BULLETIN PEO MAY 2017

B LLETIN

PEO

MAY 2017

CONTENTS

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Cypriot working people honored Worker’s Day Page : 4 Solidarity with the people of Palestine – WFTU Day of Solidarity 30th of March 2017 – protest meeting in Cyprus Page : 6

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Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots shouted together on 8th March, International Women’s Day, for a solution and reunification Page : 8 Belarus FTUB Workers’ Federation delegation in Cyprus Page : 9 SEDIKEK-PEO seminar: Why the Electricity Authority and Telecommunications Authority of Cyprus must not be privatized

CYPRIOT WORKING PEOPLE HONORED WORKER’S DAY

With the splendor befitting it, this year’s anniversary of Workers Day was celebrated by PEO with mass meetings that took place in all the cities of free Cyprus, as well as in dozens of villages.

The slogan of this year’s Worker’s May Day is “We are fighting for reunification, social and trade union rights”.

The climax of PEO’s Worker’s Day events was the joint event held in the UN administered buffer zone in Nicosia with Turkish Cypriot workers.

Preceding it was a mass gathering outside the Ministry of Finance in Nicosia, with the General Secretary of PEO Pampis Kyritsis the keynote speaker. The PEO Nicosia-Kyrenia District Secretary Charalambos Heraclides and the member of the Political Bureau of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou also addressed the mass rally.

Speaking at the meeting held in front of the Ministry of Finance, PEO GS Pampis Kyritsis said: “Taking into account these economic, political and social conditions, we are fully aware of the important role played by PEO and the People’s Movement of the Left in organizing resistance and in defending and preserving the Cypriot people’s trade union and social gains.

In the difficult times following the Anastasiades-Troika agreement in early 2013, despite the shock and the conditions of fear and insecurity created among working people and the public generally, the trade union movement did not permit conditions of a disorderly retreat to be created, particularly where a powerful organization and strong trade union tradition existed. We did for sure make concessions, which were painful for the working people.

But we did it in an organized way, through special agreements that had a beginning and an end and were the result of collective bargaining. Thus, we succeeded in protecting and maintaining our collective agreements. We are therefore fully aware that we have a very difficult struggle ahead of us.

After the decision of the PEO Extraordinary Congress in December 2015, we have moved on to the phase of organizing a counterattack. We are asserting with some success through the renewal of our collective agreements, the abolition of the special agreements and the reinstatement of the rights that were temporarily conceded.”

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PEO bulletin

Speaking about the battles PEO and working people face the GS of PEO said, “We have the battle surrounding the Automatic Cost of Living Allowance, but we are not going to abandon this gain. We are determined to wage the battle so that it remains an institution protecting wages from being eroded by inflation. We have the struggle to restore important social rights covering vulnerable groups of the population such as pensioners, large-member families, the disabled, students and working women. We have the struggle to implement the General Health Plan which we consider to be particularly important for working people’s quality of life. There is also the struggle against privatizations, where, due to the firm and decisive stand of PEO and the Left, we have been able to build strong bastions of resistance in the semi-governmental organizations and defeat the government’s attempt to privatize and sell off large public utility organizations.

With regards the Cyprus problem, the General Secretary of PEO underlined: “Together with the progressive Turkish Cypriot trade unions, we have been working with consistency and steadfastness for many years to support the idea of peaceful coexistence, and the vision of a reunited, federal and common homeland, in which we can live in peace and safety”.

Addressing the mass event, Stefanos Stefanou, member of the Political Bureau of AKEL, noted that the DISY government insisted that the economy is kick starting. S. Stephanou said that the country needs a truly progressive change “that will bring consistency, not vacillations, expediencies and negativity in the handling of the Cyprus problem; a change to end the austerity policies that are widening inequalities; a change to promote sustainable growth and support the welfare state, to stamp out corruption and interweaving with powerful interests.”

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PEO bulletin In his own address, the PEO Nicosia-Kyrenia District Secretary Charalambos Heraclides noted that, “We honour Workers Day together with millions of working people all over the world and join our voice and actions with those who do not yield, but who resist and assert.”

“May blood tions. white came

is the month of memory and honour for the struggles of the people who shed their and sacrificed their lives asserting an 8-hour working day and humane working condiIt is a month of paying tribute to the workers of Chicago who, with their blood-stained shirts, became a symbol of struggle and sacrifice. Since then the First of May bered, with an important place in the hearts and lives of working people”, he underlined.

A mass demonstration subsequently took place to the buffer zone in Nicosia where the Greek Cypriot worker’s march came together and merged with the Turkish Cypriot worker’s march organized by the trade unions DEV-IS, KTOS, KTOEOS, KTAMS, KOOP-SEN, BES and DAUSEN. Hence, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot working people celebrated together yet again in the stadium situated in the buffer zone Red Worker’s Day, singing and dancing together at the concert given by the “Prospectus” band and the Turkish Cypriot artist Arda Gunduz.

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PEO bulletin SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE – WFTU DAY OF SOLIDARITY 30TH OF MARCH 2017 – PROTEST MEETING IN CYPRUS

The Members of WFTU in Cyprus PEO, DEV-İŞ, KTAMS, KTOS, KTOEÖS, KOOP-SEN, BES, DAÜSEN responding to the WFTU for a Day of Solidarity with the people of Palestine organized on the 30th of March a protest meeting and march to the embassy of Israel in Nicosia.

The meeting started with speeches by the General Secretary of PEO Pambis Kyritsis and the President of KTOEÖS Selma Eylem.

In his speech Pambis Kyritsis noted that “As Cypriot workers, we comprehend the struggles of the Palestinian people, since the evils that have befallen the two people have a common root: the imposition of geostrategic interests and practices in our territory.” Further he added that:” For decades, and despite the terrorism exercised against it by Israel, the Palestinian people has been fighting for its rights, as well as for an independent, sovereign state and that,” gradually, 7 million Palestinians have been forced to become refugees around the world, the Israeli security forces arrest and imprison young children, kill and wound Palestinians daily. The destruction of infrastructure, the Palestinians’ financial poverty and humiliation can no longer go unnoticed, while the racist wall is a disgrace for humanity. Despite the decisions made by the United Nations since 1979, with which the settlements are condemned as a blatant violation of international law, Israel continues, aided by the criminal tolerance of the United States and the European Union which only react verbally, to rapidly populate the occupied Palestinian territories, with the sole aim of creating faits accomplis on the ground. The pinnacle of such actions by the state of Israel is the recent, unacceptable decision by the Israeli Parliament to retroactively legalise 4000 settlers’ houses in the West Bank”.

The president of KTOEÖS Selma Eylem, in her speech mentioned that “we are here not only to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine, but to stand against imperialistic interventions and wars and against the pain and the destructions caused by the world forces in the region of Middle East”. She added that “the world order brings to the humanity destructions as a result of the conflicts and wars, but it should not be the testiny of the humanity.

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PEO bulletin The meeting followed by a march to the embassy of Israel in Nicosia were a resolution was read and adopted. In the resolution it is mentioned that “The International class oriented trade union movement of WFTU has supported and continues to support the struggle of the Palestinian people for many years with various activities. In this framework, March 30th was set as the Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The Palestinian people have been struggling for years for the right to form an independent Palestinian state with the capital East Jerusalem and based on the 1967 borders. However, these decisions are not implemented as the international community closes their eyes for Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people, despite decisions made in the UN, such as the Security Council’s decision since 1977, which condemned illegal population placement as a clear violation.

Tolerating its crime by the US and the EU, whose reaction is only limited to explanations the Israeli state continues to intensify its occupation by violating the principles of international law. The recent unacceptable decision taken by the Israeli House of Representatives to legalize the residence of 4,000 settlers on the West Coast constitutes the summit of the criminal activities of the Israeli state.

After the election of Trump, which showed the intention to abandon two state policies, the Israeli state’s aggression is intensified. At the same time, the racist wall constitutes a great shame for the whole humanity, while destruction, detention, imprisonment and even the slaughter of the younger children continue.

Further it was emphasized that “The Cypriot workers face the consequences of the imperialist plans and the war up to this day. For this, they stand by the Palestinian people and support their struggles and express their solidarity with the main demands to be a free and independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and the capital city of East Jerusalem, the evacuation of all Israeli settlement in the Palestinian territories and the demolition of the dividing wall, all of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons to be released and the imperialist attacks on other people’s living in the Middle East.

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PEO bulletin GREEK CYPRIOTS AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS SHOUTED TOGETHER ON 8TH MARCH, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, FOR A SOLUTION AND REUNIFICATION

With white pigeons and olive branches, Cypriot women, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, held an event celebrating International Women’s Day at Ledra Palace in the UN administered buffer zone in Nicosia, having come and merged together after previously holding separate marches from the free and occupied areas of Nicosia. The organizers of the very successful event were the Working Women’s Office of PEO, POGO and more than 25 Turkish Cypriot Organizations.

The moment when women fermented soil together soil and shouting the slogan “Forward to PeaceHade Baris” planted an olive branch together, the symbol of peace was special They pledged to fight dynamically together to break down the walls of separation and bring the reunification of our homeland.

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PEO bulletin The program of the event included songs by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot musicians and a theatrical performance titled “People united, beyond the dividing walls” of a joint theatrical act.

In their joint declaration, the Organizations that held the event noted that: “We, the women living on a divided island, we, the women whose labour is exploited both at the workplace and at home, yearn for peace. We, the women from all the communities of Cyprus have decided to organize this march today, 8th March, International Women’s Day, to stress that we are united in the struggle for freedom, equality and peace. The 8th March, International Women’s Day, is the best opportunity to remind women’s achievements around the world, and to further promote gender equality, freedom and peace. International Women’s Day, which was established at the beginning of the 20th century in honour of anticapitalist strikes and the revolutionary actions of women’s workers’ movements, set the goals for the future generations of women.” Finally, they reaffirmed their determination to continue to work together, overcoming any line of division, to achieve common goals. They declared that the federal solution is the only way to achieve sustainable peace, justice, prosperity and gender equality in Cyprus.

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PEO bulletin BELARUS FTUB WORKERS’ FEDERATION DELEGATION IN CYPRUS Within the framework of its policy of developing contacts with other trade unions, PEO hosted a delegation from the Belarus Workers’ Federation FTUB. The three-member delegation visited Cyprus from 1-4th March and consisted of President Mikhail Orda, Anton Galynya, Head of International Relations, and the President of the Georgian Workers’ Union Mikalai Labushau.

At the official meeting between the PEO Executive Bureau with the FTUB delegation, the General Secretary of PEO Pampis Kyritsis, welcoming the members of the delegation, referred to the fact that the relations between the two Organizations are historic and stressed PEO’s will to enhance them further. He briefed the Belarusian trade unionists about PEO’s history and struggles, the situation of workers today, the consequences and problems caused by the imposition of the Memorandum and the Troika’s policies, as well as the reaction of the PEO Trade Union Movement . He also briefed on the current situation on the Cyprus problem, noting that for PEO its solution is a priority which is why PEO cooperates and develops joint actions and initiatives with the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union Organizations. At the same time, he thanked the people and workers of Belarus for their solidarity towards the struggle of Cyprus.

The President of the Belarusian Federation of Workers having thanked PEO for its warm hospitality expressed his support and solidarity with the effort to solve the Cyprus problem and stressed the desire to deepen the cooperation between the two Organizations. The issue of the exchange of working groups between the two Organizations was discussed, as well as more contacts between the Sectoral Unions. To this end a meeting was held between the General Secretary of SEGDAMELIN PEO Athos Eleftheriou and the President of the Trade Union of Georgian workers Mikalai Labushau. A cooperation agreement was signed between them.

During their visit to the PEO central offices in Nicosia, the FTUB delegation visited the offices of the Cyprus Institute of Labour and the Nicosia-Kyrenia Health Centre of Nicosia, as well as the Labour Museum.

The delegation from Belarus visited the offices of PEO in Limassol where it had a meeting with the PEO District Secretary and cadres of the Secretariat. The delegation then toured Limassol and visited the PEO Rest Homes in Pelendri.

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PEO bulletin SEDIKEK-PEO SEMINAR: WHY THE ELECTRICITY AUTHORITY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY OF CYPRUS MUST NOT BE PRIVATIZED

A seminar on “The implications of the privatization of CYTA and EAC semi-governmental organizations” organized by SEDIKEK-PEO took place on 23rd March. The seminar was held in view of the SEDIKEK PEO-CYTA and SEDIKEK PEO-EAC Congresses. Keynote speakers developed legal, economic and social arguments by supporting the view that it is in the public interest that the two bodies (Cyprus Telecommunications Authority CYTA and Electricity Authority of Cyprus EAC) governed by public law should be modernized and remain under public control.

The General Secretary of SEDIKEK PEO Antonis Neophytou opened the deliberations, pointing out that “The economic monster of Neo-liberalism is here and threatening us. It neither cares nor takes into account what is in the country’s and people’s interest. It took us 18 years back in terms of the purchasing power of wages, but it isn’t satisfied. The political-economic and social impact of privatization is a huge issue. The control or not by public profitable Organizations and strategically important branches is of crucial importance for the economy, growth, security and society. Telecommunications and electricity concern everyone in terms of their universal provision, their competence and right to access.”

The General Secretary of PEO Pampis Kyritsis welcomed the fact that, as a result of the responsible and determined stand of the forces rejecting neo-liberal dogmatism, it was possible - by a decision of the Parliament that doesn’t allow the continuation of the process - to impede the privatization and selling off of the most important Public utility Organizations, namely CYTA and EAC.

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PEO bulletin As he stressed, PEO opposes privatizations not only because as a trade union organization it defends the rights of workers in these Organizations. “As a Workers Federation expressing the wider social interests of the forces of labour, our starting point is the principle that public goods must not be subject to profiteering and speculation, but be under social ownership and that unhindered access is ensured for all citizens. The experience that has been accumulated so far and where sweeping privatizations have taken place in the name of consumers and the “free market” proves that when these goods become subject to speculation by private monopolies and profit is the only incentive to manage them, then there is no guarantee whatsoever that the citizen has access to quality services at affordable prices. Most likely the opposite is happening and the examples are far too many”, warned the General Secretary of PEO. He then noted that “From the experience of the Trade Union Movement in other countries, we know that where privatizations definitely contribute is in the deregulation of labour relations, the undermining of Collective Agreements and ultimately they have adverse effects on rights and wage levels for all workers”.

Former Finance Minister Makis Keravnos, in his own address, said that in Britain, which dogmatically implemented privatization on a mass scale as a process to promote economic growth, a decline in living standards, unemployment, stagnation in wages, rising cost of living, the dismantling of the welfare state, shrinking the malfunctioning of the health system and insecurity is being observed. This has resulted in reduced expectations that made the British people decide to leave the EU of austerity policy and in a new period of social, political and economic turmoil beginning.

AKEL MP Aristos Damianou referred to the recent effort of the Anastasiades government to bring back the issue of the privatization of CYTA. He noted the government’s “dogmatism” and insistence on selling out an Organization to big private interests, which - under difficult circumstances - earns € 50 million annually and offers services even in the most remote village of Cyprus.

Pancyprian Federation Of Labour Archermou 29 1045 Nicosia Cyprus P.O. Box 21885 tel : 22866400 fax : 22866512 e - mail : info@peo.org.cy

www.peo.org.cy 10

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