Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot trade unions
PEO, DEV-IS, KTAMS, KTOS, KTOEOS, BES, KOOP-SEN, DAU-SEN
The working people of Cyprus pay tribute and honor this year too Worker’s 1st May Day, the International Day of Struggle and Solidarity of working people.
On this important day for the working class, we honor the pioneering heroes of the Chicago Uprising of 1886 who, through their sacrifices, became a symbol of struggle for the international working class.
We pay tribute to the pioneers of our country’s worker’s movement, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who with their fierce class struggles waged in the spirit of internationalism and class solidarity, achieved fundamental gains for the working class of Cyprus.
The pandemic continues to mark the lives of workers around the world with the loss of millions of lives. While on the one hand the wealth generated is enormous and technology has recorded advances, on the other social inequalities are becoming even more acute and billions of our fellow human beings are struggling to survive, suffering from unemployment, insecurity and poverty.
The powerful are trying to shift the burden of this crisis on to the backs of workers and the weak in society and are launching new attacks on working people’s rights. They are promoting measures and policies that restrict trade union freedoms and curb democratic rights.
At a time when the world is being tested by the effects of the pandemic, wars are continuing which have claimed many lives and forced millions to flee their homes and seek refuge in other countries, increasing the flow of migrants and refugees.
Humanity’s hopes for immunization through vaccines is being commercialized and the peoples are falling victim to the competition of the big multinational companies that consider human health as a source of profit.
The spread of the pandemic has created unprecedented conditions for our country too. The restrictions that unfortunately continue, do not permit us all to celebrate together the great celebration of workers.
With this joint declaration and despite the difficulties, PEO together with the Turkish Cypriot trade unions DEV-IS, KTAMS, KTOS, KTOEOS, BES, KOOP-SEN and DAU-SEN, all affiliated members of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), send out the message that we will not compromise with the partition and status quo. We will continue the common struggle for peace to prevail and for the reunification of our homeland.
We shall continue the common struggle for a just and mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem, for the reunification of our country within the framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. For one state, with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality. For a demilitarized and independent homeland, without protectors and guardians.
We shall continue the struggle to defend and expand the labour and social gains handed down to us by the pioneering Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot trade unionists.
To send the message that we will never accept the burden of the consequences of the current crisis to be put yet again on the working people’s backs
– Long live Worker’s Day!
– Long live the common struggles of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots for peace and social justice!
– Hope lies is in our struggles!