Union leader: "I wish we´d leave the EU"

The chairman of Transport, the Swedish transport workers union , Per Winberg was recently interviewed in No to EU's magazine Kritiska EU-Fakta (KEF). The fact that he was interviewed is no sensation in itself, since Transport have been a eurosceptic union for ages. They campaigned against the EMU and right now they are working for a referendum on the Constitution.

But a leader of a major Social-Democratic Union is not supposed to speak of such things as EU-withdrawal. It's just not on.

But things seem to be happening with-in the labour movement. A couple of months ago, the europhile chairman of the Builders Union, Hans Tilly said he was prepared to question the membership of the EU unless the threats against the Swedish collective labour agreements were struck down. This comment probably wasn't all that serious. I consider it more of a cry for help, begging the government to apply pressure in Brussels so that the European Court of Justice won't rule in favour of foreign companies working in Sweden with workers paid less than what is normal in this country. There is a case about that - the Vaxholm-case - coming up soon, and the Swedish labour movement is very worried. As far as I can see, EU-law is quite clearly on the side of the foreign companies, so if the government is going to do something they will have to apply a lot of pressure.

But the interwiev in KEF was different.

KEF: A couple of months ago, the chairman of the Builders Union, Hans Tilly said that he would question the membership of the EU unless the threats against the Swedish collective labour agreements were struck down.

PW: I'm surprised he said that. After all, he was in favour of EMU. But if they're waking up, that's fine. The membership of the EU is a great fiasko, and it's holding the Swedish labour movement back. I can't see that we have done anything through the membership of the EU, from a labour movement perspective, that we couldn't have done by staying out.

KEF: Do you think it is possible to leave EU and regain national independence and democracy?

PW: Yes, I do think so. At present I consider it desirable. Since I can't see that Sweden, and those I represent, and that the Swedish labour movement represent, have gained anything from this. So far, there have been sacrifices, and changes for the worse, so I´m unable to say anything else than that it would be desirable if the co-operation broke down. I have a feeling that time is on our side.

This is not just an angry man who very suddenly have discovered how the EU works. It's the meassured message of a labour leader and long time eurosceptic. And he's not just talking about withdrawal, he is actually saying that it would be better if the EU didn't exist at all.

Of course, Transport is a democratic union (one of the reasons they are eurosceptic) so the word of the leader is not law, but it is still very interesting.