At the end of October, world leaders gathered in Glasgow for COP26. Many activities and actions took place to put pressure on them to make sure that the decisions taken are commensurate with the challenges.

Building on the success of the trade union forum on ecological and social transitions, we believe it is important to continue to make the voice of workers heard and to strengthen the presence of trade union organisations at these international events.

As Alter Summit, we support the workers of the Greek Public Power Company (DEI) and all those who struggle against the privatization of the company decided by the Greek government and implemented by its administration.

The Forum will be organized around daily sessions from June 14 to 19. The sessions will combine presentation and discussion time. It will conclude on Saturday, June 19 from 2pm to 5pm with a plenary assembly where a united appeal will be presented in view of the Cop26 in Glasgow and addressed to all social forces engaged in the construction of an ecological and social transformation.

Since the beginning of the 2000s, austerity and the privatization of hospitals have slashed the number of available beds and taken them out of public hands.
As a result, health care costs have increased and are now borne by the sick, reinforcing a two-tier system. But more importantly, they have undermined the system’s ability to respond to a pandemic such as the coronavirus.

On 7 April, for the 6th year in a row, we organized decentralized actions all over Europe for the European Day of Action Against the Commercialization of Health and People’s Health Day throughout the world.

From Alter Summmit, we call on the UN, European Institutions and the government of Spain to stop the aggressions of the Kingdom of Marocco against the Saharawi people and their lands.

Unions and associations’ representatives of all over Europe participating in the Alter Summit Conference denounce the violent and completely unjustified attack of the Greek police against gatherings of unions’ and other collectivities for the 47th anniversary of the students uprising against the dictatorship. The repression in 1973 leads to 24 deaths and a hundred of injured people (1967-1974).

A week of action will take place from the 26-30 October across Europe. It will coincide with the call of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the global trade union federations for a day of action, “investing in care now”, on the 29 October.

Once again, the situation on the borders of Europe - especially in the Moria camp on Lesbos, ravaged by fire on the night of 8-9 September - reveals the non-politics of the European Union in the area of migration; the objective seems to be the decay of the situation, regardless of the human and social consequences.

The regularisation of undocumented migrants living in Europe is again at the centre of the political debate. Indeed, in the pandemic situation that we are experiencing, regularisation becomes a public health measure; it should remove the obstacles to access to health services. But it is also necessary to enable these workers, who have no rights and no income, to have access to the various public support measures.

After April 7th, the action continues: "Spread the solidarity, not the virus." Alter Summit endorses the press release of the European Network against Health commercialization and People’s Health Movement.

The European Union has taken several steps to respond to the coronavirus crisis. On 23 March, it announced a relaxation of the rules for balancing the budget (European semester) and a temporary modification for state aid within the framework of the Single Market. On 23 April, the European Council also adopted an extraordinary financial support package (ESM, SURE, EIB) and mandated the European Commission to propose a European Recovery Fund linked to the Union’s ordinary budget (2021-2027).

Faced with the virus, we humans rediscover our fragility.
But the pandemic reveals other things about our society...

For Europe we demand a public health service that is based on solidarity and that is universal and accessible to all, everywhere.
Hang your messages on a white sheet in a visible place or make a poster at home

Today, more than ever, it is urgent to act. The COVID-19 outbreak shows us the importance of coordinated action, not only in our own local health systems, but also nationally and internationally. What we need now is a strong solidarity-based health system for all and coordination that surpasses national borders, with effective action on a European and a global level.

The Helliniko Metropolitan Social Dispensary (MKIE) in Athens is once again threatened with eviction in favour of the largest privatisation project of an urban waterfront in Europe. Helliniko SA demands, in fact, by ultimatum set for 13/03/2020 at the latest, that the dispensary leave the premises that had been granted to them by the municipality of Helliniko-Argyropolis since December 2011.

Feminist mobilization has taken off in recent years in Europe (and worldwide). The improvement of the organisation of the movement (decentralisation, diversity of modes of action, internationalisation), the strong mobilisation of the new generations, the rise in general awareness on the theme but also the violence of neo-liberal and authoritarian attacks targeting women, should reinforce this dynamic.

Updated on March 2

The social movement opposes the project to introduce a points-based pension system and calls for an improvement of the existing system, which has suffered a deterioration as a result of previous reforms.

The next Alter Summit assembly will take place on 21&22 February in Brussels.
Please contact info@altersummit.eu to register!

In the Basque Country also, the mobilisation is important for decent pensions. But also for quality jobs and social rights in general.

This Tuesday 28 January, the FGTB Confederation is mobilising to defend the social security of Belgians.

"We are ready to strengthen our joint work and build the mobilization towards 7th April 2020 – People’s Health Day and day of action against the commercialization of health, together with all those who struggle for a better, more just and healthier world."

At the Alter Summit meeting held in Paris on 4 and 5 October, the undocumented strikers of Chronopost came to present their struggle.

"This September, millions of us will walk out of our workplaces and homes to join young climate strikers on the streets and demand an end to the age of fossil fuels.
Our house is on fire — let’s act like it. We demand climate justice for everyone."

France is the host country of the next G7 meeting to be held in Biarritz from 24 to 26 August 2019. We the citizens gathered within collectives, movements or organisations, will take the floor to remind us of the urgent need to implement profound and radical changes to our economic and social system, for the rights of each and every one of us, and the dignity of our restored Earth. The fight against inequality, and the urgency of climate and social issues, cannot be met with rhetoric.

In May 2019, European Parliament elections will be held in the countries of the Union. They will be celebrated at a time when social mobilization is on the rise in different countries. We are taking advantage of these elections to share the analyses and proposals of our network, Alter Summit. Since 2013 we have been denouncing the abuses of European policies and contributing, at our level, to the construction of alternatives.

Trade unions and other social movements, city councilors, municipalities, regional councils and even some governments can now claim victory over a proposal tabled by the European Commission in January 2017.

"If wars can be started by lies, peace can be started by truth"
Alter Summit calls for non-extradition and immediate freedom for Julian Assange

We share the call for the Climate strike launched by the youth movement. See you on the streets on March 15 accross the Globe!

Alter Summit supports this call for strike and mobilization and joins the fight against sexism. For women’s voices to be finally heard, this strike must make as much noise as possible. Alter Summit therefore encourages all our members who work for a social, ecological and feminist Europe to support the women’s strike!

The Yellow Vests movement, which emerged on November 2018, was born out of a catastrophic social and political situation throughout Europe.

With this declaration we commit ourselves to defend and generalize a health system and a social protection that ensures accessible, reliable, quality and non-commercial services for the entire population with sufficient and solidarity-based funding towards a truly social Europe

With the support of the Alter Summit network, the first European courier assembly was held on 25 and 26 October in Brussels. Bringing together more than 60 couriers from 12 European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Finland) accompanied by some trade unionists and researchers, this assembly made possible the development of a common strategy to fight platform abuses.

European Networks - Overview and Review. Workshop within the activities of ATTAC Germany, 5-7 October 2018 in Kessel.

Ten years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, it’s time to tell the story of the global financial crisis from a citizens’ perspective and to propose positive common solutions to put the public interest first in the future.

Emmanuel Macron’s government is attacking the SNCF. Alter Summit would like to express its full support for the company’s workers, all subcontractors, users and citizens who would pay the price for this privatization and dismantling of an efficient public service.

Since 8 January, nearly 4 millions workers in the German metal and electrical industry have been called by IG Metall to disengage and strike to demand a 6% wage increase and a reduction in working time to 28 hours per week for those who wish to do so.

Gathered in General Assembly on December 8th and 9th, the member-organizations of the Alter Summit network express their radical rejection of the logic of war and fait accompli chosen by the US President, D. Trump, about of the status of Jerusalem.

Friday December 8 - 7pm.
Rue Plétinckx 19, 1000 Brussels.
English and French simulultaneous interpretation.
Please register at info@altersummit.eu

The Alter Summit coordination group sends its warm support to the social movements in France, which are preparing a day of interprofessional, student and high school mobilizations on 16 November with strikes and demonstrations everywhere in France (https://paris.demosphere.eu/rv/57782).

Alter Summit want to express all its support to the trade unions, associations or collectives across Europe acting for better public services and particularly on October 10, when trade unions and citizens will strike and take the streets in Belgium and France.

On 21st of June 2017, 25 people coming from 10 European countries working and acting in trade unions, associations,NGOs and collectives gather for a one day encounter to discuss the difficulties the climate movement and the struggle for a just transition is facing. The purpose of the meeting was to debate those difficulties and build a space to overcome them and create confidence to favourish convergence.

The European Summer University will mark an important step in thd struggle for another Europe and will bring together more than 1000 participants from dozens of countries.

The Alter Summit assembly on 18 February appealed to everyone to continue and step up their solidarity with Greece, as well as strengthening alliances to fight austerity and neoliberal Europe.

Final declaration of the Rights4All Now Conference – 25-26 November, Brussels

In order to build our Europe, we must challenge the EU’s rules. The failure of its economic policies, its authoritarian policies, and the delegitimization of is bureaucracy are the breeding ground for the nationalist and xenophobic feelings that endanger democracy and peace.

The Alter Summit network and its member organizations want to express their full support and solidarity to the French social movements in their struggle for the withdrawal of the Loi Travail.

During two days of plenaries and workshops, we will discuss the urgency of an ecological transition, the digitalisation and internationalisation of productive processes, the political and social impact of migration and the necessity to defend commons and public services. We will exchange views about our struggles and practices across Europe and try to define common axes for action.We will also debate how to confront EU policies and institutions from our national and local perspectives.

April 7 is the World Health Day. Its the day choosen by Health users and workers, citizen collectives, trade unions and NGOs to demonstrate against Health commodification.
Alter Summit joints this Call!

Alter Summit calls its members to organise, support or join any demonstation or gathering opposing the UE-Turkey agreement in the « management » of the refugee crisis. Demonstations are already planned on 16th of March, eve of the EU Summit.

First of all, Alter Summit reiterates its will to work with all social and political forces fighting for another Europe. Alter Summit will join, according to its action capacity, any initiative. We will work for struggle convergence keeping our autonomy.

Europe is at the moment ruled by a permanent state of emergency: border guards filter migrants who arrive everyday at the external frontiers under even harsher criteria. Documents are controlled more indiscriminately. Security measures against the inhabitants of urban peripheries are on the rise. Municipalities forbid public demonstrations. Nationalist and racist discourses grow.

On 30 November and 1 December, the Alter Summit Network met in Paris on the occasion of the mobilizations for climate justice. Bringing together over 50 representatives of European organizations*, this meeting provided the opportunity to discuss several topical issues (terrorist attacks and wars, climate, migration), to take stock of the network activities against the austerity policies of the European Union, as well as to make different proposals for activities over the coming months.

"We, the people who take this initiative and sign the following document, address an appeal of solidarity to the people of Europe. We need your support to achieve an adoption of a law for the protection of workers’ rights through the effective restoration of collective agreements, by the Greek Parliament. This initiative will work openly and inclusive. Anyone who really wants to contribute to this campaign is welcomed. The only pre-requisite is the agreement for the essential restoration of the collective bargaining system. Our aim is to create a pan-European pressure in order to stop this coup of institutions that do not allow the adoption of such a law."

Call to all organizations and movements sharing our motto to integrate the action framework, contribute to our program and join us for the European Marches and in Brussels on 15th, 16th & 17th October.
To sign the Call please contact Sebastian@altersummit.eu.

Call open for all support via info@altersummit.eu
The night of July 13th will be remembered in history as the night of the European shame.

Support the Greek people!

On 27th of June, a meeting of european social movements will take place in Athens. The idea was launched on May 2 in Athens and confirmed in the Assembly of Alter Summit last 8th of June.
Greek social/political movements have already made a proposal for a public event in the evening (see document attached).

United we stand against austerity and social injustice

Call for a European bottom up mobilization, from movements of Greece.

More than 60 people representing around 40 organizations (networks, trade unions, parties, social platforms, see the list below) attended the meeting called by several European networks. We do not pretend to represent all European social movements. We just decided to join our forces to work together for the action mentioned below. We call all other interested organizations to join us in this effort. In a more long term, we are interested in doing a step forward creating a European Front against Austerity and for Democracy.

The Convergence assembly gathered this 28th of March in the World Social Forum in Tunis expresses its solidarity with the Greek people fighting against austerity, for democracy, social change and an other Europe.

Following the Alter Summit assembly in Brussels in March and the convergence assembly in Tunis WSF, we kindly ask the social movements and the Trade Unions willing to cooperate in solidarity with the Greek people, the Greek social movements and the anti-austerity policies of the Greek government to come to Athens and attend a coordination meeting on May the 2nd from 9 am to 2 pm.

Hans-Jürgen Urban, Executive board member of the German trade union IG Metall
A speech for a rally of the DGB (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, Confederation of German Trade Unions) as part of the Blockupy protests, March 18th 2015

For a democracy from below, let’s fight austerity everywhere

On 5th and 6th of March, Alter Summit will organize its next assembly. We will talk about Climate and TTIP mobilizations, and of course about the situation in Greece and the resistances against austerity in Europe. Welcome!

Alter Summit warmly congratulates the Greek people. They have clearly expressed its will for a change and the rejection of austerity ravaging the country for 5 years. It is a worthy and courageous choice.

An international campaign in support of the Greek people is forming in Europe. Alter Summit will be involved and participate in its capacity.

Different organizations support the general strike in Belgium on 15th of December...

Our national and European leaders continue to subject the people to the will of shareholders and multinationals while austerity becomes increasingly brutal. We call on all organisations and individuals to make December 19, 2014 a day of action and convergence of struggles.

Alter Summit’s workshop at the Blockupy Festival. Friday the 21th of November, from 2pm to 4.30 pm.
Haus der Jugend, Deutschherrnufer 12, Big room, Frankfurt, Germany.

Press Release - Brussels, 9 October 2014
October 11 is a European day of action denouncing the free trade treaties TTIP, TISA and CETA. Opposition is getting stronger every day as more and more sectors become aware of the threats they pose to our lives and our democracy. Hundreds of actions and activities are planned in more than 15 European countries (www.stop- TTIP-ceta-tisa.eu). This will also coincide with the launch of the European Citizens’ Initiative, bringing together hundreds of thousands of signatures to tell the European Commission to put a stop to these treaties (www.cncd.be/stop-TTIP).

Press release - Brussels, September 30th 2014
These days, the European Deputies will be induced to audition the candidates who were presented by the Member States for being part of the future European Commission. For Alter Summit, the team proposed by Jean-Claude Juncker is corrupted by the conflicts of interests and diametrically opposed to the European people interests.

Call for European decentralised multi-sectoral day of action against TTIP, CETA and corporate free trade agenda on 11 October 2014.

It is proposed that mobilisation takes place between the 15th and 22nd of September, ie the week before the court’s final decision on the 595 cleaners, which is set for the 23rd of September. A possible joint Day of Action could be the 20th of September.

The general assembly of ALTER SUMMIT condemns the outrageous police violence used against cleaners and janitors of the Greek Ministry of Finance demonstrating in Athens yesterday.

After the right-wing majority failed Left Bloc and Communist Party’s proposals in Parliament to integrate these workers with a legal work contract, yesterday more than half of the 400 workers of the telemedicine service “Saúde 24” (Health 24) went on strike against false autonomous workers, against the layoff of over 100 of their colleagues and demanding the resignation of the company’s administration.
The struggle of over 400 nurses against precarious labour and wage cuts is in the spotlight in Portugal, as the private company which runs the telemedicine public service has fired over 100 (...)

Press release, Brussels, 16 May 2014
This Thursday morning over a thousand people were in the streets of Brussels, attempting to peacefully protest against austerity and the proposed great transatlantic market (TTIP) which were being discussed in the absence of citizens at the European Business Summit.

Before the election of the European Parliament social movement activists, altermondialists, migrants, precarious and industry workers, party members and unionists and many more people call for European days of action from 15th to 25th with the slogan “solidarity beyond borders – building democracy from below”.
Activities in dozens of cities in nine different European countries have been announced already.

A successful mobilisation and a message that does justice to the crucial issues at hand
On 4th April, no fewer than 50,000 people, mostly trade unionists from all over Europe. responded to the summons of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to denounce austerity policies and demand that Europe travel a new route.

While the European Union crisis regime builds more and more borders in order to divide, exploit and oppress us, new transnational movements are arising. We are social movement, activists, altermondialists, migrants, precarious and industry workers, party members and unionists and many more, who want to connect our struggles and powers beyond nation-state lines. During the week before the elections for the European Parliament we call for the spirit of the multitude of these social movements to build real democracy from below.

Wednesday March 12, 2PM

Venue: Pletinckxstraat 19, 1000 Brussels

Two years after the first “Another Road for Europe” forum, the European Progressive Economists Network (euro-pen) in cooperation with Alter Summit invites civil society organisations, social movements, networks, trade unions and political forces to a discussion at the European Parliament in Brussels on the ways out of the European crisis.
19 March 2014 European Parliament • Brussels Place du Luxembourg Building Altiero Spinelli, Room ASP 1G-2
On the eve of the European elections in May 2014 Europe is faced with the prospect of economic stagnation, rising inequality and a growing divide (...)

On Saturday the 22nd of March, a huge demonstration will take place in Madrid as a culmination of the Marches of the Dignity, which over several weeks have walked across the Spanish geography in order to make visible the people’s rejection to the policies that local governments, under Troika’s dictate, have being implementing for several years to the vast majority of the population.
The main slogans of this mobilization are: Pro social and labor rights: employment, housing and basic income for everyone. In favor of democracy and against Troika’s policies. No to austerity: against cuts in (...)

You will find below, the call of the cleaning women of the greek ministry of finance in fight for their rights.
"We are 595 cleaning women and for years we have been working for the Greek Ministry of Finance. Since 18th September 2013 we have been in a state of suspension and in May 2014 we are to lose our jobs, to be FIRED.
We are all women – the gender discrimination is obvious – and most of us are over 50; very close to retirement and pension, which we will never get. Many of us have a one-parent family who live on our salary.
These austerity policies deprive us of our right to work (...)

Many trade union leaders and prominent academics in Germany have publicly declared their solidarity for the Alter Summit. Attached you will find their Sympathy–Declaration of the ‘European Alternative Summit’ in Athens.