From: •••@••.••• Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 15:57:42 -0300 Subject: SAND IN THE WHEELS (n°02) This is the edition in English of the bulletin of ATTAC, a fast growing organization against neoliberalism. Its main sections nowadays are in France and Brazil. SAND IN THE WHEELS (n°02) Weekly newsletter - Wednesday 09/08/99 %%%%%%%%%%%% Content 1- French Farmers Fight Globalization 2- The Toronto Dollar Project 3- Resolution on Trade and Liberalization and its Impact on Human Rights 4- News from a liberal business model 5- Rendezvous with ATTAC __________ French Farmers Fight Globalization What's the difference between Roquefort cheese and Coca-Cola ? Well, er ... However, there's one difference which has far-reaching implications, and - as recent events in France have shown - explosive potential. It is expressed by Philippe Folliot, mayor of the tiny village of St Pierre-de-Trivisy, centre of production of the ewe's milk from which the famous cheese is made: "Roquefort is made from the milk of only one breed of sheep, it is made in only one place in France, and it is made in only one special way", explains Mr Folliot. "It is the opposite of globalization. Coca-Cola you can buy anywhere in the world and it is exactly the same". He could have said much the same of McDonald's restaurants. McDonald's has been the target of a wave of protests by French farmers against sanctions imposed on a slew of luxury French food products, ranging from Roquefort cheese to foie gras. The sanctions were imposed by the World Trade Organisation (dutifully relaying Washington), in retaliation for the European Union's decision to ban imports of US hormone-treated beef. If the tiny village of St Pierre-de-Trivisy reacted to the sanctions by a 100% "tax" on Coca-Cola sold at local functions, as a symbolic protest against the US-dominated process of globalization, the radical farmers'union, the Confédération Paysanne led a protest on a different scale, when hundreds of its militants in the Aveyron region of South-West France demonstrated in front of the new McDonald's restaurant building site in Millau. The trade-union protest gave an early French send-off to the international campaign, due to take place from October 12th to 17th, against the Millennium Round (an MAI "clone" whose well-aired objective is to bring all human activities under the control of the transnational corporations). A disturbing aspect of the union protest in Millau was the reaction of the French authorities, who have in the past tolerated far more disruptive and even violent assaults on French institutions without any legal action being taken. In contrast, the demonstration targeting McDonald's, as a symbol of US-dominated globalization, gave rise to the imprisonment of five leading unionists, in three different prisons, with family visits forbidden them. As the Confédération Paysanne is a founding member of ATTAC, this organization has been very active in getting support for the five unionists. The latest news is that McDonald's, no doubt alarmed by the ruckus among French farmers and their supporters, has dropped charges against the protesters, and the Court of Appeal in Montpellier is expected to decide to release them. 09/07: Jose Bove has accepted to be released on bail paid for by French and American farmers, various organizations, ATTAC being one, and agricultural companies from Aveyron. The golden arches of McDonalds are indeed spanning the globe but they are also spawning a solidarity of mounting resentment to globalization. __________ The Toronto Dollar Project "The idea of the Toronto Dollar is old and new. It is a way that allows all to share in the community in a spirit of reciprocity that makes no distinction between giving and receiving." "All can be respected for what they bring, and nourished by what others bring. It is the genius of the Toronto Dollar to challenge the forces that separate people in buyers and sellers and have and have-nots." Toronto Dollar Community Projects Inc., a non-profit group, introduced the community paper money, the Toronto Dollar, on December 5, 1998. The main purpose of the Toronto Dollar was to create work - through community initiatives and groups - for those who are on low incomes, unemployed or homeless. The concept is simple: every time federal dollars are exchanged at par with Toronto Dollars, merchants contribute 10 cents from every dollar purchased to a fund that finances job creation as well as community projects via the Toronto Dollar Community Trust Fund. At last look, more than 104 participating businesses, including 21 restaurants and 25 participating non-profit and charitable organizations had joined and more are joining every week. So far about 65,000 Toronto Dollars have exchanged and have been able to generate 10 percent of that - $6,500 - for charitable community initiatives. The first beneficiary of the Fund was "Out of the Cold," a program where a network of churches co-operate to offer food and shelter to the homeless each winter. "It's trying to help the people and local businesses in the community that are under threat from government cutbacks," said Joy Kogawa, project president of Toronto Dollar Community Projects Inc. and Toronto author. After finishing her most recent novel, The Rain Ascends, Ms. Kogawa says she started thinking about the growing gap between the rich and poor. She saw money being channeled away from local needs, such as schools, hospitals and homeless shelters, to pay down the national debt. Was there a way to give communities a voice and some measure of control? she wondered. She began reading about alternative currencies, which have taken hold in many cities around the world. There's a rich literature on this topic, catalogued on the Internet by the Institute for Economic Democracy at http://www.slonet.org/~ied/. Some 65 other North American cities have used the concept and by year's end, Toronto Dollar Inc. hopes to have $200,000 Toronto dollars in circulation. "We're trying to build bridges in the community between small businesses and institutions in the community," says David Walsh, Treasurer of Toronto Dollar Inc. "The idea is to get it working well here first, and then let it spread." As of June 21, Toronto Dollars may be purchased at two Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) branches in Toronto. CIBC is the first major bank to participate in the Toronto Dollar project. As James Page, community manager for CIBC explained: "Our participation with the Toronto Dollar program is simply an extension of CIBC's commitment to enhancing the communities in which we live and work." Says Joy Kogawa, "There are people within banks who care about people. Wherever there are people who care, there is hope." Website: http://www.torontodollar.net/ __________ Resolution on Trade and Liberalization and its Impact on Human Rights Following their success in 1998 in urging the UN Commission on Human Rights to intervene in matters of international economic policy (specifically the OECD negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment), members of the International NGO Committee on Human Rights in Trade and Investment lobbied strongly for the resolution below with a view to influencing deliberations at the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (November 1999). The resolution was championed by Joseph Oloka-Onyango of Uganda, the principal sponsor, and spoken in favour of by other member states including: Françoise Hampson of the UK, Soli Sorabjee of India and Miguel Alfonso Martinez of Cuba. The resolution was passed on August 26, 1999, with a resounding majority of 18 votes in favour, none against, and 4 abstentions. Trade liberalization and its impact on human rights (resolution 1999/30) <snip> __________ News from a liberal business model >From the Bureau of International Labour and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Americans worked 2000 hours in 1997 (a 4% increase per year since 1983) or, in other words, two weeks more per year than, for example, the Japanese. Every other nation is seeing a decrease in the amount of time spent working.Salaries between 1977 and 1999 - 10% of Americans (the poorest) have seen their salary decrease. - 60% of Americans have seen their salary increase by 8% (less than 0.5% per year) - 20% of Americans have seen their salary increase by 43% - 10% of Americans have seen their salary increase by 115% (more than double) Figures based on after-tax and taking into consideration inflation. In 2000, 2.7 million Americans with the highest salaries, will earn as much income (after taxes) as 100 million poorest Americans.The average annual salary in 1977 was $10,000; in 1999, it is $8,800 after taxes and taking inflation into consideration. And in Europe, it's the English who are spending more time at work with also the greatest salary disparity... *******************************************************************
