– with objectives & ideals enshrined in the observance of International Action Day
THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has extended its congratulations and active solidarity with the objectives and ideals enshrined in the observance, yesterday, of International Action Day, as designated by the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).

GAWU said it is not by accident that 3rd October was chosen to celebrate International Action Day for it was on this date in 1945 that the sixty-six (66) year WFTU was established in Paris, France as the international workers organization, assembling the world’s progressive trade unions and federations in a global outreach to represent the oppressed working-class against the selfishness of capitalism.

GAWU, therefore, said it would like to record its agreement with and pursuit of all the objectives of this Third International Action Day which are: Social Security for all; Collective Bargaining and Agreements as the bedrock of trade union representation of the world’s working-class; Trade Union and Democratic Freedoms and the pursuit of a five-day 7-hours daily working week with better salaries.

GAWU’s International outlook also coincides with International Action Day’s demand that the Cuban Five incarcerated in American jails be freed. GAWU also condemns the persecution of the Palestinian peoples whose lands have been misappropriated by Israeli settler greed with support from the USA and other Western Powers.

And even as the world’s economic crisis bites into the economies of Europe and the USA itself; even as innocent Third World nations are made to feel the consequences of Western Capitalist greed and financial corruption, GAWU recalls the recent historic Sixteenth Congress of the WFTU in Athens last April, where GAWU’s President, now a member of its Presidential Council, gave these assurances:-

“Comrades, we are witnessing today a revitalized activism across the globe. The working-class are in the frontline of today’s fresh struggles. Changes of a profound nature are beaconing. We need to go confidently and unitedly forward to influence and bring about such changes in our lives, our societies and globally.

Our past struggles brought us many laudable gains; our present struggles also hold the promise of significant advances while preventing capitalism/imperialism from riding roughshod over our lives.

The WFTU has a packed agenda of critical issues to address. However, the world situation demands that we face up to and make our decisive contributions to these questions. And, as we continue in our tasks to take on the challenges of our times, let us draw inspiration from Karl Marx’s clarion call which has come down through the decades:-

Workers of all lands unite!
The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains!
They have a world to win
Long live Proletarian Internationalism!”

On the occasion of this Third International Action Day, GAWU sends its active solidarity to all activities engaged in (yesterday) by all WFTU affiliates.