- Македонски
- English
Dear colleagues,
Dear sisters and brothers,
Let me begin by thanking you for all the hard work you put in by performing your work tasks at your workplaces.
But your work and all your efforts must be paid appropriately, must be valued appropriately, must be respected appropriately.
Therefore, trade unions all over the world mark International Labor Day, May 1st, with protests and demonstrations, because even today, your work as workers’ is not appreciated enough, is not valued appropriately, and is not paid decently.
The three 8s, 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation and family time, and 8 hours of rest are one of the greatest benefits that workers’ fought for back in 1886 in Chicago, when workers’ protested for a reduction in the working hours from a 12-hour workday to an 8-hour workday.
They were not afraid of anyone back then, even at the cost of their lives.
But today, many of you work longer than 8 hours a day, and what is even more serious, you are not even paid for it.
Today in Macedonia there is again a 12-hour workday for a large number of workers.
Today, many workers leave their homes in the morning, not knowing whether they will return home safely after working hours.
Today, the danger of abrogation or annulment of one collective agreement means the danger of abrogation of many collective agreements.
Today, due to the ignorant attitude of the Government and the employers, Macedonia has the lowest minimum and the lowest average wage in the region and in Europe.
You know how much you are worth, you know how much you invest and you know how much you expose yourself to dangers while performing your work tasks.
Today, you may rightly believe that not you, but someone else should fight for you, but who else should fight for your labour rights if you decide not fight, and when, if you do not fight now.
Perhaps the easiest thing for you is to escape at least for one day from the problems, to use this combined May Day weekend for time with your family and that is not wrong, but the problems will be the same on May 4th, salaries will remain low, jobs will remain unsafe and the working conditions will remain undignified.
It is easiest to attack the trade unions, to blame the trade union members, but they are not all the same, We are fighting, and we have been fighting for years, and those others are not fighting, but begging, and begging for years.
The workers' struggle is not one day, it is not one protest, it is not one strike, but for a fight, for a protest and for a strike, numbers are required and needed, organized workers’ are needed and a trade union like SSM is needed…. one worker can do little, but together, the workers can do everything!
On May 1st, we from SSM will protest again, as we protested in January and March, we will protest for every one of you who is afraid, for every one of you who is being threatened, for every one of you who will go away for the weekend, for every one of you who will work on May 1st, we will protest even for those who are at home and will not go out to protest and will watch us from their windows and balconies, because we will protest even if only one worker comes with us and asks us to do so.
Others will protest with us as well, some other trade unions have chosen not to protest nor with us or themselves, but as we clearly said those trade unions are yellow trade unions.
I know that I and the people I know will be in front of SSM Workers' Home on May 1st at 11 am, we will start the May Day protest, and as many as we will be, we will be, but no matter what our obligation as trade unions is to protest in the name of all workers’.
In the name of solidarity,
Long live May Day!
