Come and join us for the ERIS Saturday meetings at St Andrews Centre, Beaulieu Road, Dibden Purlieu, SO45 4PT. 10.00 am to 12.00
A number speakers will be coming from the European continent as well as speakers from the UK. A unique opportunity to hear voices from across Europe on issues Trade Unionists share in Britain.
ERIS Saturday Information meetings for 2025
December
November
October
September 13th The role of the Spanish Unions in bringing about and maintaining democracy from the civil war until today: Speaker Luis Pariza: (Spain) Former CCOO International Officer and E.E.S.C representative – and union activist during the Franco regime
June 14th Social Partnerships in Europe: Learning for Trade Unions to take forward English devolution: Speakers John Merritt (ERIS Research lead and Cooperative Development Worker) and John Early (Unite Rep on Southampton City Council, SE Region and NJC
May 17th What can we expect from the EU – UK Summit in 2025? Speaker Richard Corbett former Labour MP and MEP (Leader of Labour MEPS in the European Parliament 2017 – 2020)
April 12th The Social Partnership in the Welsh Parliament. The benefits for workers and Trade Unions Speaker Amber Courtney (Wales) Unison Information Development Organiser
Research Project in Brussels. Social Dialogue and tripartite ad quadripartite social partnerships: Interviews with;
Antoine Mertzeisen Advisor: Party or European Socialists (PES) (France)
Jan Willem Goudriaan General Secretary: European Public Services Union (EPSU) (Holland)
Nadja Salson Advisor European Public Services Union (EPSU)
Jude Kirton – Darling General Secretary IndustriAll (Europe)
Diana Dovgan Secretary General European Worker Coop Federation
March 22nd Countering Right Wing attacks on Climate Change Science: Speaker Basil Bye (President ERIS)
February 15th Germany: The European Economic dynamo. Is it running out of juice? Speaker Stefan Pfeifer (Germany). Former economic Advisor to the North Rheine Westphalia SPD Prime-minister and currently leading the current governments Apprenticeship strategy
January 11th London Recruits: Anti-apartheid activism in the 1960’s and 70’s and lessons for today Speaker Bevis Miller (UK). A former London Recruit, Chair of Bristol Anti-Apartheid group and first Administrative Secretary of the International Committee for South Africa
ERIS Saturday Information meetings for 2024:
7th December 2024. The role of trade unions in joint decision making at work and in the economy Speaker Maxi Leuchters – Senior research officer and consultant Hans Bockler Foundation. Germany
16th November 2024: The Defence Industry Strategy in Europe today. Politics and employment. Speaker Lennart Feijen full time official for NFV, Holland
12th October 2024: Green Jobs in Germany and Opposition to a Just Transition. Speaker Uli Langhorst – VERDI. Germany
September 7th 2024: A Workers perspective on the European Elections results 2024. Speaker: Mila Shamku. European Expert from Brussels
June 14th 2024: What should Trade Unions expect from a Labour Government. The Labour Manifesto and Trade Union expectations. Speaker Sasjkia Otto: Labour Party candidate for New Forest East and Fabian researcher. UK
May 11th 2024: The International Trade Unions working for democracy Speaker Steve Biggs: UK based for the International Transport Workers Federation. UK
April 13th 2024: Artificial Intelligence (AI). Opportunities and threats for jobs and democracy Speaker Basil Bye President ERIS and Unite. UK
March 20th 2024: Trade unions in the front line against climate change Speaker John Merritt Research Lead ERIS and Unite. UK
February 17th 2024: The German Public Sector: Problems and Solutions Speaker Stefan Pfeifer – Former Economic Adviser to the SPD Prime Minister of North Rhine Westphalia and IG Metal member. Germany
January 13th 2024: C.C.O.O. strengthening Workers Protection through social partnerships in Spain and the Basque region during a period of political instability. Speaker Oscar Arenas – International Officer C.C.O.O. (Largest Spanish T.U.). Spain
Meetings held in 2023:
Subjects and speakers
16th December 2023 Swedish Trade Unions takes on Elon Musk
Swedish IF Metal Union workers are taking on anti-Trade union employer Elon Musk, in Tesla’s first ever strike. Dockworkers, electric charging point maintenance workers and car showroom cleaners are adding their weight to the action.
Basil Bye – President ERIS
11th November 2023: The rise of far right in the Italian Government and culture and how Trade Unions are responding
Daniele Di Nunzio. Di Vittorio Foundation (CGIL) research team leader – CGIL – The largest Trade Union Confederation in Italy
Saturday 21st October 2023 TATA Steel: Could a just transition agreement lead to a different outcome
John Merritt – research lead ERIS and Unite
17th June 2023 Climate crisis: Workers Should not pay: A European Trade Unions proposals Speaker: Mila Shamku: Policy Officer European Transport Workers Federation (Brussels)
13th May 2023 Green Jobs in Germany The Impact of a new Government: Speaker: Uli Langhorst: Green Party Councilor Dortmund City Council and Ver Di Trade Union
15th April The Far Right and Social Media – How to combat them. Speaker: Lewis Bye-Brooks, University of Sussex, UNISON member
18th March. Building the Trade Union response to the rise of far-right. An ERIS workshop including references to recent TUC and ETUC reports on this vital subject. The cost of living crisis and increasing inequality make workers more susceptible to right wing ideas. It makes an already fragile democracy even more fragile. We must be robust in the Trade Union response to the right. Now is the time for action.
18th February. The Cost of Living Crisis – the danger from the extreme right in German; Speaker: Stefan Pfeifer – Former Economic Advisor to the SPD Prime-minister of North Rhine Westphalia and member of IG Metall (Trade Union)
21st January. A Workers’ Bill of Rights for an Age of Crisis, an ERIS workshop to consider the proposals the paper produced by the Institute for Employment Rights in a cost of living crisis
Meetings for 2022:
Summary of subjects and speakers.
February 18th:
January 15th meeting: Brexit Reality:The Prime Minister claimed he would ‘Get Brexit Done’. What did he mean, has he done it and what has got better, what has got worse and what hasn’t changed? A workshop
Meetings for 2021:
On-line meetings and smaller meetings were held during the months we were able to meet these were;
July 2021: Time for a progressive alliance? Speaker: Paul Dunn: Former South West Regional Secretary for Unison & Chair of the South West TUC
Chaired by John Merritt: Chair Dorset Cooperative Party and ERIS Board
June 2021: Free ports: Dangers and opportunities: Speaker: Ben Richards: Unite International Officer
Chaired by Tim Brookes: HCSA National Officer and ERIS Board member
May 2021: There is no such thing as a free lunch: The impact of the Marshall Plan on the UK and European Labour Movements: Keynote speaker: Basil Bye: ERIS President
Session 1 9.30 – 10.45 Chair John Merritt ERIS secretary and Unite Session 2 11.15 – 12.30 Chair Rob Martin ERIS Co-Chair and former GMB regional officer
April 2021: “UK unions post-Brexit: Internationalism rather than insularity to protect workers’ rights” Keynote speaker: Kathleen Walker-Shaw. GMB European Officer
Chaired by Tim Brooks HCSA National Officer & ERIS Director
Previous ERIS Meetings in 2019:
January 12 – Macron and the Trade Unions – Speaker: from French CGT (TUC)
February 16 -Speaker: Stefan Pfeiffer, Germany
March 16 – Brexit
April 13 –
May 18 – European Elections
June 15 – The Rise of the Right in Europe
September 14
October 12
November 9
December 14
Previous ERIS Meetings in 2018:
January 13 UK Government’s post-Brexit trade strategy and its implications for workers rights. Speaker: Bert Schouwenburg (GMB International Officer)
February 17 The German Elections and their implications for the European Union and UK Speaker: Stefan Pfeifer (NRW Economic Development Officer, Germany)
March 17 Austerity attacks workers: Neo-liberalism and its consequences for workers in the Basque region. Speaker: Oskar Arenas (CCOO Basque Region)
April 21 Workers Control in the 21st Century? Labour’s alternative ownership models, workers on boards and producer – consumer – citizen economics and the role of Trade Unions. Speakers: Basil Bye and John Merritt:
June 23 – The Internet, social media and democracy: Case studies include Italy and Cambridge Analytica. Speakers: John Merritt and Basil Bye
September 22 – ERIS Conference: An Alternative Economy Is Possible: Examples and speakers from the UK, Germany and Spain
October 20 – Chaos at the Ports. The reality of a no deal Brexit. Speaker: Dave Clements (Former P & O European Works Council member and GMB Exec)
November 10 – Deal or no Deal: What Brexit means for British workers Speaker: Kathleen Walker Shaw (European Officer: GMB)
December 8 – TBC
Previous ERIS Meetings 2017:
11 February – The German Election What it means to them and us Speaker: Stefan Pfieffer SPD chief of the cabinet to the minister of Labour
18 March – Social Democracy in Crisis? What future for progressive politics in Europe and the world?
22 April – The Co-op Party at 100 Trade Unions and Cooperatives: Values, Principles, Economics and Politics Speaker: Cllr Paul Kimber (Labour Group leader Dorset CC)
20 May –A TU perspective on UK Trade with Europe and the rest of the world after Brexit Speaker: Bert Schouwenburg GMB international officer
17 June – THE ELECTION – WHERE NEXT?
16 September – Brexit – Where are we now & Where are we going? Speaker: Kathleen Walker Shaw – GMB European Officer
14 October – The Press, Social Media and Europe
18 November – A Workers Europe:Proposals from the European Labour Movement to create a social Europe
9 December – Britain’s Democratic Deficit: Learning from Industrial, Political and Social democratic practices in Europe
Previous ERIS Meetings 2016:
January 16th – Europe: Beyond the Economic Argument – Speaker: Basil Bye (ERIS President)
February 20th – Migrants – The Economic and Political Response in Germany – Speaker: Stefan Pfeiffer, Head of Ministry of Labour & Integration, North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany
March 19th – The Trade Union Bill – Speaker: Rob Martin (ERIS Board Member)
April 23rd – What will the impact of international trade deals like TTIP and TiSA have on workers, public services and trade unions? – Speaker: Bert Schouwenburg, International Officer, GMB
May 21st – Worker Participation and the Solidarity Economy – European Comparisons – Speaker: John Merritt, Co-op Development & ERIS Board Member
June 18th – What Referendum Campaign and is a Democratic Renewal of Europe Possible? – Discussion led by Rob Martin and Basil Bye – ERIS
September 10th – EU Exit – Stage Left or Right? – Speaker Kathleen Walker-Shaw, GMB European Officer
October 8th – The German Energy Experience -Nuclear vs Renewables – Speaker: Uli Langhorst, German Green Party
November 12th – Will Worker Protection Be Safe Following Brexit? – Speaker: Basil Bye – ERIS President
December 10th – Trade Unions and Education – Speaker: Tim Brooks, ATL and ERIS Board
Previous ERIS Meetings 2015:
February 14th – Speaker: Stefan Pfiefer-Economic & Industrial Adviser To the Prime Minister of N.R.Westphalia: German Political Parties & Their Responses Towards The Rise of The Far Right
March 21st – Speaker: Georges Dassis, Greek trade unionist, committee member of the ETUC, ITUC, ILO and President of the Workers Group on the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC): Trade Unions and Democratic Reform in the European Union – the Role of European Economic and Social Committee
April 25th – Speaker: Tim Brooks (ERIS Board Members) – The Greek Election. What does it mean for the future of Europe?
May 16th – Speaker: Rob Martin, (ERIS Board Member) – UK May 2015 General Election – What does the result mean for Labour, trade unions and Europe?
June 13th – Speakers: Tim Brooks: ATL Officer & ERIS Board Member Basil Bye: Eris President – The Referendum – A Challenge?
September 12th – Speaker: Kathleen Walker Shaw, GMB European Officer – Europe, the UK Referendum and Possible Outcomes for Workers and Trade Unions?
October 3rd – Speakers: Mira Bell, National Officer Verdi and Hans-Jurgen Hauschild, German Works Council Chairman – Austerity in Germany, the Impact on Public Services and the Trade Union Response
November 7th – Speaker: Luis Miguel Pariza CCOO (Spanish TUC) – The Spanish Labour Movement: From the Death of Franco to the Emergence of Podemos
December 5th – Speakers: Various speakers on ERIS Research Visits 2015 – Social Europe in Practice: the European Economic and Social Committee and Labour Societies , a form of Worker Coop in Spain
List of previous speakers at ERIS Meetings:
Hans J Hauschild – Chairman, Works Council for Verdi (German Union)
Jacques Defortescu – Regional Officer, CGT (French TUC)
Louis Pariza – National Officer, CCOO (Spanish TUC) and representative on European Economic and Social Committee
Stefan Pfeifer – Industrial Adviser to Labour Prime Minister, Nord-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Roger Poole – Northern Ireland Boundary Commissioners
Peter Skinner – Labour MEP for the South-East
Kathleen Walker-Shaw – GMB, Brussels Officer
Susan Murray – National H&S Officer for Unite
Paul Dunn – Chairperson – Equalities South-West
