[PEN-L:1760] Re: Good News from France

[D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

Further to Jim Devine's upload and Marianne Brun's comments on it, the
Globe and Mail ran a story today saying that if the workers were
successful in France, it would call into question the entire project of
the European Monetary Union.

Sid Shniad

PS -- I seem to recall that a while back when we were discussing NAFTA,
some Penners were arguing that European Union provided a different, more
humane model for economic integration.  I trust that this view does not
prevail today.

>
> 	I would like to see workers in other countries show solidarity with
> 	the strikers in France.  There should be solidarity strikes all
> 	over.  Whether or not the strike in France is successful, it is
> 	a first move, and it might rid us of the ubiquitous chorus of:
> 	"There is nothing we can do".  >
> 	
> 	Marianne Brun
> >
> > On Wed, 6 Dec 1995, James Devine wrote:
> >
> > > "The strike by transport workers and other public employees has
> > > paralyzed France since Nov. 24 ...
> > >
> > > "But what has really shocked President Jacquez Chirac and his
> > > prime minister, Alain Juppe, is broad sympathy among ordinary
> > > French citizens for the strike -- illustrated by the hundres of
> > > thousands who joined more huge protest marches across the nation
> > > Tuesday -- and the level of antipaty for the president they
> > > elected six months ago.
> > >
> > > "Instead of becoming angry at the strikers, most French are angry
> > > at the government. Very angry. Candidate Chirac promised them
> > > more jobs and higher salaries. President Chirac is demanding
> > > major sacrifices in the sacrosanct state welfare system to reduce
> > > its soaring deficit, and he has flatly refused to back down."
> > >
> > > -- "Public Support for Strike Stuns French Leaders," by Scott
> > > Kraft, L.A. TIMES, Dec. 6, 1995.
> > >
> > > No only is this good news, but it suggests that Daniel Singer's
> > > view that French politics became "Americanized" under Mitterand,
> > > though seemingly right at the electoral level, is wrong at the
> > > grassroots level.
> > >
> > > in pen-l solidarity,
> > >
> > > Jim Devine   jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ.
> > > 7900 Loyola Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045-8410 USA
> > > 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950
> > > "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way
> > > and let people talk.) -- K. Marx, paraphrasing Dante A.
> > >
> > >
> > Jim,
> >
> > Thank you for posting the news about France.  I was looking for something
> > like this in the past few days.
> >
> > The struggles in France are around the very same issues we are facing
> > here.  Here is a role model for us.  We will be discussing this in an NYC
> > student coalition meeting next Saturday.  We in the U.S. need to widely
> > discuss the French events on our campuses and work places.
> >
> > Does anybody have access to NET addresses in France?  It would be great
> > to get first hand information from friends in France.
> >
> > Behzad
> >
> >
>
>