30 April, 2012Governments must focus on creating decent, sustainable jobs and protecting workers' rights to end the current economic crisis, says Global Unions in a 2012 May Day message.
GLOBAL: This May Day, the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) joins with all Global Unions in calling on governments to assume their responsibilities and join together to end the financial crisis by creating decent, sustainable jobs and standing up for the rights of people at work.
"It is more than five years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. This economic earthquake exposed the dangers of financialisation; of having the real economy subservient to finance; and of two decades of growing inequality," writes the Global Unions in a joint statement issue on the occasion of May Day 2012.
Together the global unions are calling on governments for:
- global regulation of financial markets,
- urgent action on creating jobs with secure employment
- sustainable responses to the challenges of climate change
- fair taxes, including a Financial Transactions Tax
- full respect of trade union rights
- comprehensive social protection for all
- guaranteed rights to basic needs such as food and housing
- opposition to austerity measures
- sustained investment in public services
The full statement, Government must act for a sustainable and equitable recovery, can be seen here.