The popular outrage that erupted a week ago in the United States after the cold-blooded murder of 47-year-old African-American worker George Floyd by police in Minneapolis is continuing against the state repression and the brutal force used by the police. Hundreds of thousands of Americans took the streets over the weekend in more than 80 major cities, in two-thirds of the country’s states, to protest state barbarism and racist violence, of the repressive forces.

Despite the outcry over the 47-year-old’s death, the government is escalating threats to the masses and offering “more military means if governors and mayors need it and cannot control the situation”. One more time the capitalists and their governments prove that the life of the ordinary people has no value for the capitalists.

The organizations of the working class must be now in the forefront of the struggle for social justice, equality, against state oppression. The WFTU calls every trade union, every trade unionist who respects itself to support the struggle of the people in USA. We demand the immediate end of police violence. The unemployed and the poor must be supported. The murderers of the Afro-Americans must be punished.

The WFTU calls its affiliated organizations in every corner of the world to participate in the WFTU Campaign by taking pictures in groups, submit solidarity statements to the U.S. embassies and take any support initiatives they can.

The WFTU Secretariat

#World #Labor #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #InternationalSolidarity #WorldFederationOfTradeUnionsWFTU #Antiracism #WFTU #MinneapolisUprising

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following appeal that was initiated by the German Communist Party (DKP), Communist Party Of Peoples Of Spain (CPPS), and the Communist Party Of Venezuela (CPV). Freedom Road Socialist Organization is among the signers.

The Communist and Workers' parties that suscribe the present APPEAL declare:

1. The serious international situation which has come from the unstoppable global capitalist crisis – now expressed as a health emergency that spreads throughout so many countries – requires strong and decisive social and political action that puts the needs of the working class, of the different people's of the world and of human kind above everything else.

2. The insufficient scientific resources, as well as the robbery of public health services, carried out by the capitalist countries under neo-liberal adjustment policies in the interest of the world's large monopolistic capital, which are imposed by the EU, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, etc, bring with them greater difficulties concerning the urgent and much needed measures which should be taken immediately to defend both the health and the lives of the working class and the people.

3. The degradation suffered by the capitalist societies, which are based on individual self-interest, consumerism and social Darwinism, adds even greater difficulties to efforts to deal with this health crisis, that requires values of solidarity, sharing and social justice: the values present in all of our revolutionary political projects aimed at socialism-communism.

4. Currently, capitalism takes advantage of the current health crisis as a perfect alibi to unleash a new attack against both the working class and all peoples, strengthening financial capital and monopolies and adding new cuts to salaries and to the rights of the working class. The inter-imperialist conflicts contribute to the spiraling rise of violence and social predation that, at the end, will be paid for by people and workers alike.

5. The international working class, along with the people, must react to this situation – today under the control of world oligarchies – for the health emergency will bring short time terrible consequences. It is necessary to show further evidence of the present historical wreckage of capitalism at its imperialist stage, as well as the urgent need for socialist construction in order to face the beginning of a new historical stage so much claimed by the current and extraordinary development of the productive forces.

6. That is why we send out a massive appeal in order to start as many actions as possible so that the peoples and the working class raise their flags of struggle.

a. For the complete stop of imperialist blockades imposed against Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Nicaragua.

b. For the immediate end of imperialist military aggressions in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Mali, Iraq, Libya.

c. For the immediate end of occupations and for the recovery of the national sovereignty of Palestine, Puerto Rico and the struggle of the people of Western Sahara for self-determination.

d. For the immediate end to the repression of social movements in Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras.

e. For the right of the working class and the working people both from the cities and rural areas, to fully exercise their freedom and union organization, to collective bargaining, to strike, job stability, and sufficient wages to live with dignity.

f. For the socialization of the large and strategic means of production, financial and essential services for society, under workers, peasants and popular control.

7. Finally, we make an APPEAL to advance in the coordination of all the workers', peasants and popular anti-imperialist struggles and forces in a Global Front, capable of organizing political and social mobilization for the defense of people´s sovereignty, against imperialist war, and against all blockades; for an international social order for the benefit of social majorities – for the whole of mankind – , under the conditions given by the current development of productive forces, able, as it is well known today, to cover all social demands.

The organizations hereby signed up to this APPEAL will work together to add up our strength to, and to go further, in the above mentioned aims.

FOR THE WHOLE OF THE HUMAN KIND

FOR THE WORKING CLASS

FOR PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

FOR SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM!!!

SIGNATURES SOLIDNET PARTIES:

1 COMMUNIST PARTY OF ARGENTINA

2 COMMUNIST PARTY OF ARMENIA

3 COMMUNIST PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

4 COMMUNIST PARTY OF AZERBAIDJAN

5 DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE TRIBUNE (BAHREIN)

6 COMMUNIST PARTY OF BANGLADESH

7 COMMUNIST PARTY OF BELGIUM

8 COMMUNIST PARTY OF BOLIVIA

9 BRAZILIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

10 COMMUNIST PARTY OF BRAZIL

11 COMMUNIST PARTY OF BRITAIN

12 NEW COMMUNIST PARTY OF BRITAIN

13 COMMUNIST PARTY OF CANADA

14 COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHILE

15 COLOMBIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

16 SOCIALIST WORKER'S PARTY OF CROATIA

17 COMMUNIST PARTY OF CUBA

18 COMMUNIST PARTY OF BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA

19 COMMUNIST PARTY IN DENMARK

20 FORCE OF THE REVOLUTION (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)

21 COMMUNIST PARTY OF ECUADOR

22 EGYPTIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

23 COMMUNIST PARTY OF FINLAND

24 UNIFIED COMMUNIST PARTY OF GEORGIA

25 GERMAN COMMUNIST PARTY

26 HUNGARIAN WORKER'S PARTY

27 TUDEH PARTY OF IRAN

28 COMMUNIST PARTY OF KURDISTAN-IRAQ

29 IRAQUI COMMUNIST PARTY

30 COMMUNIST PARTY OF IRELAND

31 THE WORKER'S PARTY OF IRELAND

32 COMMUNIST PARTY OF ISRAEL

33 ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

34 JORDANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

35 SOCIALIST PARTY (LITHUANIA)

36 COMMUNIST PARTY OF MALTA

37 POPULAR SOCIALIST PARTY – NATIONAL POLITICAL ASSOCIATION (MÉXICO)

38 NEPAL COMMUNIST PARTY

39 NEW COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE NETHERLANDS

40 COMMUNIST PARTY OF NORWAY

41 COMMUNIST PARTY OF PAKISTAN

42 PALESTINIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

43 PALESTINIAN PEOPLE'S PARTY

44 PARTY OF THE PEOPLE (PANAMA)

45 PARAGUAYAN COMMUNIST PARTY

46 PERUVIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

47 PHILIPPINE COMMUNIST PARTY (PKP-1930)

48 ROMANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

49 ROMANIAN SOCIALIST PARTY

50 COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

51 COMMUNISTS OF SERBIA

52 NEW COMMUNIST PARTY OF YUGOSLAVIA

53 SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY

54 COMMUNIST PARTY OF SPAIN

55 COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE PEOPLES OF SPAIN

56 COMMUNISTS OF CATALONIA

57 SUDANESE COMMUNIST PARTY

58 COMMUNIST PARTY OF SRI-LANKA

59 COMMUNIST PARTY OF SWAZILAND

60 SYRIAN COMMUNIST PARTY

61 SYRIAN COMMUNIST PARTY (UNIFIED)

62 COMMUNIST PARTY USA

63 COMMUNIST PARTY OF UKRAINE

64 UNION OF COMMUNISTS OF UKRAINE

65 COMMUNIST PARTY OF URUGUAY

66 COMMUNIST PARTY OF VENEZUELA

OTHER PARTIES AND SIGNING ORGANIZATIONS:

1 PARTIDO IZQUIERDA COSTARRICENSE

2 COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE DONETSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC

3 RED ROJA (SPAIN)

4 INICIATIVA COMUNISTA (SPAIN)

5 UNIÓN PROLETARIA (SPAIN)

6 ASAMBLEA PARA LA DEMOCRACIA Y LA SOBERANIA (RASMIA) (SPAIN)

7 PÔLE DE RENAISSANCE COMMUNISTE EN FRANCE

8 COMITÉ INTERNATIONALISTE POUR LA SOLIDARITÉ DE CLASSE (FRANCE)

9 AGORA GALIZA – UP (GALIZA-SPAIN)

10 UNION DO POVO GALEGO (GALIZA-SPAIN)

11 FRENTE POPULARE (ITALY)

12 CONVERGENZA SOCIALISTA (ITALY)

13 VÍA DEMOCRÁTICA (MOROCCO)

14 PARTIDO DE LOS COMUNISTAS (MÉXICO)

15 FRENTE POPULAR PARA LA LIBERACIÓN DE PALESTINA

16 FRENTE DEMOCRÁTICO PARA LA LIBERACIÓN DE PALESTINA

17 PARTITO COMUNISTA SVIZZERA

18 PARTEI DER ARBEIT DER SCHWEIZ PdAS – PSP

19 FREEDOM ROAD SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION (USA)

#World #International #CapitalismAndEconomy #Healthcare #InternationalSolidarity #Socialism #CommunistParty #COVID19

THE WFTU STANDS SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH WORKERS AND THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD AGAINST THE ATTACKS AT THE EXPENSE OF WORKERS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The World Federation of Trade Unions, its 100 million members and friends of militant workers around the world, we express our internationalist solidarity and support to workers and the peoples of all countries affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

What is once more reaffirmed is that in difficult times, such as during extreme natural phenomena, wars, disasters, pandemics, it is the workers and the poor people who are at the forefront of danger. The workers are required to pay the price of the pandemic’s effects on both their health and their working rights, so that large business groups, multinationals and big companies can ensure their profitability.

From the first days of the spread of the Coronavirus up to the present day, where many countries register thousands of cases and victims, violations of rights, redundancies, restrictions on trade union rights and freedoms by governments and employers have not stopped. They take advantage of the pandemic in order to generalize anti-labor measures and tactics.

Thousands of layoffs have taken place since the beginning of the month in sectors where the turnover has fallen due to the pandemic, as illustrated by Greece’s example, which measures 41.000 layoffs in the first half of March. In Austria, in March, 74.000 workers lost their jobs, in Sweden the automotive industry announced 20.000 suspensions. Still other businesses have been generalizing flexible working hours and forcing workers into compulsory leaves, as denounced by unions in Europe, France and Latin America, in countries such as Panama and Venezuela. Airlines like the colossal Turkish Airlines, Imperia, Lufthansa and Emirates have forced tens of thousands of workers to unpaid leaves, threatening them with layoffs, as did travel agencies, hotels and tourism companies in general.

Many businesses, as workers in Italy denounce, continue to operate normally without the necessary protection measures against the Coronavirus for workers who went on strike across the country last week. In Peru, mining companies also force workers to work without any security protocol. In Serbia, in Turkey, the trade unions in transport, in metal, in other sectors demand the implementation of health and safety measures in the workplaces.

In Portugal, a few days ago, the dockworkers of the port of Lisbon who went on strike because of the lack of basic protection measures, were called to work after the government announced a civil requisition.

On the other hand, in businesses where turnover is rising sharply due to the Coronavirus pandemic, such as in Supermarkets etc, they are forcing workers to intensify their work. These workers are suffering exhaustion and occupational “accidents” and diseases. These “accidents” are often not even recorded by the Labor Inspection, which has been closed under these circumstances, instead of being present and carrying out intensive inspections. Also employees are denied leaves and day-offs, there is no information about COVID-19 cases in their workplace, the employers hide such cases so that a large number of staff is not quarantined.

In countries such as Palestine, measures for workers whose workplaces were closed due to the Coronavirus are summed up in a miserable allowance while Israeli forces continue to violate rights and also murder Palestinian workers. In Jordan and elsewhere there is growing concern about the unsecured workers and those who work in the informal sector, who have been found with no income and are not entitled to allowances as it is the case for the long-term unemployed workers in many countries.

In India, trade unions condemn the government’s attitude of leaving the masses of workers helpless, without financial support, while showing tragic shortcomings in the necessary material to deal with the Coronavirus, such as medical ventilators.

In the USA, in New York alone, 21.000 unemployment applications, a record number, have been submitted in just one day.

In Africa, COVID-19 outbreaks are on the rise in more and more countries of the continent, with workers in South Africa, the second-most-affected country, calling for protection measures for the most vulnerable groups of the population, and those already suffering from other diseases such as AIDS and tuberculosis.

The policies of the vast majority of African governments, along with multinationals and monopolies, are responsible for the serious survival problems of workers and the popular strata, as well as for the tragic shortcomings in health systems and in securing access to clean drinking water and suitable housing for the populations.

The rights of workers who are at the frontline of the struggle against the Coronavirus, are also being violated. We are referring to doctors and other health-care staff, whose work is intensified to the fullest extent due to under-staffing and under-functioning of public health structures. Their risk of exposure to Coronavirus is high, they are required to work even if they themselves are ill, there are no protection measures for vulnerable groups among them. In countries such as Italy, where around 300 hospital beds correspond to 100.000 persons, the Health Workers are called upon to decide which patients to save and who to leave without the necessary medical care.

Today, in the face of the pandemic, and with a steady stream of aid to large companies, with billions being offered to them in various countries, all lost jobs must be restored and secured, without any conditions. All the changes in working relationships that employers have made with the cover of governments must be taken back.

The big trade union family of the WFTU, its trade unions members and friends on the 5 Continents, we are not passive observers – we continue our action to protect the lives and working rights of workers!

Under these difficult circumstances, we find the right ways to keep our workers informed and continue to play our role. We must continue our daily struggle to defend our rights without “discounts” and compromises.

Governments are announcing measures against the spread of the Coronavirus, putting forward the personal responsibility. However, it is revealed that gathering restriction measures and information campaigns for the implementation of personal hygiene measures cannot hide the inadequacy of public health systems to meet the requirements of hospitalization and health-care, due to the Coronavirus. Inadequacy that results from the deliberate undermining of all governments (both social- democratic and neo-conservative).

– The governments have the primary responsibility to provide public, free, high quality and modern Health services.

– The governments have the responsibility to stop the speculation of the capitalists.

– The governments have the responsibility to ban the dismissals and the cut of salaries and working rights.

In these difficult times, we are strengthening internationalism and solidarity among the workers of the world. We salute the initiative of Cuba to send 52 specialized doctors to Italy to help treat the pandemic.

No one must feel alone!

We are fighting to defend our health and our rights!

We are fighting for a system that prioritizes human beings and their needs and utilizes the scientific achievements to deal with a pandemic, or other catastrophic events in a timely and planned manner.

We once again congratulate the workers who continue in these difficult times to move the cogs of life, producing food, medicine, transportation, communication, services, even at the risk of their own lives.

LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

THE SECRETARIAT

#World #International #CapitalismAndEconomy #Healthcare #PeoplesStruggles #InternationalSolidarity #WorldFederationOfTradeUnionsWFTU #WFTU #COVID19