Our Home is Moldova (Red Bloc) statement on the International Day of Workers’ Solidarity
The political party Our Home is Moldova (Red Bloc) congratulates all working people on their holiday – May 1, the International Day of Workers’ Solidarity. This year in Moldova, the demands and appeals of labor collectives, trade union organizations, left and workers’ parties from all continents are more relevant than ever. For the workers of our country there remain fewer and fewer reasons to refer to May 1 as a holiday: the number of jobs has steadily decreased, lawlessness against workers has become the norm, the eight-hour day in many cases exists only in our memories, safety regulations in the workplace are often not respected, a decent salary and social guarantees have been replace by squalid bribes.
At the same time, the organizations intended to protect the interests of workers have become subservient to the anti-people regime of [oligarch Vlad] Plahotniuc. The trade union movement is discredited by being so compliant to the government and bosses. Trade union property accumulated during the Soviet period has been sold off or is about to be offered for sale. The leadership of the republic’s trade unions have become flunkies of big capital as epitomized by Ilan Shor [capitalist and mayor of Orhei].
We condemn the inaction and opportunism of today’s so-called trade unions, which this year refused to hold protests in defense of the interests of working people. Moldova needs a new, strong and independent trade union movement! Unions which will not close their eyes to many months of wage arrears on the railways, which will not be silent about the inequality of women and men in the same job, which will not be indifferent to lawlessness, discrimination and the growing exploitation of labor.
Our Home is Moldova calls on all citizens to remember their rights and the need to fight and defend them daily. Everything depends on us!
Long live May Day!
Translated by Greg Butterfield
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