Solidaritätsadresse für die Streikenden im öffentlichen Dienst

(Zusammenfasung)

Die Gewerkschaftsorganisation von Unison in Waltham Forest (Londoner Stadtteil) drückt den Streikenden im öffentlichen Dienst der BRD ihre Solidarität aus. Simon Donovan, der Ortsvorsitzende Unisons verweist auf den eigenen sechstägigen Streik angesichts einer Regierung, die sich gerechter Entlohnung für jene, die die Stadt funktionieren machen verweigert. Die Gelder seien durchaus da: Eine Milliarde Pfund für einen möglichen Irakkrieg, 600 Millionen für den bankrottbedrohten privaten AKW Betreiber, und 250 Millionen für eine private Eisenbahngesellschaft...

Wir haben in England zu lange ruhig schlechte Bezhalung hingenommen, jetzt ist die Zeit der Wende.

German public sector strikes

Waltham Forest UNISON, the British Public Sector union of 1.5 million workers, sends our congratulations and solidarity greetings to our German brother and sisters for todays strike action. The freeze on public sector pay is affecting workers across the European Union and beyond.

In London we municipal workers have taken 6 days strike action this year to achieve a fair pay settlement. We make this city function, without us - the workers who administer, clean, teach, and care London is nothing without us. Yet they refuse to pay us a living wage. Our members are forced to take second and third jobs just to make ends meet. We are stressed and our family life's suffer.

However our government has plenty of money for its own agenda. 1 billion has been set aside from the budget to fight a war for oil in Iraq. British Nuclear Fuels the private company running the nuclear power stations is given 600million after threatening bankruptcy. Likewise a private train company was given 250million to stop bankruptcy.

This is not good enough, we demand and we expect decent wages. Our governments must understand that we will fight if they do not pay us a living wage. In Britain we have accepted poor pay in silence for too long - now the tide is turning.

Best wishes for your action.

Yours in International solidarity.
Simon Donovan
Chairman Unison in Waltham Forest