The Trade Union Organizations that sign the following document on the Consequences the Monopolies-European Union-Governments’ policy on Privatizations, For the Employees and the Peoples of Europe and what must be the response of the trade union movement, we state:
Privatizations of public services and the liberalization of strategic sectors of the economy, it is directly linked to the general political and economic developments in European Union and in each country. Measures are taken to support monopoly groups from the state budget, with tax exemptions, subsidies, government buyouts, legislative interventions that facilitate business activity. A generalized policy of privatizations of social rights and services, land and state-owned enterprises is followed, aiming to create new fields of profitability so that stagnant capital that capitalists have accumulated can find a profitable way out. The promotion of privatizations constitutes one of the most important tenets of the Lisbon Treaty strategy and becomes realized at a different pace in every member-state of the European Union.
The negative impacts of privatizations concern the whole working class and its allies, the people’s needs that are not being satisfied, they do not exclusively or to a greater extent concern the employees working at those enterprises. For the employees working there, privatizations always bring thousands of redundancies with them, the circumvention or even abolition of collective labour agreements, the cut in wages. The situation that the workers face today, would not have been like this, if the position for “class collaboration” had not been dominant within the trade union movement.
Today, it is not possible for the capitalist way of development and its services to satisfy the popular needs for cheap water, energy and transport, for public and free education and health for all the people, for salaries and pensions. Every country has wealth and great potentiality for its people to live in prosperity. The only problem is the fact that this wealth that we produce is dominated and taken by the few, the monopolies. There cannot be a fair sharing between those who produce it and those who simply usurp it.
In this direction we have to discuss each of us in our respective countries and regions, with new unions, trade unionists, federations, who are concerned about the developments. Today there is experience on where leads the line of class collaboration, of submission to the demands of the capital. We must discuss initiatives, actions and activities that will rally new union forces. That will mobilize workers in every country. We must aim, with planning, determination, and persistence, to develop contacts with militant trade unions and trade unionists in every country of Europe. Important part in this work will be the development of solidarity in the struggles that rise up every day and today receive very weak support and solidarity. To face the governmental and employers’ unionism. To form a list demands based on the contemporary needs of the working class.
Especially on the issue of privatizations, we have clear that the struggle and the workers’ demands, especially on the matter of privatizations, are part of the general interest to have services based on the contemporary needs and not on the monopolies’ gains, something that demands Health, education, public administration, Energy, transports are not a merchandise. This struggle against the EU policies of merchandising the services and liberating the strategic economic sectors is combined with the struggle against the privatizations, as to ensure the full satisfaction of wages and labor rights.
We have to be at the forefront for the construction of a social alliance that will counter-attack, that will repel the ensemble of the anti-popular measures that will organize the solidarity, the fighting unit that will aim at the exemption from the monopolies and the capitalists who dominate our lives.
In this direction we propose to discuss a series of actions, such as:
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The massive participation and mobilization of European Trade Unions in the International Action Day of TUI PS Against Privatizations on April 4, each organization in their own countries
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The resolution we will finalize here, to be sent into every union, to be discussed and signed, so that they also adopt this decision and work with it by developing actions and initiatives. Specially to try to open discussion with unions who have different perspective from us.
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To decide dates of action in 3-4 branches (such as public administration, Education, transport, Healthcare etc) against the privatizations, where they will be part of the preparation and steps of escalating towards the International Action Day
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To put all our efforts for the success of the 17th Congress of WFTU and massive participation to it
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To see other actions and initiatives in this period and to plan a new meeting, with specific subjects, towards the end of 2016, where we will evaluate the steps we made.
Brussels, January 25-26, 2016
