EAPN AGM - Speech
THIS SPEECH WAS DELIVERED TO THE EAPN GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN THE NETHERLANDS, 19 NOVEMBER 2004. (APOLOGIES FOR THE NOTE-FORM LAYOUT)
Introduction
Thank you - I am delighted and honoured to have received the invitation to speak at the EAPN General Assembly.
When I listen to EU rhetoric, at times I feel we only see part of this historic undertaking - we talk a lot about values and visions, and this vision often seems very practical, but this is never more so when we are talking of the Lisbon Agenda - now to be the focal point of the Social Fund.
It has been reduced (Reduction) to become the " most competitive, knowledge based society..." I don't know about you, but I find myself waiting for the rest...
True of most of the Commission hearings - although there have been a couple of honourable exceptions, including Mr. Spidla - who is fortunately Commissioner for the Employment and Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Committee, but he will have a major conversion and education job (target for evidence of life-long learning perhaps) with most of the other Commissioners.
Lisbon of course covers sustainable growth, more and better quality jobs, and social cohesion.
Looking from London , where I am from - it feels like separate country but not part of a federation - there is very little scope re taxation, for example. There are around 300 languages in its schools. London is one of the richest EU areas but it contains some of the poorest parts of the UK. Housing is very expensive and it is overcrowded and poorly maintained.
There are many large families and significant numbers of ethnic groups. This leads to single pensioners - many of which are women. There are many single doctor practices and these are aging, many of them are migrants and when they leave they are not replaced. Another factor is poverty related illness.
In London you also have the aspect of fabulous salaries vs. very poor pay, this depresses the social sector, for example when any year bonuses are not paid. The minimum wage is not a liveable wage in London - an area which has the highest cost of living in EU.
Moving on to the Microcosm of the EU. There are different areas of poverty. There are various pockets of poverty and there is individual poverty. They all have some common problems (not enough cash!!). We need a range of solutions for sound long-term outcomes - there is a need for active involvement from civil society, including those directly experiencing poverty.
We now see that there is a growing attention to the "Social Agenda" in the EU
My personal preference is, I suppose, an enhanced Lisbon, as we often talk about enhanced co-operation.
It also contains sustainable development - it includes the environmental dimension.
Why is this important in the debate about poverty?
- fuel poverty in many countries
- Lots of high traffic areas lead to poor air quality
(the most likely cause of death in London if you are a poor, black child is road accidents)
- this is mainly because there is a lack of safe play areas
- fresh food deserts - diet
On the issue of meeting our targets for reducing gas emissions related to climate change, how can we hope to achieve this if we don't have workforce trained to fit and maintain solar panels, CHP systems, etc. We could make some of the training schemes in the EU in the poorest areas, changing them into cutting edge environment schemes! the desire is there.
In research I commissioned 3 years ago, I looked at how EU aligned Employment/Social Inclusion/Environment agendas showed young people on deprived estates in Hamburg and North London care about the environment and want to help improve it - but they don't know how: there are no coherent training strategies on this at EU level.
9. When funding commitments to tackle the environment are made, they are not always taken seriously ("stick a bit of recycling in to tick that box") So serious monitoring needed!
10. So, if we invest in: high standard, energy efficient housing we can provide local employment, warmer homes, better health and less misery.
One of the things we know - tackling poverty, social inclusion multi-faceted
C) Where else to invest and protect?
1. Public services - SGI (so many privatised in the UK)
In UK - stripping away of state - "getting the government off the backs of people" (Thatcher) BUT effective public services and their effective delivery (often though local government) are ESSENTIAL for social cohesion - education, health systems, street cleaning, social services - services provided in common.
- Quality of education - life determining factor. Trouble reading/writing/numeracy can often cripple your chances of decent job etc. and is disempowering in so many aspects of our lives (access rights, entitlements)
- Core services - child care for other dependents. How can you hold down a job if you have no care you trust or can afford?
2. Utilities - Energy, H20 at affordable rates
3. Services - a sector to watch and an area under attack. From WTO and GATS, given form in the Services Directive currently before Parliament. Ask your MEPs what they can make of it. Some of us consider it a dangerous, poorly written total mess of a piece of legislation - but others think it will create thousands of sorely needed jobs through liberating the service sector!
4. It's not part of the Social Agenda for very good reasons! Consequently the Greens have asked for a Social Impact Assessment.
D) Where next?
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION MEASURES
a) Truism/mantra - best way out of social exclusion (poverty) is through employment (Questionable but..)
b) Doesn't work if you're the victim of bigotry and prejudice
- How do you stay in work longer if employers believe that anyone over 40 is a liability?
- What's the value of you staying on at school, getting a degree if - as a UK graduate of Bangladesh - your chance of getting a job is the same as that of a white 16-year old with no qualifications
- Or, as a woman graduate in the UK you will probably start your working life with lower pay than a male graduate of similar qualifications and stay with that gap until retirement.
c) We need to implement the Anti- Discrimination legislation we have relating to employment (covers training - IT for older workers - huge boost to their work opportunities); recruitment practices (certain names omitted) reasonable adaptation - disability.
d) This is a job from grassroots - MEPs and back again
The Commission is serious on this and the Employment and Social affairs Committee is keen to take on this role - PUSH US
e) Enormous improvement for ethnic minorities like ROMA and WOMEN: especially likely to be living in poverty
E) SOCIAL SECURITY
"Social Security Systems a richness for the whole of Europe"
1. Told that we "must make work pay", doesn't mean we should demand better wages.
2. Two things:
- tackle the anomalies that mean working makes you worse off because you lose certain social welfare payments ( UK - housing benefit, etc.) or your social security entitlements if study or volunteer over a certain number of hours.
SENSIBLE: Pushes informal economy - loss of entitlement to social security benefits ( Italy 50% of economy informal)
- Make every effort to stop paying you ("Target" or "penalise"). Might be more logic in this if:
a) Job existed
b) Employers weren't prejudiced
3. Sufficient basic income is essential - shouldn't be "punishment" income if you want to tackle social exclusion as well as poverty. Not being able to participate - even go to a free event - because you cannot afford the bus fare is degrading.
4.The Commissioner on minimum income - make sure we pressure him. (Italians and Norway)
5. Flexible Workers - need flexible social security to back it and app. protection at work. DIRECTIVES - Working time/Temp agencies and other rights
VISION
1. I Feel I've presented a minimal shopping list:
2. Tried to identify some ways you can work with us, MEPs, nag us, push us, follow us...?
3. What does it add up to?
4. Do have a vision -
One of the richest regions on earth in financial terms; have high levels of education, lot of environmental benefits.
We cannot do that while we believe economic growth alone matters and not who benefits from it or what is being consumed and at what cost.
The EP can help to create that but it's not yet a common goal - you, and the people you represent, are crucial to making that change and to continue working together - Confidence to protect what we have that's positive and confidence to develop together.
Power not in law but in people