We mark the International Labor Day, May 1st in conditions of the health crisis, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which started last year and is the most significant landmark and serious challenge for this 2021.
We celebrate this Labor Day with concern for our health and the health of our families, for many of us in conditions of reduced wages, termination of employment contracts and care for our basic existence. As in the past, and so this 2021, we mark May Day with a clear position that we loudly convey today, that we will not allow the crisis to be directed only to the workers and their families.
We unconditionally demand recognition that society depends on the labor and work of the workers that they are an equal and important part of the community, without which its survival and development cannot be ensured.
The crisis has only accelerated the need to ensure workers’ priorities in the country, and we, the unions affiliated in CCM, demand decent work and a decent place for the workers in the in society.
The celebration of the most important day for the workers and the trade union movement, CCM as a representative trade union, begins with a serious appeal to authorities for the need for solidarity and unity in dealing with the health crisis and its economic and social consequences. Since the beginning of the crisis, the solidarity and unity has been generally accepted by all countries in the world, but in practice the opposite has been proven. Trade unions around the world are united on the issue of the need for solidarity, unity and cohesion to create equal conditions and opportunities to overcome the health crisis for all countries in the world, regardless of their power and size.
Celebrating Labor Day, CCM points out and calls for intensified activities at the national level to address health, economic, social, environmental, and other challenges.
With the crisis, the social dialogue in the country gave results for stabilization of the situation and established rules and measures to help workers and citizens, but also companies, so that no one is left without a job and without an income.
A whole year has passed since the outbreak of the pandemic and we believe that it is necessary to make more intensive steps for faster development and improvement of the economic base in the country.
CCM expects from the Government, in addition to the activities for crisis management and stabilization of the economy, to start fulfilling the promises contained in its governmental program.
We need more energetic measures that will be visible to the citizens, that will be developmental for the economy and society. That is what the workers and the citizens expect.
On behalf of the workers, CCM is ready to be part of the decisions made through social dialogue, but only if it is a decision that provides development, perspective and progress.
We need bolder, more intense and faster reactions to overcome problems and create new visions and perspectives.
We call on the Government to be more productive and determined to act.
We point out to the MPs and the Parliament that we do not want to be part of slow processes, which hardly ensure maintenance of the economy and social flows, it is time to control the health crisis more vigorously, planned and thoughtfully and to create development policies and measures that will provide a better life, a stable and secure society for all workers and citizens, without discrimination.
We emphasize that the membership of CCM, as well as the membership of other unions in the country are united with the same goal:
-economic development and sustainable jobs
-real salary,
-poverty reduction
- employment rights
-social security,
-healthy and safe working conditions, social dialogue and collective agreements
-social responsibility and
-environmental Protection
On this occasion, once again, addressing the Government, we emphasize that we are demanding:
-better health system and health services for the citizens
-adoption of a new Labour Law with European standards
-more jobs and healthy and safe working conditions
-increase of the minimum wage
-higher wages,
-better living standard,
-social security
-stable pension system and retirement on several grounds,
We are ready to negotiate, we are qualified to offer solutions, we expect to be integrated in the processes of development of the country and realization of human rights and freedoms.
We demand a faster reaction from the competent institutions for creative development, which will ensure progress in all spheres of economic and social life, which will be the basis for keeping our youth, professional and educated citizens in the country.
We call on all workers who recognize our values and efforts to join the family of CCM, a family of equal members, workers and citizens, who do not want only to criticize but want to be directly involved with all their capacity and potential, in creating and building a modern and democratic country.
Long live the International Labour Day!
Sincerely yours,
Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia
President
Darko Dimovski
