Today I spoke as ETF – European Transport Workers’ Federation president at the ETUC congress “Together for a fair deal for workers”.
Read my full speech below.
I am happy to be here in Berlin, in Germany, and having the opportunity to take the floor as ETF president.
This congress is organized here at 588 km from a parking area where history was written. In Gräfenhausen 70 drivers from Georgia and Uzbekistan went on strike against their polish employers who exploited them and who didn’t even pay their salaries.
It is historical, because for the first time in the transport sector third country workers in Europe striked against exploitation. And they had the full support of the European Transport Workers’ Federation, and our member organisation Ver-di.
And you know what: they did won the strike and received their salaries worth all together over 300.000€. This is a major victory for unionism and a good illustration that there is an alternative for the race to the bottom in our economies.
If only we fight back, ff only we organize, if only we open the door of our unions also to workers from abroad working in our countries.
We have to celebrate our victories!
I invite you all to give a big for a round of applause for these courageous drivers!
During this strike the polish employers mobilized a private militia to break the strike! They failed. That is an assault on our democratic right to strike. Techniques that are popular in far right organisations.
Because let’s admit it: far right is growing! And if they do not wear boots marching in the streets, they do wear fancy suits an shirts. They are participating in governments in different countries in Europe.
Wake up, brothers and sisters! Fascism is back, seducing also the workers we represent with a false narrative.
So let’s mobilize against far right. I wear the red triangle on my vest, a symbol of resistance against fascism, racism, exclusion, … That is also why ETF gives full support for campaigning to make the 8th of May, the day of victory of democracy over nazism in 1945, a public holiday all over Europe.
Because we have to remember and we have to defend democracy. Against far right.
No passaran!
