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12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 81/1998
Strikes and rallies will be held right across the Russian Federation tomorrow, 7 October, as the country's trade unions press for an end to anti-social economic policies and the immediate full payment of the massive wage debt owed to Russia's workers.
Vic Thorpe, General Secretary of the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), today sent the following message to the ICEM's Russian affiliates:
[quote]
Brothers and Sisters!
Tomorrow, 7 October, the world's attention will be focussed on Russia, when the working people of your country join together to tell those in power that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:
No more working without payment. This modern slavery must cease!
No more violations of basic human and civil rights!
No more financial speculation at the cost of workers' living standards!
No more economic pseudo-reforms, which are in fact pushing more and more of the Russian working population down into absolute poverty!
Throughout the Russian workers' struggle, the ICEM has actively supported your demands.
On several occasions, the ICEM has approached the President and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation in support of your demands for rapid improvements in your working and living conditions, and in particular for the payment of the enormous wage debt owed to Russia's workers.
We supported the Russian trade union complaint to the ILO [the UN's International Labour Organisation - Ed.] on the illegal policy of wage arrears.
We launched Pay Us Our Wages, our special worldwide cybercampaign on the Internet. In this way, we have kept the whole world informed about Russia's scandalous wage debt and about the violations of human rights and labour laws in your country.
History teaches us that any economic measures, of whatever kind, cannot bring welfare and prosperity unless the interests and rights of working people are fully respected.
Not for the first time this century, ideologues are attempting to reshape Russian society by violating human, economic and social rights and laws. Once again, the result is deep suffering for the Russian workers. Now, rulers who call themselves democratic, basing themselves on the theories and nostrums of the World Bank and the IMF, have once again brought the country to the brink of collapse by ignoring the rights and needs of working people.
For three years now, you and we have been trying to alert the Russian authorities to the dangers of this approach. But they chose to ignore our warnings. Wage and pension arrears spiralled up and up. Living standards plunged down and down. Even consultation and information within the Tripartite [government/employer/union -Ed.] Committee came to a halt.
The resulting economic and political crisis has had a devastating effect on Russia and its people.
And still the lesson has not been learned. Once again, we see attempts being made to solve the crisis by placing the burden on the backs of those least able to carry it. And once again, together with you, we warn the Russian authorities that such policies have never worked, in Russia or anywhere else. Nor will they work this time.
The ICEM expresses its full solidarity with your industrial action. We support your demands for the immediate payment of all wage arrears, for an improved social security system and for a strong social component within economic reforms.
Be assured that over 20 million ICEM members worldwide will be shoulder to shoulder with you tomorrow on your picket lines, at your rallies and in your strike action.
Vic Thorpe, General Secretary of the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), today sent the following message to the ICEM's Russian affiliates:
[quote]
Brothers and Sisters!
Tomorrow, 7 October, the world's attention will be focussed on Russia, when the working people of your country join together to tell those in power that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:
No more working without payment. This modern slavery must cease!
No more violations of basic human and civil rights!
No more financial speculation at the cost of workers' living standards!
No more economic pseudo-reforms, which are in fact pushing more and more of the Russian working population down into absolute poverty!
Throughout the Russian workers' struggle, the ICEM has actively supported your demands.
On several occasions, the ICEM has approached the President and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation in support of your demands for rapid improvements in your working and living conditions, and in particular for the payment of the enormous wage debt owed to Russia's workers.
We supported the Russian trade union complaint to the ILO [the UN's International Labour Organisation - Ed.] on the illegal policy of wage arrears.
We launched Pay Us Our Wages, our special worldwide cybercampaign on the Internet. In this way, we have kept the whole world informed about Russia's scandalous wage debt and about the violations of human rights and labour laws in your country.
History teaches us that any economic measures, of whatever kind, cannot bring welfare and prosperity unless the interests and rights of working people are fully respected.
Not for the first time this century, ideologues are attempting to reshape Russian society by violating human, economic and social rights and laws. Once again, the result is deep suffering for the Russian workers. Now, rulers who call themselves democratic, basing themselves on the theories and nostrums of the World Bank and the IMF, have once again brought the country to the brink of collapse by ignoring the rights and needs of working people.
For three years now, you and we have been trying to alert the Russian authorities to the dangers of this approach. But they chose to ignore our warnings. Wage and pension arrears spiralled up and up. Living standards plunged down and down. Even consultation and information within the Tripartite [government/employer/union -Ed.] Committee came to a halt.
The resulting economic and political crisis has had a devastating effect on Russia and its people.
And still the lesson has not been learned. Once again, we see attempts being made to solve the crisis by placing the burden on the backs of those least able to carry it. And once again, together with you, we warn the Russian authorities that such policies have never worked, in Russia or anywhere else. Nor will they work this time.
The ICEM expresses its full solidarity with your industrial action. We support your demands for the immediate payment of all wage arrears, for an improved social security system and for a strong social component within economic reforms.
Be assured that over 20 million ICEM members worldwide will be shoulder to shoulder with you tomorrow on your picket lines, at your rallies and in your strike action.