|
VII - The Period of Transition to
Socialism
· The
gradualist method presupposes an "initial period of transition to
socialism" ("Fifteen Theses," p. 14) during which the workers
will little by little take over the enterprises that are still left in the
private sector.
· This
will be done by gradually increasing the power and importance of the
"comites d'entreprise" (joint production committees):
--
"The committees . . . will necessarily be consulted before [taking] any
measure having to do with hiring, firing, assigning and changing posts,
classifying workers, determining work rhythm and the whole of working
conditions in general" ("Common Program - Proposals for
Updating," p. 53).
--
"The joint production committees . . . will be fully informed about the
principal aspects and results of the management of the enterprises"
(ibid., p. 53).
--
"The joint production committees will be informed in advance and consulted
about all economic and financial plans, investment and financing programs, the plans
of the company and its policy regarding pay, training and promotion of
personnel "(ibid., p. 53).
--"In
order to submit this information to the discussion of all workers, the joint
production committees . . . may hold a meeting of the personnel at their place
of work during one working hour per month " (ibid., p. 33).
· During
this "period of transition to socialism " the State will intervene
especially to ensure, through laws, the continuity of the process:
--
"For socialists, it is an essential responsibility of the State to
intervene by law in order to fight every legal aspect of labor relations that
weakens either the individual's job security or the collective organization of
workers in the company" (Program, p. 227)
· In
this stage of the process, the State will impose a series of measures
supposedly favoring the workers, such as:
--
"Contracts of indefinite duration which will be the basis of normal labor
relations" (Program, p. 227).
--
Prohibition of "enterprises based on temporary employment" (Program,
p. 227).
--
"Union of the worker community . . . facing the holders of capital "
(Program, p. 227).
--
Prohibition of "every partial or total closure of an enterprise by the
employer as a means of pressure or sanction ("Common Program - Proposals
for Updating," pp. 52-53).
--
Prohibition of "recording, in files . . . non-professional information,
data or evaluations that might be harmful to the worker" (ibid. p.
53).
--
Right of veto over "decisions to hire and fire and decisions concerning
the organization of work, and the company's training program" (Program, p.
242).
--
Right of "control over all company expenses related to salaries, social
security, budget for training program, housing assistance, etc." (Program,
p. 242).
--
Technological innovations must not be an occasion to fire a worker but rather
to shorten his workday:
"Technological
progress will be imposed in France only with the workers, not against them.
They must be its beneficiaries and not its victims " (Program, p. 174).
--
"Firing will no longer be a right of the employer left to his own
discretion, For this end, the law will reestablish a requirement of requesting
prior authorization in all cases from the labor inspector, under pain of civil
and criminal penalties" ("Common Program - Proposals for
Updating," p. 51).
|