(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
In "Ny Tid" no. 37 of 11.10.03, with the title "Fear of cowboy conditions in Norwegian working life", LO economist Stein Reegård is interviewed. He promotes LO's rage against the right wing's eagerness to provide cheaper labor and the government's state budget. Reegård says a lot wisely and states, as SV's spokespersons have done, that the government systematically weakens workers' rights. SV will fight against this as we are used to, also in this year's budget work. In an otherwise great interview, there is a reference to SV's view which must be due to a misunderstanding. Reegård states that SV has made itself a spokesperson for increased labor immigration and believes it must be related to the fact that the party has too weak a foothold in the interest struggle in working life. When an enlightened man like Sten Reegård speaks like this, I see a need to explain SV's starting point in a big and important question.
Like LO, SV has not yet concluded, the debate is ongoing – and it must be made broad.
We are kind – but not naive
We in the SV may be somewhat naive, but not so naive that we believe that everyone has the same interests as workers. Whether the attacks on trade union rights come in the state budget or in the frequent bills that are the trademark of this government, we choose the side. Organization and nationwide collective bargaining agreements have always been an important counterweight to dumping of working conditions. That is why people organized themselves in unions over a hundred years ago. In addition to facilitating a free trade union movement, the working-class parties must ensure adequate legislation. While SV consistently solidifies with workers, it is difficult for many, especially unorganized workers, to perceive that conflicts of interest and class differences exist. This is due to tabloidisation and de-ideologisation. It may seem that the contradictions become clearer as the attacks get rougher and then it will probably be easier to choose the side.
The fear of more social dumping, in connection with the EU's enlargement from 1.5.04 and greater scope of the free movement of labor, has been frequently debated recently. A few years ago there were other conditions in the kingdom. We had fewer unemployed and only a few industries were characterized by what Reegård calls "cowboy conditions" with loose employment and weak protection. Those who were exposed to this competition have not been the highest paid workers and there was less talk about how to meet this. The transport workers have long felt it on their bodies. The cleaners in and outside Arbeidsmandsforbundet and hotel and restaurant workers are struggling with exploitation and crime. The construction workers in Oslo have for several years made a huge effort to document how some of the rogue employers systematically undermine professional rights in the event of social dumping, not always wholeheartedly supported by the union.
Now many, even within the traditionally strongest working groups, are experiencing this problem. The Joint Federation has shed light on it recently at its national meeting and adopted resolutions. It has become an important issue.
We agree that we have a few hundred thousand too many free hands and that this is unacceptable and unworthy. The country has a government that plans to have such high unemployment in the coming years. SV has all come up with offensive proposals to meet this – without getting a majority. In the spring, we aggressively proposed a recipe to get 13 people to work quickly at the same time as important societal tasks could be done. We also agree that the opportunities for rogue employers to exploit people from countries with lower labor standards are good if we just leave the market raw. SV has therefore demanded an assessment of the consequences of EU enlargement for the Norwegian labor market, constantly without gaining a majority. Now we are here, in the midst of one of the great challenges in the fight against a more brutalized working life. It is a waste of time to pull from the hip towards each other.
Let them come, let them stay
SV is a socialist party founded on a humanistic and solidarity of humanity. Nationally as well as internationally, we are for equitable distribution of goods such as labor and welfare. For us, it is natural to make room for more, including through labor immigration. Just as we will be able to go out, as workers and students.
The right to work is enshrined in the human rights to which we have joined.
Those of us who happen to be born in Norway, who are constantly voted the world's best country to live in, surely have no exclusive right to work and wealth while others are starving?
"Let them come, let them stay" is a good old slogan – widely used against the right wing's constant restrictions in immigration legislation and in demonstrations against the deportation of refugees by us who want a more spacious Norway. It is not possible for us as humanists and socialists to push for closed borders.
But not for slavery
We do not believe that working life can regulate itself completely without it being the strongest right.
Therefore, we must ensure that the effects of the labor market become freer from 1.5. does not aggravate the situation we already have with the exploitation of labor from countries that are poorer and with lower labor standards. Today's control systems are not coordinated and good enough to prevent today's social dumping. Increased supervision and coordination of control are natural responses. It must have consequences for employers to break the rules.
We are responsive to professional strategies, but do not expect the trade union movement to take responsibility solely with instruments such as the organization and generalization of collective bargaining agreements. In the oil sector, with strong trade unions and well-organized workplaces with a great deal of security and control, it has been possible to put in place systems to monitor that no one who works on the Norwegian continental shelf will have lower wages than the Norwegian tariff. It is not realistic in all industries.
It is important to be aware that transitional arrangements cannot be used to avoid social dumping per se, but a means we can consider in addition that can give us some time to get on our good systems.
The government's only concern with increased labor immigration seems to be that it will lead to abuse of social security schemes. The human view of the right-hand side is completely different from ours.
We must therefore stand together against a development in Norwegian working life that leads to American conditions. Unfortunately, this trend has come a long way, especially in areas of the lowest-level working life, and it is being enlivened by the government. The fact that temporary employment is hindering trade union organization is a known matter. Weak unions are no guarantee for the welfare state. European working life is far and away harmonized to resemble American working life with the flexibility and timeliness that replaces collective agreements. Through the EEA agreement, we have given away a number of opportunities for management in favor of employers' desire for this flexibility.
This is a matter that should have been discussed more often in and by the trade union movement. What kind of conditions does LO have today with the EEA agreement that one would in time have to secure the export industries? After all, it is the one who brings with it both this free flow of labor and deprives us of access to have differentiated employer tax.
After the fall election, many more voters have strengthened our support and we are more in the municipal and county councils to fight against increasing class differences every day. SV does not have a majority with anyone to take all the steps needed to reverse the systematic liberalization of working life the right side has implemented in recent years. But we can make up for a shift in 2005. A shift that strengthens the interests of workers and the growing proportion of poor people in the world's richest countries.
