Solidarity with 20 October from around the world

Solidarity from around the world

For a future that works

20 October 2012

The TUC has received messages of solidarity from trade unionists and other progressive organisations around the world for our march for a future that works on Saturday 20 October. Here are some of them.

Bangladesh

In particular, the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) in Bangladesh will be organising a rally at 11am in Dhaka (6am in London) as a strong signal of their solidarity. They will start the rally in front of the national Press Club in capital city Dhaka and will parade through the main streets.

'The National Garment Workers' Federation has been fighting for the rights of garment workers in Bangladesh since 1984. We will stand with workers in the UK on 20 October in your fight against the attacks on the working class and the cuts that your government has imposed. We reject attempts by governments to balance budgets at the expense of working people.

'We also reject efforts by governments and business groups to split the working class, either by distinguishing between public sector and private sector, or British and immigrant workers. This division only serves the interests of big business. We wholeheartedly support the statement 'an injury to one is an injury to all.' Only through a strong working class movement can we defend against the current assaults on working people all over the globe.

'We know that these abuses and the programme of cuts will make thousands of you poorer as a result and as workers, we stand united against poverty wherever it is found.'

Amirul Haque Amin - President, National Garment Workers' Federation, Bangladesh

Cameroon

The entire membership of the Fako Agricultural Workers' Union (FAWU) Cameroon hereby expresses its deep concern and solidarity with the British Trade Union Congress (TUC) following the imposition of anti-people austerity measures by the British government.

Mbide Charles Kude, General Secretary FAWU

Zambia

'We, the National Union of Plantation, Agriculture and Allied Workers (NUPAAW), a union representing more than 24,000 farm workers in Zambia, stand in solidarity with workers and people in the UK fighting back against austerity plans through massive cuts and the privatisation of services.

'The austerity plans being imposed in the UK and across Europe follow a similar agenda to the measures that Zambian workers and people faced as a result of the imposition of Structural Adjustment Programmes back in the 1990s. These programmes, based on privatisation of basic services and free trade meant that thousands of public sector workers lost their jobs and a complete privatisation of basic services and key economic sectors. The negative impact of these policies are still being felt today and thousands of people are poorer than before.

'We wish you all the best in this day of action and we hope that your government does not commit the same mistakes as ours did!'

Godwin Mungala, General Secretary, National Union of Plantation, Agriculture and Allied Workers

Honduras

The Honduran Women's Collective (CODEMUH) is a feminist and female-led organisation defending and promoting women's and women workers' rights.

'Today we want to stand in solidarity with citizens, workers and unemployed people in the UK that are fighting back against the attacks on the welfare state, education, health and against the privatisation of the public services and strategic sectors. In Honduras, particularly since the coup d'état of June 2009, we are experiencing a massive erosion of our human, labour and women's rights. And this is happening to protect transnational corporations, capital and big economic and political powers.'

Hong Kong

'Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM), a Hong Kong based labour rights group, mainly focuses on labour practice of the international brands in China. Yet, we are aware of we are not only combating the unethical buying practice of the brands, but the neo-liberalism which promotes the free flow of capital and causes the workers in different countries to race to the bottom. And the neo-liberalism is not only the perpetrator of the deplorable working conditions in the developing world, but the working poor in the developed world as well.

'Prior to the establishment of SACOM, our founders are student activists who campaigned against the wage cut of cleaners and security guards in a university campus. Under the notion of budget cut, the grassroots workers were disproportionately affected while the top rank management could retain an ample income. Students were furious by the injustice of the restructuring plan and worked together with the grassroots employees to form a union. Since then, the power of organizing is deeply imprinted in our founders' heart. In the past 7 years, we mainly worked with the factory workers in China. It is only because there is a lack of foundation for workers to organise themselves, SACOM has start our cross-border campaign to support. Nevertheless, we are fully aware that poverty is surrounding us and we need policy reform to protect the low-income groups. And labour organizing is the impetus for the change.

'Although SACOM is not able to join the TUC march on 20 October, we fully support the just cause to reset the economic rules to safeguard the social and economic rights and dignity of workers. In solidarity!'

SACOM helped the TUC produce reports on exploitation in the supply chains for London 2012 sporting goods as part of the Playfair2012 campaign