On May 1, 2012, the international day for peace and labor rights, is particularly marked by widespread austerity in Europe and around the world. The demand for a better life, characterized by social justice, respect for fundamental rights, and decent, recognized, and valued work must be heard.
The CFDT, CGT, FSU, UNSA, and Solidaires unions of the Alpes Maritimes call for a demonstration on May 1, 2012, at 10 a.m. on the Promenade des Anglais, in front of the Albert 1er Garden.
The CFDT, CGT, FSU, UNSA, and Solidaires unions express their support for people fighting for freedom, particularly the Syrian people, who have been protesting for more than a year to end the despotic and corrupt power of the Assad family.
They also support workers in European countries who are mobilizing against austerity policies imposed by governments and reinforced by the new European treaty adopted by heads of state on March 1st.
Throughout Europe, workers are being told “they are too expensive” and that the only solution is perpetual austerity.
On the contrary, it is through the construction of a social Europe, based on solidarity and the creation of quality jobs, that Europe will emerge from the crisis successfully.
This was strongly expressed during the mobilizations on February 29 across Europe.
In France, in a context of electoral deadlines, workers must make their demands heard at a time when political leaders self-designate as the sole representatives of workers and employers who attempt to reduce worker protections and employment contracts. Unemployment has reached record numbers, particularly among youth, darkening their future.
In no case can the far-right’s project provide a path out of the crisis. The unions renew their opposition to ideas propagated by the National Front and trivialized by others, who seek to exploit social fears and distress to retreat into an identity-driven, liberty-restricting, discriminatory, and racist society.
The demonstration aims to:
– Prioritize employment through economic and social policies based on a real industrial policy that meets ecological and high-quality public service imperatives, promoting the reduction of inequalities. Prioritize measures in favor of young people. End the non-replacement of one in two retiring civil servants.
– For a different distribution of wealth, increase wages, pensions, and purchasing power, allowing everyone to live with dignity by guaranteeing the right for all to high-level, solidary social protection throughout their lives; reduce inequalities between women and men.
– Improve working conditions and recognize strenuous work.
– Fight for equal rights and against all discrimination, especially concerning all migrant workers.
