The groups in German Switzerland planning for the initiative’s voting campaign have organized a meeting in Zurich, and are cordially inviting everyone already involved (or who would like to get involved) in the voting campaign, to attend. The meeting will be an opportunity to exchange ideas, plans and our enthusiasm for convincing the population to say “Yes” to the coming popular vote on the initiative.

Meeting open to all!

Information : Unconditional Basic Income coordination meeting

Invitation: [+]

At the end of last year we sent the members of the Committees for Social Security and Health of National Concil* (CSSH-N) our detailed dossier on the Unconditional Basic Income initiative. This Commission will be continuing to consider the initiative at its next meeting, scheduled for 19-20 February 2015.

With the dossier we enclosed a cover-note, reproduced below, suggesting that the deputies commission a thorough study examining the possible effects of the introduction of a basic income. Such a study should in principle have been carried out by the Government before sending the initiative on to the Parliament, but it still has not been done, even though it is essential for the Parliament and later on the voters to have a satisfactory basis for their decision.

* National Concil is the lower house of parliament

Text of our message to Members of Parliament: [+]

To start well the new year, read and share to your friends the very first newspaper on basic income

Among the many happenings around UBI, December was notable for an event which is historic for the world movement behind this idea: the launch of L’Inconditionnel, a French-language newspaper dedicated to the concept of UBI, produced in partnership by the networks in Switzerland, France and Belgium and financed by more than 200 people.

This first number, free of charge, introduces the ideas behind the basic income in various ways. Its print run was 60,000 copies, so it is perfect for spreading the proposal widely. On www.linconditionnel.info you will find a downloadable version in PDF; even better, on the same site you can identify the physical distribution point nearest you, where you can obtain one or more copies to give to your friends: [+]

Discussions around the initiative for a basic income are being developed. The initiative is being discussed at the Parliament on 13rd and 14th november at Social Security and Public Health Commission (CSSH-N).

With 15 votes against 6, CSSH-N Commission refused to suspend the object of the Initiative «For an Unconditional Basic Income», a suspension that should have taken place for administration to work out an indirect counterproject. It will resume its audit after the winter session.

Swiss Socialist party (SP) has suggested in commission the General Income Insurance (AEV) as a counterproject to the Unconditional Basic Income. AGR is a unified and permanent indemnization system in case of professional gain losses, suggested by the Denknetz (DE – a think tank close to the socialist party). [+]

Artikel im Tages-Anzeiger:

Die SP ist bezüglich eines Grundeinkommens gespalten. Eine Mehrheit lehnt die Idee jedoch als «gefährlich» ab.

Was den Initianten des bedingungslosen Grundeinkommens vorschwebt, klingt wie der Traum eines jeden Sozialdemokraten. Doch die SP lehnt die Initiative ab. Sie hält sie für «gefährlich», wie sie in einer Mitteilung anlässlich der gestrigen Behandlung der Volksinitiative in der nationalrätlichen Kommission für soziale Sicherheit und Gesundheit geschrieben hat. Anstelle eines Grundeinkommens schlägt die SP die allgemeine Erwerbsversicherung vor – eine Idee, die vor einigen Jahren in Umlauf gekommen ist.

8 Millionen Fünferli auf den Bundesplatz. [+]

Attachment: 

tages_anzeiger_die_angst_der_sp_vor_dem_sozialistischen_grundeinkommen.pdf

With the support of the local authorities of Coulounieix-Chamiers, the French movement for a basic income has organized the first summer university on the basic income. It will take place on on August 21st, 22nd, and 23rd in the Perigord region, in Coulouniex-Chamiers (close to Perigueux), France.

Interaction between speakers and participants will be privileged everywhere. This university is people-centric, transversal, participative and sociable! It is aimed at everyone, could you be complete profane up to the specialist. [+]

The ordinary general assembly of BIEN-CH took place:

It was followed in the afternoon with a presentation session and animation proposed by Generation-RBI, the Romand action group for the "federal initiative for a basic income" and member of BIEN-CH.

A Canadian buffet was served between two: sandwiches, delicious salads and other home made dishes, the whole accompanied with soft drinks, were shared on the terrasse.

For the friends of Basic Income, the occasion was too good to be missed. They were thus quite a lot at the meeting!

BIEN-CH GA agenda was: [+]

Attachment: 

Rapport d'activités BIEN-CH 2013-2014 (FR)

From may 16th to May 18th will be held a Spring university organized by local bi-monthly Journal Solidarités

« Injustice raises at a sure pace » Berthold Brecht.

For its 5th Edition, the spring university will focus on the conflicting dynamics that the world is going through at the local, regional and international levels with a focus on the “new” challenges of what a modern radical left wing should be today. As such, anyone drawn to resistance and activism, will not only hold the ground on which all revolutionaries as well as neo-conservatives stand, it is always necessary to have a renewed understanding, to be able to act, to think to fight…

See original story on solidaritéS website (in French)

Translation: David Blum [+]

Photos : Ralph Kundig

Unconditional Basic Income Europe (UBIE), conceived during the European citizen initiative of 2013, on April 10th formalized its very existence in a big conference in Brussels held within the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), itself a consultative body of the European Union’s institutions.

Thanks to a diversified program and quality, notable speakers, the conference’s organizer has overcome the challenge of almost completely filling the room of 180 seats, provided by the EESC. [+]

The base between the two concepts, from the practical aspects to the theory are radically different: [+]