Message of solidarity from MEPs

Please find attached a message of support and solidarity from the members of the Socialist and Democratic Group in the European Parliament for the trade union action taking place in defence of Pensions Justice on Wednesday 30^th November 2011.  I am heartened to say there is similar action taking place across the European Union.

All the best

David Martin MEP

Trade union Actions across EU for a change in EU and national level Economic policies to protect jobs, public services, social rights and pensions Justice

We, the Members of the Socialist and Democrat Group in the European Parliament, send all our support and solidarity for the trade union Actions taking place across Europe on and around the 30 November. More than twenty British unions and over two million public service workers take industrial action in defence of their pensions in the UK, and similar actions across Europe in defence of jobs, public services, social rights and a democratic and social Europe.

Across Europe, both public and private sector workers are being punished for a crisis they did not cause. Austerity policies are cutting jobs on a massive scale and forcing public sector workers to pay more in pension contributions, work longer before they can claim their pension and yet get less money when they finally retire.

The S&D Group condemns attempts to create antagonism between workers in the public and private sectors across Europe and emphasises that they are all victims of a failure of EU Governments and the EU Commission to get a grip of the economic and financial crisis, and develop economic policies for growth and jobs rather than for a downwards spiral into an economic abyss.   The S&D believes that jobs and a decent pension are fundamental rights for all EU citizens that go to the very core of the European Social Model.

The S&D Group urges EU Member States and all the associated institutions to stop the in-fighting, and focus their energies on working together in solidarity to sort out the euro-and wider economic and financial crisis before we all go over the cliff. Workers across Europe are looking to decision makers to show leadership and act in defence of their futures, how long are we going to keep them waiting?

Fraternally,

The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament