[DEBATE] : Re: Interview with Noam Chomsky for Global PolicyNetworkevent at WSF 2006, Caracas

[Tony Avirgan]

Peter,

I'm sorry it has taken long to reply to your good critique. I was on a
quick trip to S.A. and just got back home 9in he belly of the beast. 

I think we have to appreciate that the Labour Platform is very much a
compromise document representing the broad spectrum of political trents
of labour unions in the Americas. Genrally, the Southern Cone unions
tend to be more radical and the Central American unions much more
conservative. (The Canadians are very progressive and the AFL-CIO really
didn't have anything to do with this.) 

For me, the greatest value of the Platform is how participatory the
process was. Over 18 months, hundreds of unions debated he platform and
contributed to it. They all now share a sence of ownership and
empowerment.

Another great thing is that given the process, it didn't deteriorate to
the l0owest common denominator. The central American unions learned
something from the process and the debates and have definatly moved to
the left.

There is now a populart eduction (comic book) version of the Platform in
four languages. As soon as we get it posted, I will send the link to the
list.

As for your question about Chomsky's thinking on an international, I
will ask him and let you know.

--Tony 



Tony Avirgan
Global Policy Network
www.gpn.org
Economic Policy Institute
www.epi.org
Phone: 202 533 2555
 
Note our new address:
1333 H Street, NW
Suite 300, East Tower
Washington, DC 20005
 
-----Original Message-----
From: debate-bounces at lists.kabissa.org
[mailto:debate-bounces at lists.kabissa.org] On Behalf Of peter waterman
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 4:40 AM
To: debate: SA discussion list 
Subject: [DEBATE] : Re: Interview with Noam Chomsky for Global
PolicyNetworkevent at WSF 2006, Caracas

I found the source for the Labour Platform for the Americas, to which
the
Chomsky interview referred. It can be downloaded in pdf format from:

http://www.gpn.org/research/orit2005/labour_platform_eng_web.pdf


It is the most radical international trade union document on and against
capitalist globalisation I am aware of - even though I am not sure
whether
it actually uses the C-word.

My initial feeling is: necessary but insufficient.

Necessary because it looks toward a civilised rather than a savage
capitalist globalisation.

Insufficient because of its self-restriction to these parameters, and
its
dependence on concepts and strategies developed by liberal-reformist (as
distinguished from neo-liberal) academics and institutions. Its two
front-cover aims are, thus, 'decent jobs' and 'sustainable development'.

It is insufficient also because of its concentration on policy (of
state,
unions, corporations) at the expense of the process necessary to bring
about
even such reforms as it suggests. There is, thus, the implication that
such
changes can be achieved by unchanged trade union institutions and
procedures.

The final value of the declaration might be the provocation it provides
to
labour activists and intellectuals who are concerned to surpass the
parameters of capitalist structures and liberal-reformist thinking.


Peter Waterman

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