BULLETIN PEO MAY 2018

B LLETIN

PEO

MAY 2018

CONTENTS

Page : 1

May Day in Cyprus - “We insist on a solution for reunification and social justice” Page : 3 Session of the WFTU Presidential Council Page : 4 The meeting of the Executive Committee of WFTU TUI Public Services & A in Cyprus Page : 5 PEO at the international meeting of Trade Union Organizations in South Europe and the Mediterranean region Page : 6

MAY DAY IN CYPRUS - “WE INSIST ON A SOLUTION FOR REUNIFICATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE” Thousands of workers Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots joined their voices with workers all over the world and celebrated the anniversary of Red May Day, the day of struggle and class solidarity of the working people.

The working people of Cyprus marched together under the slogan “We insist on a solution for reunification and social justice” at the joint event organized by the WFTU member organizations, PEO and the Turkish Cypriot

trade unions DEV-IS, KTAMS, KTOS, KTOEOS, BES, KOOP -SEN, DUSEN and demanded the reunification of our country and social justice.

The event organized by PEO began with a meeting outside the Ministry of Finance, with the General Secretary of PEO Pampis Kyritsis, and Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of AKEL as the keynote speakers. Speaking at the event, the GS of PEO said that by celebrating the event, we are honoring the pioneers of Chicago who have shown the way and become a symbol of worker’s struggles. On the economic situation in Cyprus, he denounced the fact that the crisis and unemployment has led to a deterioration of employment conditions and the deregulation of labour relations. In these conditions, PEO and the People’s Movement of the Left have set as a key priority the organization of working people’s resistance and the defense of our people’s social and trade union achievements of our people. Despite the difficulties, the trade union movement has managed to maintain collective agreements, the Cost of Living Allowance, combated the efforts of the Troika and the government to privatize the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority and the Cyprus Electricity Authority. He also pointed out that the PEO will continue the struggle to restore collective agreements, rebuild the welfare state, implement the General Health Scheme, protect the unemployed and restore pensioner’s rights.

Concluding his intervention, the GS of PEO referred to the completion of 70 years since the fierce struggles waged by the miners in 1948 and 60 years since the brutal assassinations of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot militants of the People’s Movement of the Left by nationalist extremists.

Working Women’s Bureau of PEO Cyprus mass campaign on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day Page : 7 Solidarity with the struggles of the peoples Page : 8 Demonstration of PEO for the accidents at working places

1

PEO bulletin

A march followed in the main streets of Nicosia, ending at a stadium in the UN-patrolled buffer zone at Ledra Palace. There, the march of Greek Cypriot workers met with the march of Turkish Cypriots and the glorious anniversary of May Day was celebrated with the reading of a joint text by the General Secretary of PEO and the President of DEV-IS. The event ended with a concert by the music bicommunal group “Cyprus Songs Association�.

On the morning of Tuesday, 1 May, events took place in all the cities of free Cyprus.

It should be noted that on Thursday, April 26, PEO and the Turkish Cypriot Trade Unions, DEV-IS, KTAMS, KTOS, KTOEOS, BES, KOOP-SEN, DOU-SEM, held a press conference in view of the joint May Day celebration and a joint declaration was read out.

2

PEO bulletin SESSION OF THE WFTU PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL A session of the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) took place in Tehran on 26 and 27th February. The General Secretary of PEO Pampis Kyritsis, who is also one of the WFTU Vice-Presidents, participated in the session.

45 representatives from all continents participated in the WFTU session, which analyzed the situation of workers in each continent and set out the WFTU action plan and objectives for 2018.

The keynote speaker was the WFTU General Secretary Giorgos Mavrikos, who submitted the report for 2017 and the proposals for 2018.

The General Secretary of PEO also spoke to the session who, after conveying the solidarity of Cypriot workers, informed the members of the Presidential Council about the current phase of the Cyprus problem, noting that the stalemate and impasse observed on the Cyprus problem is to the detriment of the Cypriot people as a whole. As he said, PEO is continuing to work with consistency and is developing joint actions with the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union Organizations to promote the reunification of Cyprus.

The GS of PEO subsequently referred to the problems faced by working people in Cyprus as a result of the austerity policies pursued by the Anastasiades government, as well as to the priorities set by the 27th Pancyprian Congress of PEO for the next five years.

Referring to WFTU’s activity, he pointed out the fact that the work being carried out is developing at a remarkable speed and is evident. As for PEO, he said that “as the Coordinator of the European Regional Office, it will continue to work with determination for the solidarity and unity of the classorientated forces in Europe and for the development of more actions and initiatives”.

3

PEO bulletin THE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF WFTU TUI PUBLIC SERVICES & A IN CYPRUS

On 11-12 May 2018, the meeting of the Executive Committee of TUI Public Serices was held in PEO Holiday Houses in Pervolia, Larnaca.

There were 11 representatives from 9 countries at the two-day proceedings (Cyprus, Italy, Greece, Cambodia, India, Egypt, Nepal, S. Africa, Algeria). Also, PEO Secretary General and Vice President of WFTU Pambis Kyritsis and the member of PEO Office, Pieris Pieri, head of the WFTU Office in Europe attended the meeting.

On his part, PASYEK PEO S.G., Michalis Archontides gave a speech at the Meeting of the Governing Committee of TUI where he welcomed the attendees and thanked them for their attendance and he talked about the Cyprus’ issue.

He referred to the situation in Cyprus and the EU with regard to the workers by highlighting that the hard and extreme neoliberal policies that are dominating impose anti-labour and anti-popular measures.He also talked about the whole offer of WFTU and TUI Public Services and he mentioned that the international coincidences and the attack against the workers put WFTU in front of new responsibilities and new challenges.

S.G. of TUI PS & A Leonardi Pierpaolo thanked on behalf of all the attendees the hosting Organization PASYEK PEO for the excellent organization of the meeting and the high level of hospitality they received. He referred to the wars continuing being at their top especially in our area as well as to the consequences of the economic crisis and the capitalistic system that as a result had the transfer of consequences of the crisis on the workers.

During the afternoon Synod of the meeting of TUI, PEO S.G. attended and made a greeting speech where he welcomed the officers of TUI in Cyprus. Talking about the socio-economic situation in Cyprus he said that in 2013 when the economic crisis was at its climax that was a result of irrational extension of the banking sector, the attack against the workers and their gains was hard.Finally, PEO Secretary General informed about the updated action of the International Class-Oriented Trade Union Movement and the role of TUIs. There were also speeches by other participants stressing both the issues and the role of TUI Public services that should have within the new World environment.

Then, among others, the Committee discussed various issues regarding the organizational, economic situation of TUI PS&A, action plan for every region, organization and development, new cooperation as well as a new discussion for specifying the World Conference of TUI PS&A that will probably be held in 2019.

4

PEO bulletin PEO AT THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF TRADE UNION ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION The international meeting of Trade Union Organizations of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region was held in Marseille, France on 14-15th December. The meeting was organized by CGT Marseille and the World Trade Union Federation (WFTU).

During the meeting and through the interventions made, the importance of the cooperation of the countries of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean to deal with the consequences of the capitalist crisis, the imposition of neo-liberal policies, imperialist interventions, immigration and refugees was highlighted.

At the same time, the importance of International Solidarity and the joint action and unity of workers and the peoples was stressed. Special reference was made to the Palestinian problem and the need for solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle.

The General Secretary of the WFTU Yiorgos Mavrikos addressed the meeting, which was attended by representatives from 23 Organizations from 14 countries in the region. He noted that this initiative represents a first step in the attempts by the International class-based Trade Union Movement to react to the attacks on working people’s rights, the privatizations and the criminalization of trade union action. At the same time, he stressed that the meeting is the starting point in the efforts to transform the Mediterranean Sea into a sea of peace and cooperation between peoples and working people.

PEO was represented at the meeting by the General Secretary of the Federation Pambis Kyritsis and the Secretary of the International Relations Bureau Pieris Pieri.

In his speech, the General Secretary of PEO expressed the class solidarity of Cypriot working people towards the daily struggles of French workers against the anti-worker neo-liberal policies and referred to the situation of working people in our country who are fighting against extreme anti-worker policies and vicious attacks against their rights and gains.

The GS of PEO subsequently referred to the implications of the signing of the Memorandum between the Anastasiades government and the Troika in 2013, as well as the haircut on bank deposits. He stressed that during the peak of the crisis and the imposition of the Memorandum measures, PEO organized the resistance and mobilization of the working people to defend and preserve the trade union and social gains of the Cypriot people.

He went on to refer to the principal priorities defined by the 27th Pancyprian Congress of PEO. The GS of PEO reiterated that the Federation will at the same time continue the struggle for the liberation and reunification of our homeland.

Concluding his intervention, he assured that PEO will continue to work within the ranks of the WFTU to strengthen the solidarity, unity and cooperation of working people at an international and European level for resistance to the anti-worker and anti-social policies of the ruling economic and political class.

5

PEO bulletin WORKING WOMEN’S BUREAU OF PEO CYPRUS MASS CAMPAIGN ON THE 8TH OF MARCH, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY The Working Women’s Bureau of PEO is organizing a mass campaign this March under the slogan “Women’s organization and struggle for Equality in Work and Society”.

The campaign begun on 5th March and ended on 9th March with hundreds of contacts and assemblies being organized at workplaces. On the occasion of 8th March, the Working Women’s Bureau of PEO offered working women the established red carnation and a symbolic card dedicated to PEO’s struggles and working women. On the 8th of March a delegation of the Working Women’s Bureau of PEO headed by the General Secretary of PEO visited the International Airport in Larnaca and met with the working women.

On Friday 9th of March a delegation of Working Women’s Bureau led by the General Secretary of PEO Pambis Kyritsis had a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Social Security. During the meeting a memorandum was delivered with the Federation’s positions and proposals on equality, combating discrimination at work and supporting the working family.

Contacts also held with the corresponding Working Women’s Bureau of the Turkish Cypriot trade union organization of DEV-IS. The culmination of the events was the mass women’s demonstration to the Presidential Palace held on Saturday, 10th March in cooperation with the Women’s Movement of POGO under the slogan “Bread and roses- the struggle for social justice continues”.

In addition, the Head of the Working Women’s Bureau of PEO participated in the World Women’s Congress which was held in Panama.

6

PEO bulletin SOLIDARITY WITH THE STRUGGLES OF THE PEOPLES PEO participated in the demonstration organized by AKEL and the popular movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

7

PEO bulletin DEMONSTRATION OF PEO FOR THE ACCIDENTS AT WORKING PLACES

PEO organized on the 17th of May a demonstration to the Ministry of Labour under the slogan NO MORE BLOOD AT WORKING PLACES. In the ministry , the General Secretary of PEO Pambis Kyritsis presented to the Minister the positions of the Federation and demanded measures for the prevention accidents and deaths at working places.

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 8

8