Seminar 5 - 6 July 2007

Early July 2007, representatives of the Employment Institute from Slovakia, in the context of the project „old and new europe" met over 60 work councils and union representatives from six European countries in Stuttgart. From the so called „old Europe" representatives arrived from France, Italy and Germany, including a significant number of KAB and ACLI representatives. „New Europe" was represented by delegations from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Central for the Seminar was the the exchange about the practice or minimum wages and the rise of precarious forms of occupation. Within the two days a working group „Airbus Industries" linking participants from Toulouse and Laupheim has been established as well as a "Kaufland" group focusing on retail trade, composed by representatives from Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Germany. A French participant welcomed the concrete meeting. A French participant underligned the significance of the crossboarder meeting of people involved. Only if you know each other personally, he stressed, you are prepared to a mutual share of real authentic and internal information. The Croatian representative appealed at ver.di in Germany to increase the pressure on „Kaufland" in a way that existence-securing wages will be paid in all European countries.

For Peter Niedergesaess of the Catholic Workers' Movement (KAB) of Rottenburg-Stuttgart the conference was a good beginning to promote cross-boarder solidarity. The project is carried in Germany by the Italian Training Institute ENAIP, the University of Tuebingen, ACLI, Betriebsseelsorge, KAB, Evangelic Academy Bad Boll, DGB and ver.di. In order to improve communication, an international platform was established. Further information for people interested to join the o+ne platform.