Messages of Support - Strike Day 30 Nov 2011
- Queen Margaret University
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
- SNES-FSU France
- The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament
- ETUCE Brussels
- National Education Section of SOLIDARNOSC
Queen Margaret University Student Union
"The Students of Queen Margaret University have decided to stand alongside the trade unions on this issue because we think what government is trying to do to pensions in the public sector is unacceptable. This is just the latest attack on people’s lives and futures and we don’t want to be a part of a society that exploits hard workers and the poorest in society to lower the national deficit while lining the pockets of private sector investors. The working conditions being created now are what many of our students will have to live with in their careers after University. We want to make sure that these conditions are fair, and that we are not penalised for the mismanagement by bankers and traders before we even entered the working world.”
Michael Breckenridge
QMUSU President
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
EIS members at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland have got unexpectedly huge support from our students. They are all wearing white for the day, and offering white ribbons for non-union staff who support the action.
Amazing message being sent by our young people about the value they place on protecting the teaching profession.
Martin Mallorie
Branch Convener.
Lecturer in Design & Props
RSAMD
SNES-FSU France
Dear Colleagues,
SNES-FSU is strongly supporting your call for strike action on 30 November in defence of pension schemes. We do hope that teachers, lecturers, and civil servants as well as workers from the public sector will be successful on that decisive day of coordinated action.
As demonstrations, rallies and marches are being organised to oppose the government’s proposals to pay more for pension schemes, work longer and get less in retirement, we realise that your fight shows one more time that standing together against this attack on pensions is necessary for a victory.
Taking into account the experience we had last year in France when our government put on the table a new pension reform aggravating the situation of all public sector workers by setting up higher contributions, raising the legal age of retirement and lowering pension entitlements, we are fully aware of the fact that only united action can turn out to be productive for successful outcomes.
This is the reason why we do hope that the massive display of coordinated action on this 30 November will compel your government to open up negociations that will pave the way for a system of fair pensions for all.
In solidarity.
Best regards,
|
Odile Cordelier National Secretary |
Roger Ferrari |
The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament
Trade union Actions across EU for a change in EU and national level Economic policies to protect jobs, public services, social rights and pensions Justice
We, the Members of the Socialist and Democrat Group in the European Parliament, send all our support and solidarity for the trade union Actions taking place across Europe on and around the 30 November. More than twenty British unions and over two million public service workers take industrial action in defence of their pensions in the UK, and similar actions across Europe in defence of jobs, public services, social rights and a democratic and social Europe.
Across Europe, both public and private sector workers are being punished for a crisis they did not cause. Austerity policies are cutting jobs on a massive scale and forcing public sector workers to pay more in pension contributions, work longer before they can claim their pension and yet get less money when they finally retire.
The S&D Group condemns attempts to create antagonism between workers in the public and private sectors across Europe and emphasises that they are all victims of a failure of EU Governments and the EU Commission to get a grip of the economic and financial crisis, and develop economic policies for growth and jobs rather than for a downwards spiral into an economic abyss. The S&D believes that jobs and a decent pension are fundamental rights for all EU citizens that go to the very core of the European Social Model.
The S&D Group urges EU Member States and all the associated institutions to stop the in-fighting, and focus their energies on working together in solidarity to sort out the euro-and wider economic and financial crisis before we all go over the cliff. Workers across Europe are looking to decision makers to show leadership and act in defence of their futures, how long are we going to keep them waiting?
Fraternally,
The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament
ETUCE Brussels
Subject: solidarity with the ETUCE member organisations in the UK
Dear colleagues,
The ETUCE wishes to express its full solidarity with its member organisations in the UK for their participation in the strike of public sector workers to safeguard their right to a decent pension.
The teachers in the UK will be joining a strike movement covering the whole public sector on Wednesday the 30th of November to protest against pension changes pushed by the Coalition government, which would make public employees work longer for a poorer pension and pay more contributions. All the unions have voted for the strike by a clear majority, thus demonstrating that the government’s project is widely condemned across the public service. Recognising the unfairness of this plan, a majority of people in the UK supports the strike, as has been recently demonstrated by several opinion polls.
The time has come for the public authorities in Europe to understand that trying to make the employees pay the bill for the greedy behaviour of those who have led the economy into this crisis is both immoral and inefficient. It is an insult to those who work hard to make ends meet to urge them to make ever greater sacrifices. It is furthermore an economic nonsense in the current situation to undermine the purchasing power of a majority of people and to jeopardize and weaken essential services such as education, healthcare and other public services.
When faced with an absence of political courage, vision and will for dialogue, the only option for the trade union movement is to undertake industrial action. The ETUCE hopes that the upcoming general strike in the UK public services will be part of a successful resistance to irresponsible policies all over Europe.
Kind regards,
Martin Rømer
European Director
National Education Section of SOLIDARNOSC
Dear Friends,
The Trade Union Solidarność has been fighting for all the workers’ rights since the beginning of its establishment in 1980. The members of Solidarnosc would like to underline that in every democratic country there is the right to organize the legal protests in order to protect decent working conditions as the one of the basic civil rights. Every human being- every employee has the right to fight for decent work and pay. Every government should respect all human rights, including union rights, and take care about every employee.
As the Union we strongly support all demands of your protest.
All members of Solidarność are with you!
Monika Konczyk
National Education Section of SOLIDARNOSC.
