EPSU condemns violence against public sector workers :For nearly 4 years, public sector workers have been the target of austerity measures, they are now the target of direct violence.

(10 April 2012) The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) wishes to express its condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the bus inspector brutally killed this Easter in Brussels while doing his job.

It extends its solidarity to all the public sector workers working for Brussels transport.

EPSU also sends a solidarity message to the workers of the Andenne prison (in the region of Namur) that have been injured, during an attempt by inmates to escape the prison. This far too regular incident has to be added to a tragic Easter weekend where also a police officer was killed in action.

EPSU expresses its support for the workers on strike in the prison These events ought to open a debate in Belgian society, as well as in the rest of Europe, about the value and importance of public sector workers for our societies. Despite the evidence that workers do their best to ensure that transport, security and other basic services run smoothly, Governments in Europe together with the European Commission keep putting the burden of the crisis on them and on citizens at large.

In contrast, the real culprits for the crisis keep on getting away. We call on elected politicians and institutions not to go for temporary solutions but to look at the causes of these incidents and to tackle the problems at its roots.

The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) will do its outmost to ensure that working conditions of public sector workers are not downgraded and to ensure that essential services are kept in public hands.