Asbjørn Wahl comments on an important resolution adopted in Rio. In the resolution it is referred to ‘the Commons’ several times. What makes this remarkable is that the resolution is adopted by the Trade Union Assembly organised by International Trade Union Cpnfederation ITUC and Trade Union Confederation of the Americas. Wahl advises to the Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees, chairs the Working Group on Climate Change of the International Transport Workers’ Federation and coordinate the Campaign.for the Welfare State.
“Dear friends,
An impatient Trade Union Assembly in Rio on 11-13 June adopted a statement which represents an important step forward, in which it realises “that our current profit-driven production and consumption model, identified as the source of rising social inequalities and environmental degradation, must be replaced if a truly sustainable development is to be achieved”.
It further demanded that “the Commons, natural and energy resources are brought and kept under public ownership, securing their public preservation and administration with social control.”
In order to replace the existing model, the trade union movement must play “a decisive role in fighting for an alternative development model for our societies, grounded on peoples’ needs, on solidarity, on economic democracy and on a fair distribution of wealth”.
In this struggle, the trade union movement must “make use of our organisational capacity and our experience of past struggles to form a strong, organised global movement in a bid to spur governments and corporations, who are reluctant to act, into taking appropriate measures to tackle and stop climate change.”
This is something to live up to! Find the entire statement here:social inequalities and environmental degradation, must be replaced if a truly sustainable development is to be achieved”.
It further demanded that “the Commons, natural and energy resources are brought and kept under public ownership, securing their public preservation and administration with social control.”
In order to replace the existing model, the trade union movement must play “a decisive role in fighting for an alternative development model for our societies, grounded on peoples’ needs, on solidarity, on economic democracy and on a fair distribution of wealth”.
In this struggle, the trade union movement must “make use of our organisational capacity and our experience of past struggles to form a strong, organised global movement in a bid to spur governments and corporations, who are reluctant to act, into taking appropriate measures to tackle and stop climate change.”
This is something to live up to! Find the entire statement
http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/assemblyresolution_eng_tc_rev.pdf
All the best
Asbjørn Wahl”
Re “It further demanded that “the Commons, natural and energy resources are brought and kept under public ownership, securing their public preservation and administration with social control.”
I agree to some extent, that a large percentage of certain types of resources should be publicly held, but “Commons” is a very broad category. Ownership of the entire commons should probably never be over-concentrated in the state, for the following reasons:
“In my opinion it is not in the public interest for the majority of land or durable property in a state to be held in direct public ownership. I agree with Aristotle that individual custody and stewardship of property promotes moral virtues. It is also consistent with the principle of subsidiarity. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level. This especially applies to the custody and management of property, where absentee ownership is one of the most common sources of problems. Private ownership is still always subject to conditions (via common, statutory and administrative law) to protect public interests such as public safety, conservation, and sustainability.” http://almanac2010.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/all-ownership-is-conditional/
Poor Richard