Cypriot workers in solidarity with the struggle of the French working people
A symbolic solidarity meeting took place this morning outside the French Embassy in Nicosia responding to the call for solidarity issued by the World Federation of Trade Unions WFTU. The meeting was held to express the militant solidarity of the Cypriot working people towards the strike mobilizations being organised by CGT and the trade union movement in France. The General Secretary of the class-based trade union federation of PEO and Vice-President of WFTU Pambis Kyritsis addressed the symbolic solidarity event. It is worth noting that leaders of Turkish Cypriot trade unions affiliated to the WFTU too also participated.
Inter alia, the GS of PEO pointed out that, “We are on the side of the French workers, with all working people across the EU and the whole world, in their struggles for better working and living conditions. We pledge that Cypriot working people will continue the struggle from their own arena to change things”.
He noted that in France as well as in Cyprus, but also throughout the EU, neo-liberalism has increasingly prevailed, with the ever deeper crisis being burdened one-sidedly on to working people’s backs, with the continuous widening of social inequalities and poverty.
The symbolism of the mobilization, the GS of PEO added, “is not only to express our solidarity and support, but at the same time also to denounce the policies of the EU and to demonstrate that we here in Cyprus are also demanding and asserting policies to provide support to working people, that should lead to a growth that respects people, working people’s rights, collective agreements and social gains.”
The GS of PEO also made a reference to the 2019 State budget that is being discussed today in Parliament. It is clear that it is yet another budget of austerity, yet another budget tailored to the measures of the neo-liberal prescriptions being implemented by the government on the orders and in full coordination with EU policies.
Kyritsis also welcomed the presence of Turkish Cypriot leaders of the Turkish Cypriot trade unions, noting that neo-liberal policies affect both Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots in the same way. He also assured that the organizations that are members of the World Trade Union Federation will continue to work together, not only to improve working people’s condition, but also for the reunification of Cyprus within a bizonal, bicommunal federation “that will enable us to wage these common struggles even more strongly to change the conditions in our country. For a Cyprus that will be turned into a country of peace, security and prosperity for all its inhabitants.”
