(Brussels, 2 December 2011) EPSU, the European Federation of Public Service Unions supports your demonstration on 3 December 2011. Unions across the European Union stand up in defense of public services such as health, education, social services, culture, libraries, museums, local and public administration, and law enforcement. Portuguese workers were on strike on 24 November, UK workers on 30 November and Greek workers on 1 December with demonstrations and actions in many European countries such as Bulgaria and Belgium. EPSU supports and coordinates these actions and they all have the same message: No to austerity. Let the speculators pay.
Europe’s workers are angry because they are now asked to pay for a crisis they did not cause. As trade unions we oppose those who seek to impose a new model on Europe. This opposition makes us the target of repression. Trade union leaders are intimidated and governments seek to change labour laws to stifle rightful criticism. For European trade unions as EPSU and ETUC, the European Social Model includes the full respect of social dialogue, freedom of association and of collective bargaining in all sectors of activity. These fundamental rights have been brought into question by the Hungarian authorities on numerous occasions. We reject such policies.
As trade unions we also advocate alternatives such as investment in public infrastructure, a financial transaction tax to end speculation, addressing tax evasion, fighting tax fraud and closing tax havens. We want that social dialogue to be promoted and insist on the respect for collective agreements and the autonomy of the social partners. We support your demands! Hungary must respect and implement its European and international obligations – wide breaches of which have been demonstrated most recently in an impartial study of the International Labour Organisation.
Dear Colleagues,
We are with you in your struggle and we wish you a successful demonstration.
In Solidarity
Jan Willem Goudriaan
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