. There is a small network of the unemployed, which is a member of the European Network of Unemployed (ENU), which has started to talk about the marches.
Besides this network, there are militant left-wing trade unionists who have worked to alert other union groups on the need for a common plateform between workers and the unemployed and so as to benefit from the social momentum created by the European March.
While these first links were being established, an important debat had already started between the government (PASOK, the Greek equivalent of the French Socialist Party) and militant unionists of the CGT. (Greece has only one trade union, the CGT). This debat occurred just when the Greek prime minister announced to leading members of PASOK, that laisse faire economics must end and that two urgent reforms were necessary. Firstly, the loosing up of the labour market -meaning more flexibility, and secondly, the reform of social welfare protection, which targeted in particular, the state pension provisions. Faced with these agressive measures a large part of the CGT leadership looked for ways for mobilising a counter attack; the European March offered them an ideal means for rejecting the government's new European construction policy. Consequently, the organisation of the Greek mobilisation has got off to a very good start. Already, collectives exists in 25 departments, and soon there should be more collectives in the 52 departments of Greece. As for the problem of tranporting marchers, buses have already been rented and even a special Airbus has been rented to meet up with the other marchers in Amsterdam on 14th June!
N° 4: Paris, 23th april 8 p.m.
This diary covers the latest informations which we have received. It also includes two first hand experience reports: one on the demonstration in London, 12th April written by Peter Cooper, of the British organisation for the European March; the other report, is written by Michèle Prouzeau, a French activist, who joined the Italian march between the 14th and 20th April.
Spain / Valence / Mediterranean Marches 22nd April
The march left Valence for Tarragone. There were a dozen permanent marchers and 100 marchers for that part of the march.
In Tarragone, the »generalitat« (regional government) welcomed the marchers, but the mayor refused to meet them.
There was a demonstration in the town.
Spain / Madrid / March coming from Tanger 18th to 22nd April
In Madrid the European march joined in many different actions. They were received by demonstrators off to demonstrate outside a prison, to protest against the detention conditions of prisioners The marchers then joined forces with another group to carry out a squat and later on, they joined yet another demonstration this time with over 1500 people.
After Madrid, the next stop was at Segovia, where two demonstrations had been organised: one in front of the equivalent to local Confederation of Spanish Industries, and once again, another demonstration to protest against the prison conditions.
Madrid, Thursday, 24th April. Support for 32 workers made redundant at a chicken factory called »SADA« whose premises are at Palencia. The workers were sacked without any compensation, a delegation joined in the demonstration with a banner of the European March bbearing the slogan - SOLIDARITY. Convergence at Palencia with the march from Galicie and there, many marchers signed on to go to Amsterdam. In the evening, a debat was organised by the association holding the reception with the marchers took place and included the sacked workers of SADA.
Palencia, Friday, 25th April. Next day. Invasion of a Palencia supermarket by the marchersto denounce SADA,. All the cash-outs tills were blocked, and marchers demanded by the marchers boycott all SADA's products. The company itself is a branch of the Belgian group. This particular action made the front page of the local paper.
Italy week of the 14th to 20th April
There was a symbolic departure of the Italian marches in Crotone (at the extreme end of southern Italy) on the 14th April 1997. Symbolic, because unfortunately, there will be no marches from Italy this year, however a series of initiatives have been planned. A rally was held at the ENI chemical factory, a well-known popular symbol in the struggle for safeguarding jobs which has become very important over the last few years. There were representatives from all the ENI unions to confirm their participâtion in a unified movement of chemical and metalligurical industries. This is being set up on 22nd May and is specially aimed to protect jobs. National representatives from other Italien organisations were also present at the rally, where they agreed to work together for the mobilisation to go to Amsterdam.Naples 15th april
In Rome: two initiatives took place for the European March. The first initiative, on the 15th April, was to organise a reply to the Treu project,. This was organised by the Young Communists of the PRC, and also made up of different political tendencies which attracted around 200 people. The second initiative, on the 22nd April, was a demonstration in Rome. In both demonstrations, there was a call for the first time for a massive demonstration of the unemployed, fixed for the 17th June in Rome. In Florence, on the 16th April and in Livourne, on the 17th April, united public rallies took place. The Appeal for Amsterdam was made based on the list of demands drafted at the Brussels Assizes. In spite of a high level of grass roots activity in Livourne, the committe for the over-40 unemployed is relatively isolated from other groups and consequently, suffers from the effects of isolation.March Grenoble - 22ndApril
Halt!. Franco-Swiss frontier. No sign of life from the Customs control or even police. The March is free to cross the border without any control whatsoever and take the Geveva road. Arrived in Geneva, at 12h there is a reception in a squat. Lunch with about 50 militants, it's international and it's very festive. Morning: cortege of 200 demonstrators, crossing the city to join a rally in front of the headquarters of the International Labour Office (ILO). Decision taken to occupy an office. so that all the militants can get together, and as expected a very lively discussion takes place. At the end of the evening, a meal and a bed offered by the Geneva Town Hall.Geneva, 22nd April.
Early morning. How romanique! Breakfast on the Lake Leman in a boat owned by the elected representatives of Geneva. At 11h demonstration in front of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with about 100 people with debat. At 12h pic-nic in the WTO park, and also end of morning. Afternoon. Cortege of about 300 people, setting out to go through Geneva and denounce rampant neo-liberalism. Action -sticking posters up ; outside and inside Macdonald's,place covered with slogans denouncing the exploitation of staff. Split up of cortege outside ARTAMIS, a disused factory, which is now a housing 200 associations, all sharing a communal life,with culltural activities.Geneva, 24th April. Midday. Lunch for the marchers at Paquis on the Lake Leman beach., offered by the town hall. In the morning, visit to a retraining workshop and at the end of the morning, joined in a demonstration organised by Swiss teachers. There were over 2000 people, their welcome was warm as they greeted us with applause. Great sale of all European March badges and journal (A Amsterdam). Throughout the three days at Geneva, all actions and initiatives shown on Swiss television and writtten up in local and national Swiss papers.
News from Austria / EuroMarch-Vienna
- Vienna, April 14th 1997:
- In the forenoon a pressconference took place: journalists of the Austrian Press Agency, of one mass-paper and radio channels took part (small reports of EuroMarch were published by 4 mass papers).
- In the afternoon we organized a rally in front of the Union of Industry from 3 to 5 pm. Unfortunatly only approx. onehundred persons demonstrated: we condemned by hissing the profit policy of the capitalists and called up for EuroMarch (a simelar action took place in Graz in the forenoon).
- From Graz EuroMarch-activists started to 3 industrial towns in Uppe Styria to organize worker-meetings against unemployment, flexibilisation and poverty.
- At May 1st Independent Unionists and EuroMarch will organize a road theatre on unemployment. In the time before the EuroMarch-activists will demonstrate within different party-factions: Socialdemocracy and CP-left etc. But EuroMarch-activists will speak at the May-demonstration of a Left Bloc (CP and allies) and will march within the big bloc of Socialdemocrat with an EuroMarch-banner - EuroMarch will be mentioned by the loudspeakers of the SPOe-demonstration. This were the concessions of the socialdemocratic Union-Federation (OeGB) although it does not support EuroMarch (but the youth of the Federation of the employees does support us!).
- At May 2nd Female-Trec (women-organisations who organizes a women-train to Amsterdam) will organize a women-picnic against unemployment in front of the City Hall.
- At May 5th the Catholic Youth and EuroMarch will organize a discussion-meeting on youth-unemployment with the social-minister-woman Hostasch.
- May 27 and 28th EuroMarch Austria will support the International Actionday of the European and Austrian Trade Unions Federations (a demonstration in Vienna at May 27th and actions on the borders at May 28th).
- At June 6th EuroMarch Upper Austria will organize in Linz a big meeting.
- From Austria two busses and two reservations of train carriages will start at June 12 and 13th to Amsterdam. Until now only 5 »wanderers« of EuroMarch are registered. Maybe we try for them the connexion to Mannheim/Germany at May 16 and 17th.
- A EuroMarch group of Shop Stewards started in April an initiative for mobilizing Austrian worker-activists and shop stewards: Firstly to support EuroMarch and secondly striving for an independent Austrian conference of worker activists and shop stewards for full employment, against unemployment and flexibilsation of worktime. We are very interested also in international contacts i.e. to Labournet (UK), to Work Hazard Conference/Solidariteit (Netherlands) etc.!
Karl Fischbacher
e-mail: k.paw.fischbacher@magnet.at
- The Marches
- 11/04
- Tangiers / Morocco
- 12/04
- 13/04
- 14/04
- 15/04
- 16/04
- 17/04
- 18/04
- 22/04
- 25/04
- Palencia / Spain
