The International Miners' Coordination calls upon all miners of the world as well as their families to celebrate May 1st, 2020, together with colleagues from all lines of work as an international day of struggle
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- Published: Wednesday, 30 November -0001 01:00
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with disciplined attention to all health care measures of course. For 130 years May Day has been the international day of struggle for the working class! Especially in this present situation we miners, the trade unionists, will not let May Day be taken away from us! In many countries of the world, the Corona pandemic is being instrumentalised by the monopolies and their servile governments to restrict or suspend the rights of the workers.
They also attack democratic rights and freedoms of the masses in various ways. The Corona pandemic is intended to pass the consequences of the world economic and financial crisis, which began in 2018, onto and at the expense of the workers and the population. Globally rising unemployment threatens millions of livelihoods. Many workers are being sent on forced leave, sometimes with little or no pay. People who are informally or self-employed have no income. Due to curfews and state of emergency, the closure of numerous mines and other businesses, many miners are struggling to make a living. The following has been reported from the Congo: "We are forced to live in forced captivity without consistent accompanying measures being taken to ensure the social well-being of the population". From Namibia and Uganda women of miners report: "Our biggest problem is hunger. At the moment we are trying everything to provide food for people in the informal settlements". At the same time, governments channel billions of Euros to the international financial capital and to the major mine operators. While production is allowed to continue and free movement of the monopolies’ goods is guaranteed, governments impose restrictions on the freedom of assembly, curfews or states of emergency. In the mines, factories and production facilities labourers often work closely together. They must travel to work in crowded buses and trains. Along with the legal development of governments, social systems, health care, environmental protection measures, etc. have declined worldwide. Nursing staff and hospitals have been reduced or closed, insufficient stocks of protective clothing etc. have been built up. The monopolies' greed for profit has been endangering the health of workers since the beginning of capitalism - today it is becoming evident during the Corona crisis. These are enough reasons for us workers and our families to take to the streets on the 1st of May 2020! We need a militant May Day - with disciplined attention to all health measures of course. That's why we call for activities on May 1st, 2020, in the struggle against the right wing development of the government, against fascism and war! The workers are disciplined enough to keep a safe distance. They have many ideas on how to achieve that under the conditions of curfew and other measures.
We demand
- Consistent health protection YES: People must be the focus of attention! Undemocratic emergency measures NO: No restriction of democratic rights and freedoms!
- Fight the planned mass dismissals and plant closures!
- Release of workers for the time of necessary production closures with full compensation of wages and without using the personal entitlement for free time (vacation etc.)
- Increase of wages that allow a humane life according to the cost of living in the respective countries!
- Comprehensive treatment of illnesses and accidents as well as cost absorption for medical treatment and prevention by the companies!
- The reinstatement of temporary workers and their transfer to the permanent staff!
- From all governments of the world to protect the right of association, assembly and negotiation as well as a full and universal legal right to strike!
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International Coordination Group (ICG)