May Day March and Rally in London

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May Day March and Rally in London

RMT Call to Join May Day Protest

Regional TUC in London:
“May Day is a call for laws to guarantee justice, equality and respect at work for all”

May Day March in Aberdeen

May Day Message from WFTU:
Act Firmly To Defend Peace, International Law, Workers’ And People’s Rights And Social Progress!

London Political Forum – 23 April 2003:
The People Determine - No to War - We Can Make the Difference

The London May Day Organising Committee reports that May Day 2003 in London is building on the great success of last year where trade unions, community groups and anti-capitalist globalisation organisations came together to march to Trafalgar Square. This year the march is being joined by the national TUC bringing their campaign for trade union and employment rights to the fore with the slogan: “Modern rights for modern workplaces”. There will also be support for the ICFTU, ETUC and TUC calls for peace in the Middle East.

            The May Day demonstration is also a march against war.

            The demonstration on Thursday 1st May assembles at Clerkenwell Green (Farringdon tube) at 12 noon and moves off to Trafalgar Square 1pm for a rally at 2.30pm.

            Speakers include Brendan Barber TUC General Secretary elect, Bill Morris TGWU General Secretary, Joy Moss of GLPA, Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Emilie Ferreira Globalise Resistance, Lindsey German Stop the War Coalition, ICFTU, trade unionists from Colombia and Cyprus, John McDonnell MP.

The RMT is calling on all trade unionists to join a Pre-May Day March Protest at the Offices of the Strategic Rail Authority.

            Bob Crow, General Secretary, National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT), writes:

             “As you know the national TUC march for trade union and employment rights is to commence at Clerkenwell Green, (nearest tube Farringdon) at 12.00 on Thursday 1st May. To protest at the disgraceful actions of the SRA in supporting train-operating companies in this dispute, the General Grades Committee have called for a demonstration outside the offices of the SRA to take place between 10.45 and 11.45. The finish time will then allow members to attend the TUC demonstration. I would urge as many members as possible to attend, with your branch banners. The address of the SRA offices is 55 Victoria Street, SW1H 0EU (Victoria or St James Park Tube).”

Mick Connolly, Regional Secretary for the TUC, London Region says:

            “May Day is the day when trade unionists peacefully celebrate our achievements, when we recommit ourselves to achieving social justice for all and when we express our support for those throughout the world who are struggling for basic rights. This is a day when we remember our sisters and brothers who are suffering victimisation, such as trade unionists in Colombia.

            “But sadly, given that British trade unionists live and work in a modern democracy, Britain itself fails to meet the minimum standards set by the UN International Labour Organisation. May Day in London sends out the message - the time has come for a Charter of Worker’s Rights firmly based on principles of equality, justice and respect at work.

            “Workers are invited to join the march in support of trade union campaigns for better employment and trade union rights, full employment and quality jobs. Marchers will also be showing their support for our ‘keep public services public campaign’ and they will be sending a clear anti-racism message.

            “And the marchers will be expressing their concern about international issues such as use of child labour, poverty pay, persecution of trade unionists, excessive trans-national corporation power and corporate irresponsibility. The march will be a protest for better global labour standards, debt cancellation and respect for communities and the environment.”

            Mick Connolly, continued: “The march is open to anyone who wishes to support our campaign themes and celebrate peacefully.

            "The London May day march is a long established tradition. The march is always held on 1 May and we believe the day should be declared a public holiday, as part of a move to give workers in Britain at least as many bank holidays as the European average.”

Members of Aberdeen Trades Council were joined by anti-war protesters at the weekend for the annual May Day march. Around 70 people, complete with banners and accompanied by drummers, took part in the parade down the city's Union Street on Saturday afternoon.

            They then congregated at the Castlegate to listen to speakers, including Aberdeen North Labour candidate Malcolm Savidge and John Sangster of the Scottish Socialist Party.

On the occasion of May Day this year, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) conveys its fraternal greetings of international solidarity to the millions of working people and their allies who are in the forefront of united actions and struggles to defend their jobs, wages, living standards, against privatisation and other such policies of neo-liberal globalisation, to defend the gains of decades of trade union struggles and for peace in the world, to defend the rights of nations and peoples, uphold the UN Charter and work towards the implementation of the UN Millennium Goals to achieve economic development and social progress the world over.

            The WFTU expresses its active solidarity with democratic and peace-loving forces the world over who are opposing all forms of militarism and war and who are strongly denouncing the deliberate defiance of international law as was shown by the recent invasion and occupation of Iraq by the US and British troops and the threats to invade other member countries of the United Nations who disagree with policies of militarism and war.

            It is becoming increasingly evident that exercising their total grip over the global information media, the big monopolies integrated with the military-industrial complex are resorting to fraudulent practices to hide the truth, mislead public opinion and justify a policy of double-standards. Thus all information on the stockpiles of nuclear and other mass destruction weapons held by Israel, in the Middle East region, are deliberately suppressed while claiming that the invasion of Iraq is allegedly for the elimination of such weapons from the same region. And, many other countries such as Syria, Iran, Libya, the DPRK, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela and others are being threatened with massive military intervention. It is claimed that the United States which has the largest stockpiles of nuclear, chemical, bacteriological and other mass destruction weapons has the right to declare war on any country to eliminate that country’s alleged stockpiles, without providing any evidence whatsoever and without reference to the United Nations Security Council.

            In the same way, the media monopolies paint a distorted picture of the neo-liberal policies of globalisation which are imposed on countries through the IMF, World Bank and the WTO, ignoring the widespread opposition of the working people, the trade unions and democratic forces. In fact, it is becoming increasingly evident to the working people and trade unions that the “globalisation” package is aimed at imposing the global hegemony of the TNCs and their military-industrial complex. On the other hand, these media monopolies suppress all information on the worldwide people’s struggle against neo-liberal globalisation and its economic and social consequences which have led to the further worsening of unemployment and poverty all over the world and particularly so in the developing countries. The real impact of the huge military budgets, militarism and war on the global economy is hidden from public view as, for instance, the real cost of the US-British invasion of Iraq and the economic consequences for Iraq as well as its neighbouring countries and rest of the world.

            That is why it has become an urgent task for the trade unions to educate public opinion on the real issues, further develop their information networks and unite with other democratic forces to build up such networks to expose and denounce the anti-social orientation of these economic and social policies that are being imposed through the IMF, World Bank and the WTO.

            The WFTU reiterates that united struggle is crucial at a time when the exploiters and oppressors intensify their efforts to divide and rule, in order to impose their hegemony, with no regard for international law and the basic rights and interests of the working people.

            The dangers inherent in the present situation are well-illustrated by the brutal manner in which Israel continues and intensifies its campaign of genocide of the Palestine people, refusing to implement the UN Security Council’s resolutions, destroying the peace process in order to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital, and to continue the illegal occupation of Arab territories in Palestine, Syrian Golan and remaining parts of South Lebanon.

            The United States persists in its refusal to implement the repeated UN General Assembly resolutions calling for lifting its illegal blockade of Cuba as well as to lift the unilateral sanctions imposed on many other countries. The United States threatens and undertakes military measures against UN member States without reference to the United Nations and its Security Council. While loudly proclaiming its commitment to democracy, the US Administration is interfering in the internal affairs of countries seeking to overthrow the democratically elected Presidents and governments, as in Venezuela recently.

            That is why it is necessary to insist that all States respect international law and the UN Charter and that all international institutions respect universality and the equal rights of nations and peoples, and all States should ratify and implement all the ILO conventions which they voted for and implement them with the cooperation of the trade unions in the respective countries. The United States has not so far ratified ILO conventions 87 and 98 and over 85 per cent of the working people in that country are not able to exercise their trade union rights. The WFTU reiterates that the ILO should uphold its mandate as an international labour organisation truly committed to defend workers’ interests and firmly oppose all intrusions into these rights in the name of “globalisation”.

            The WFTU reiterates that at a time when greater financial resources are demanded for education, public health, housing and other social necessities, it is absolutely unacceptable that the scarce resources are wasted on a new arms race, preparing for high-tech warfare and military adventures. The attacks on social security of the people endanger the security of the whole planet and its inhabitants. Funds for the implementation of UN Millennium Goals must be found and this must be a priority for all Member Governments of the United Nations.

            Urgent action should be taken to provide international assistance for the reconstruction of Iraq as well as other countries especially in Africa which are considered as the most seriously affected developing countries.

            The WFTU reiterates its solidarity and calls for the intensification of international and national actions to defend trade union rights and human rights and to strongly condemn the continuing murderous attacks on trade unionists in several countries and in particular in Colombia.

            On this May Day, the WFTU appeals to trade unions in all countries to further strengthen their efforts to advance the globalisation of struggle for peace and social progress and further strengthen solidarity in the struggle against the policies of neo-liberal globalisation, against so-called “liberalisation” and privatisation and against such plans for forced economic integration such as the “Free Trade Area of the Americas” (FTAA) and to uphold the national sovereignty and economic independence of countries.

            The WFTU invites trade unions in all countries to further strengthen the international trade union front for the rights and interests of working people the world over – for decent jobs and working conditions, social security for all, an immediate end to all wars and occupation, upholding national sovereignty and economic independence of countries and the principles of the UN Charter in order to achieve peace and security for all humankind.

As the initial phase of the invasion and illegal aggression against Iraq concludes with the armed occupation of that country, the London Political Forum reinforced its stand “The People Determine – No to War – We Can Make the Difference”.

            Continuing its custom of initiating discussion with a panel of speakers the Forum heard opinions from representatives of CND, Global Women’s Strike, JustPeaceUK, the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain and two delegates elected to represent the Forum at the March 12 People’s Assembly for Peace.

            The report back of the People’s Assembly gave an opportunity to consider the delegates assessment of the Assembly and sum up the participation of its elected delegates.  Both interventions were candid and searching.  One delegate highlighted some shortcomings of the Assembly. The voting system, the vocabulary and tone of many of the interventions, the vague focus of many speakers which diverted from emphasising the moral and legal legitimacy of the aggression, and the lack of a clear alternative to the plans for war – these were all pinpointed as weaknesses to be addressed. The second delegate focused on the situation in which the People’s Assembly for Peace had been convened, as the British contingent of the international anti-war movement and the need to develop this initiative and advance from a protest movement to proactive calls for an Anti-War Government.

            Contributions during the discussion covered many topics.   All addressed broader questions on the global anti-war movement, the shortcomings of the Assembly itself and challenges posed for demands for peace – from the absence of the democratic will of the people in the present political structure to the participation of the youth in the movement. The fact that so many millions expressed their view for peace was contrasted with the disregard of the political leaders of the US and Britain intent on pursuing a policy of war. The role of the People’s Assembly for Peace and some of the weaknesses identified in its work was highlighted by the historic millions strong international February 15 demonstrations which had not prevented the war. This however led many to draw the conclusion that strength refusing to be side-tracked, neutralised or put off-balance by unrelenting pro-war disinformation was vital, as well as recognising that the alternatives to war envisioned by the movement was the only force capable of preventing further aggressions.

            The Forum agreed to continue discussion on the anti-war movement and the demands for peace at its next meeting to be held in May.