For decades, PAMI has been under intervention, rendering it no longer the public agency in whose direction and administration workers should participate. Quite the contrary, it is run by officials of the current government. As if that weren’t enough, several cases have been reported in different parts of the country recently, evidencing the political misuse of PAMI and the use of its resources to settle internal disputes. The concern or obligation of these bureaucrats, paid with members’ money, to address their pressing needs is far from obvious.

For this reason, on the occasion of the new anniversary of the creation of PAMI, we, the National Coordinating Board of Retiree and Pensioner Organizations, demand:

– The immediate implementation of all benefits without restrictions;

– Establish free access to all medications, including those recently classified as over-the-counter for the benefit of pharmaceutical companies and to the detriment of workers;

– Stop the intervention! Normalize PAMI NOW! Active and retired workers must participate in its management and administration.

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The TUI of P&R, first of all, wishes to express its solidarity with the teachers and employees of Nepal who are continuing their 27-day strike and we denounce the violence used by the security forces to reprimand the demonstration that took place on April 27 in the state capital to demand guaranteed job security, promotions and career prospects, respect for trade union rights and guaranteed social security. Yesterday, the 26^th day, the police used water cannons and indiscriminately charged the peaceful procession of teachers. Sixty to seventy teachers were injured and hospitalized as a result of baton blows. Most of the injured teachers suffered serious injuries to the left head, eyes and back.

The TUI of the P&R wishes to reiterate that freedom of expression and demonstration are guaranteed by international legislation and by the conventions signed by governments with the ILO. The teachers who demonstrated after 27 days of strike action have the right to demonstrate to draw the government’s attention to the implementation of previous agreements. The current government, led by the NCP UML, must initiate formal negotiations to address the teachers’ demands and not resort to violence to silence teachers and employees; this situation will only lead to chaos in the education sector.

The TUI of P&R, while remaining in solidarity with the teachers and employees of Nepal, denounces this method of violent reprimand used by the police, who are responsible for securing the demonstrations and not for using violence to cause injuries.

The TUI of the P&R of the WFTU presents this communiqué to the Nepalese Prime Minister to denounce the method used by the government to reprimand the protests and demonstrations of teachers and employees in Nepal. We call on the government to immediately address the teachers’ legitimate demands through negotiations to defuse the situation. We are attaching these photos to this statement to demonstrate the violence our fellow Nepalese teachers have suffered.

Bachir Hakem
Organizational Secretary
TUI of P&R of the WFTU

Quim Boix
General Secretary
TUI of P&R of the WFTU

The post TUI of P&R Communiqué of Solidarity with the Teachers and Workers of Nepal Against the Violent Repression of their Strike appeared first on Labor Today.

In this sense, we retirees, as members of the collective of workers, reiterate our decision to continue striving for the construction of a society without exploiters or exploited. A society of men and women freed from the yoke of capitalist exploitation.

This task is carried out every day, and in our particular case, it gives strategic meaning to the struggle for our most heartfelt and immediate demands. From the National Coordinating Board of Retiree and Pensioner Organizations, we therefore say:

• Immediate emergency increase. Minimum income equivalent to the value of the Senior Citizens’ Basket, calculated by the City of Buenos Aires’ Ombudsman’s Office, and proportionally for the rest of the scale.
• Free medications.
• New public, pay-as-you-go, solidarity-based, intergenerational pension system led and administered by active workers and retirees.
• Normalization of PAMI, establishing its management and administration by active workers and retirees.

The aforementioned will only be possible by confronting, in unity and organization, the policies promoted by this puppet government and its allies, representing national and global economic power and the IMF.

This May 1st will find us saying “present!” in every square, at every event held with the greatest sense of unity throughout the country.

LONG LIVE MAY 1ST!!!
LONG LIVE THE WORKING CLASS!!!

The post ARGENTINA: Wednesday Retiree Update appeared first on Labor Today.

The objective of unification and the mobilization of active workers, retirees and pensioners, both in the public and private sectors, is the demand for a general increase in wages and pensions. It is the requirement that article 91 of the Constitution be complied with, said the trade unionist at a press conference.

In this sense, the spokesman explained that the demand is to stop the process of destroying wages and labor rights that this government is applying with its neo-liberal criminal policy, which is why he called on all sectors of the country to join the march called by the public sector and by the employees of private companies.

Will the united workers defeat the anti-worker and anti-popular policy of the authoritarian and legitimate government, which is condemning the Venezuelan working people to hunger and misery. Together we will win with powerful mobilizations this May 1, he detailed.

He reiterated that in Caracas this day of mobilization will take place in a rally and a march that will depart from Plaza Venezuela to Parque Carabobo in front of the headquarters of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. That day in May 1 from 9 a.m. to go out in combative unitary and class mobilization.

Originally published in Contrapunto.

The post VENEZUELA: Active and Retired Workers to Hold a March from Plaza Venezuela to the Public Prosecutor’s Office this May 1st appeared first on Labor Today.

We know that these guys’ project is an increasingly unjust and violent society where anyone who dares to protest is physically and judicially retaliated against. We see proof of this every Wednesday in front of Congress. As Diego’s famous phrase goes: “You have to be a real coward not to defend the retirees.” And that defense of the retiree should begin with the State administered by the Government. But it’s the opposite: for the elderly, it’s only beatings, pepper spray, and continued hunger and hardship. Meanwhile, the President of the Nation, who is in reality a colonial viceroy, travels to the United States to receive instructions from the IMF and to kiss the butts of Trump’s delegates.

We must be certain that the government and its allies in the “dialogue-seeking opposition” have as their central objective, in terms of pensions, the conversion of current pensions into old-age subsidies, raising the retirement age, definitively eliminating the moratoriums that allow workers defrauded by employers to access retirement, and, fundamentally, establishing the privatization of the Argentine retirement system for the benefit of the financial sector.

Given this situation, we at the National Coordinating Board of Retiree and Pensioner Organizations say that the imperative of the hour is to continue our struggle with the greatest possible strength and unity in order to thwart the political initiatives of this puppet government. In this regard, we call on the working people, unions, social, student, cultural, and political organizations to participate and support retirees in our struggle, particularly this Wednesday, April 23rd, at 3:00 PM in front of the House of Representatives Annex. We will march starting at 4:00 PM to Plaza de Mayo, where a rally will be held.

The post ARGENTINA: Retiree Wednesday Update appeared first on Labor Today.

This is a phenomenon that not only affects companies and their main shareholders or investors, but also involves the “Private Investment Funds”, through which are channeled substantial pension resources contributed by workers from all over the world, deceived, as the Chilean dictatorship did in the 70s/80s of the last century, aided by several yellow unions of the ITUC, which were then called ICFTU.

The trend towards the privatization of pensions and retirement systems is a process that is part of the privatization of public capital in general, which in fact seeks to appropriate funds that far exceed the money currently managed by private banks throughout the world. It is a process that is part of the privatization of public capital in general, which in reality seeks to appropriate funds that far exceed the money currently managed by private banks throughout the planet.

It is part of the trend towards commodification and privatization of economic activity in general, a product of liberalization policies in favor of capital, corporate profit and capitalist accumulation. It is an exploitation by capital of the savings of working men and women who have contributed to receive income in pensions and retirement pensions, often necessary because public pensions are very insufficient.

The fall of the stock markets is a manifestation of the capitalist crisis, mainly in the USA, Europe and Japan, the main countries of developed capitalism and imperialism. This crisis affects the dynamics of capitalist accumulation and exacerbates the offensive of capital against labor, nature and society, against labor and social security rights; deepening the plundering of common goods and deteriorating the socioeconomic rights of the peoples of the world.

In the 80s/90s, the search for higher profits led to the transfer of international investments to Asia, especially to China, changing the territoriality of accumulation.

This is a relevant fact that generates the ongoing geopolitical dispute and explains the unilateral sanctions imposed by the US in recent years and its global partners, as well as the commercial, financial, monetary and economic wars, which ultimately call for the pursuit of the wealth of the peoples.

To this end, they also promote militarization, increasing military expenditures and the dangers of nuclear war that threaten humanity, within the framework of the strengthening of a production model that threatens the very subsistence of the planet due to climate change.

We are witnessing a worsening of the capitalist crisis, in which the leaders of the largest economic groups on the planet are fighting and competing, exacerbating exploitation and plundering, so that, without prejudice to the devaluation of the stock market, the main people affected are the workers of the world, their labor and social security incomes, their working and living conditions.

The recession induced in the world economy by the US tariff increases will aggravate the situation of those who live on fixed incomes, even more so with the increase in prices and the predicted rising inflation. Therefore, from the TUI of P&R of the WFTU we denounce the regime of capital and its regressive and reactionary political initiative that in order to solve the problems of capital increases exploitation and inequality in favor of the concentration of wealth.

From our TUI of P&R we call on the workers of the world to strengthen the organization and struggle against privatizations, especially of the pension and retirement funds and to restore a criterion of inter-generational solidarity to solve the needs of the elderly, in a perspective of struggle against capitalism, imperialism and all forms of racism and discrimination.

The best response of women workers, workers and peoples is the worldwide struggle and organization in defense of our rights historically won by the struggle of the workers’ and popular movement worldwide.

The crisis also shows that the money saved by wage earners is being speculated on in order to steal it instead of being untouchable funds that cannot be affected by the economic wars that only interest and benefit the owners of the large multinationals.

No to the swindle of private pension and retirement funds!

The current crisis makes it clear, once again, that Private Pension Funds only benefit their managers and private investors and never the workers!

Yes to the organization and struggle of retirees and pensioners that we promote from the TUI of P&R of the WFTU!

The post Declaration of the TUI of Pensioners and Retired of the WFTU on the Current Capitalist Crisis appeared first on Labor Today.

As can be seen, not only is the national government maintaining the policy of adjustment against retirees, but at the same time the repression against them is deepening. This time it was the turn of the Buenos Aires City Police to act.

For these guys, every opportunity is good to demonstrate their hatred towards workers.

Faced with this incontestable reality, we must work towards the unity of the working class in order to defeat the far-right project. Likewise, generate the political initiatives that allow us to build a just and democratic society defined by workers.

NATIONAL COORDINATING BOARD OF ORGANIZATIONS OF RETIREES AND PENSIONERS OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC

Legal Entity 8152 Bartolomé Mitre 1419 1° “A” (1037) CABA [email protected] www.mesacoordinadora.blogspot.com Facebook: Mesa Coordinadora Nacional de Organizaciones de Jubilados y Pensionados Instagram: Coordinadora nacional de organizaciones de jubilad@s y pensionad@s

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On behalf of the leadership of the WFTU I transmit to you and, through you, to the pensioners all over the  world, class militant greetings.

First of all, allow me to congratulate the leadership of the TUI P&R for the realization of its 3^rd  Regular Congress as well as for the preparatory work that has been done with the holding of several regional and local meetings through which a rich, democratic, and free discussion was held, underlining the challenges, anxieties, and priorities of the thriving and vibrant movement of the pensioners.

Moreover, Ι would particularly like to thank the Greek pensioners, as well as PAME that supports them, for hosting this event and creating the right conditions for this conference to be successful in every aspect.

The WFTU is proud to have in its ranks the Pensioners’ UIS, which brings together class organizations and pensioners’ militants from all corners of the planet and is in constant mobilization and demand. Because our retired veterans have made an invaluable contribution to society and undoubtedly deserve much more than they currently enjoy.

Your congress is taking place in a period that  the nature of imperialism is once again revealed in all its hypocrisy, cynicism, and inhumanity.  The massacre and genocide of the Palestinians of Gaza continue unabated and this heinous crime is being shamefully attempted to be presented as Israel’s right of self-defense.

Right of self-defense of whom? A state that for decades has illegally occupied Palestinian and other Arab territories by the force of arms, that has uprooted and displaced millions of people out of their homes and land, that denies the Palestinians the right to have their own independent state and continues the settlements, murders, and arrests, establishing in practice an Apartheid regime.

WFTU from the very first moment, stood by the Palestinian people and highlighted the real cause of instability, violence, and unrest in Palestine and the wider Middle East, which is none other than the Israeli occupation and settlements, the usurpation of the rights of the Palestinian people that has been going on for decades.

We demand justice and freedom for Palestine, immediate ceasefire, and the creation of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

We are proud that millions of workers in tens of countries around the world are mobilizing, with the WFTU flags, in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

I regret to say that within the International Trade Union Movement, not everyone can feel proud. Unfortunately, some have lost their voice and remain silent in the face of this crime.  They insist on an equal distance stance and their ‘yes, but’ positions, equating the perpetrators with the victims.

For WFTU which born in the ashes of world war the  struggle for peace is inherent and integrated with the broader struggles of the labor movement for a better world.  It is obvious that the world peace is threatened.  We demand an end to NATO’s war with Russia in Ukraine, which they maintain by all means, and to replace weapons with diplomacy.  For us the struggle for peace  has a specific content. It means first and foremost a struggle for the dismantling of NATO and all military coalitions, a struggle to defend the right of every people to choose the path of their economic and social development without interventions, sanctions, blockades, and economic wars. Against the double-standards policy where international law ends up being in practice the law of the strong.

Dear comrades, brothers and sisters

We live in a period that the crisis of capitalism is generalized and deepens, social inequalities exploitation and poverty are widening dramatically.

The high cost of living is brutally undermining workers’ and pensioners living standards. The right to organize and collective bargaining are under attack.

Individual contracts, privatizations, outsourcing, teleworking and “service leasing” are just some of the forms taken by this harsh neoliberal attack.

Major social achievements such as social security and public health care are being privatized, while the authoritarian and arbitrary increase of the retirement age continues methodically.

With public money, they save the banks and strengthen big capital, without caring at the same time about the dramatic expansion of poverty and social inequality.  Large groups of the population, especially the most vulnerable, such as pensioners, are pushed even further into misery, abandonment and social marginalization.

The workers and pensioners do not passively accept the neoliberal capitalist, anti-grassroots, and anti-worker attacks.

With militant mobilizations in all corners of the globe, they demand the satisfaction of their contemporary needs.  Social security, health and safety conditions at work, free and universal public education, dignified life for pensioners and the elderly, and possibilities of creative and quality leisure.

The sharpening of state repression and authoritarianism is the response of the bourgeois governments to the just popular demands; unfortunately, very often under the cooperation or tolerance of surrendered trade union leaders along with yellow unions.

Dear Comrades,

Just few weeks ago the presidential Council of WFTU had its annual meeting in Sao Paolo where estimated our action and collectively decided about our plan for the next year.

In 2023 we had  implemented successfully a rich action plan after a fairly long period of mandatory restrictions on our activities due to the COVID pandemic.

Our ambition for the 2024 action, is to be even rich and more multilayered, to develop dynamically the coordination and guidance of the struggles, the expression of solidarity and internationalism, the dissemination of information, the intervention in international organizations and especially in the ILO, the continuous upgrading of the educational work within the workers and of course the organizational development and the expansion of the prestige and influence of the International class oriented movement.

An important development in the field of trade union education, is  the initiative of creating the International Labor Institute, by old distinguished WFTU cadres as well as scientists and academics linked to the class-oriented trade union movement. With this Institute the WFTU will  have a close cooperation to upgrade the WFTU’s educational activity.

There is no doubt that TUI’s action must remain at the center of our attention. Through this action we come closer to the contemporary needs and daily struggles of the workers in the sectors they work in.  Closer to the demands for work regulated by collective agreements and for guaranteed labor rights and trade union freedoms.

Dear comrades, brothers and sisters

Workers and pensioners march together, shoulder to shoulder in the struggles for a better world without wars or imperialist interventions, without social marginalization, without discrimination of any kind and without exploitation of man and man.

The International Class-oriented  Trade Union Movement, is firmly on your side and fights with you in the great trade union battle for pensions. Against the privatization of social security and the arbitrary and autocratic increase of retirement limits. For the right of pensioners to a dignified life, housing, food, health, culture and leisure with an adequate level of quality.

On behalf of more than 105 million members from 133 countries in all corners of the world,  I  wish every success in the work of your congress and in your struggles to defend and expand the rights and improve the quality of life of pensioners around the world.

The system that generates crisis and reproduces exploitation can be defeated.

The weapon of the working class is solidarity and internationalism. For those who resist, who do not com promise with  oppression, discrimination and exploitation there is only one path of dignity, the path of struggles.

Long live the Trade Union Class Struggles
Long live solidarity and internationalism

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