A POSTCAPITALIST PARADIGM: THE COMMON GOOD OF ...

fair distribution of wealth; universal, integral, solidaristic and participatory
social security; a tax on financial transactions, particularly those that are
short-term and speculative; States that are genuinely democratic and
participatory where the social actors (employers and workers) and other
sectors of organized civil society are authentic protagonists; the development
of renewable energies; ethics in political, economic and social
action; the reinforcement and revalorization of public control bodies;
gender equity and serious reform of the international institutions.
These are fundamental elements for changing the [present] situation
and progressing towards a society that is local, national, regional and international
and [above all] human, based on social justice and solidarity.
The environment and work
In line with its fundamental role of defending the interests and aspirations
of the workers, the trade-union movement also devotes its work and
struggles to the right to free trade unionism, collective bargaining, security
and hygiene in the work, job stability, the rights of migrant workers (starting
with the right not to emigrate), non-discrimination for reasons of gender,
colour or religion, fair wages, universal social security, permanent
and life-long professional training, the participation of workers in the profits
generated by their work – that is, the struggle for social justice.
Added to these historical struggles of the trade union movement, there
has been a growing struggle to defend the environment. In fact, for a
long time but mainly since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992,
there has been intensive work in favour of human ecology and a social
ecology of human work. These are now inseparable from the struggles
for the historical claims of the working class for a sustainable social and
ecological development, against climate change and the greenhouse effect,
the defence of humanity’s water heritage, the promotion of renewable
energies, the right to food and to universal education, access to
health care, etc.
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