We have demonstrated again!

(4 April 2011) Another issue of our fortnightly newsletter and another round of demonstrations, pickets, strikes and events to protest against the austerity plans that are haunting Europe as well as the proposals of the European Union (both the European Council and the European Commission) that follow the same path.
Since the last newsletter we have reported on the demonstration in Lithuania, the protests in Brussels on the day of the Council meeting that endorsed the Euro-Pact and events in the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Spain and last but not least, the huge demonstration in London on 26 March where about half a million marched against cuts. I would like to congratulate our British affiliates for its successful mobilization.

Within a few days another demonstration will take place in Budapest, again called by the ETUC and supported by EPSU. We will continue to protest and demonstrate until our voice is heard by EU officials and politicians, the message remains the same: “We did not cause the crisis, it is not to workers to pay for the bill”.

I would like also to mention that on March 22, EPSU celebrated World Water Day preparing itself for a campaign to implement in Europe the UN declaration of water as a Fundamental Right. In that sense, I would like to congratulate the Italian water movement, of which some of our affiliates are at the heart of the movement, for the demonstration that took place in Rome with more than 300.000 participants.

A final comment on this message is for the public sector workers that are putting their lives at risk in Japan in the aftermath of the natural and nuclear disaster. These workers are, at the risk of their own lives, providing first aid to the victims in order to re-establish some of the basic infrastructures, such as access to water, shelter, health and other essential services for survival. They are also exposing themselves to very risking conditions in the attempts to neutralize the dangers of a nuclear disaster. These public sector workers are in our minds and we send them a message of solidarity, but we also want to send a message to value the work of the millions of public sector workers that put at risk their lives on a daily basis and they receive a despicable treatment by their Governments in the form of budgets cuts.

For their future working conditions and to keep the fabric of our societies alive, we will continue the struggle for quality public services.

Yours

Carola Fischbach-Pyttel