LONG LIVE THE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY OF WORKERS AND TRADE UNIONS! MAY DAY APPEAL BY CGTU
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
On the 1st of May, the GCTU and its affiliates, together with all trade unionists around the world, will mark the Day of International Workers' Solidarity.
Millions of organised workers will rally around trade union banners to once again remind the governments and employers of labour rights and the need to respect them, show their determination to strengthen the unity of action and fraternal solidarity of the working people, and demand a safe working environment and real improvements in their living conditions.
This year’s May Day will be observed in a climate characterised by a further slowdown in the economic growth amidst an aggravating geopolitical climate. Unfortunate consequences of this are the almost universally rising inflation and unemployment, the falling purchasing power of wages and social benefits, and a sharp decline in living standards.
Today, the main task of GCTU member organisations is to thwart attempts by the governments and employers to shift a sizeable slice of economic recovery costs onto the working people, which, in some countries, gives rise to social tensions and discontent, and, subsequently, calls for broader mobilisation by trade unions.
In this situation, the Council of the General Confederation of Trade Unions, which has gathered for a regular session in Moscow, expresses its support for the struggles being waged by trade unions of the region in defence of labour rights, and calls on the affiliates to widely mark this May Day by organising marches, demonstrations, rallies and other mass activities under slogans most relevant to their countries or industries, in the spirit of unity and solidarity.
Together, let us demand that the governments and employers:
- bear in mind the principles of social justice while developing the budgetary policies as part of crisis planning;
- ensure preferential investment in the real economy;
- abandon the ill-conceived intentions to privatise state enterprises and property;
- do their best to save the existing jobs and create new ones;
- prevent further drops in work remuneration, pensions and social benefits, and stop the populations of the region’s countries, especially people who have jobs, from slipping into poverty;
- stop the cut-downs in public spending on social needs;
- put an end to the growth of consumer prices;
- provide conditions for maintaining proper social dialogue and realising the right to decent work;
- strictly observe labour rights enshrined in conventions and recommendations of the International Labour Organisation, and in the ILO's Decent Work Agenda!
Let us do our utmost to make the voice of trade unions as the mouth-piece of organised workers be heeded and taken into account by those who design and implement any socio-economic measures that affect the situation of wage and salary earners!
Long live May Day!
Long live the international solidarity of workers and trade unions!