DECLARATION WOW EUROPEAN FINANCE SECTION

Delegates WOW Finance section debate on the declaration. From left around the tables: three delegates from Catalunya ,  two delegates from Zaragoza, two delegates from Cyprus and two from Serbia. On the back you see President pf the section Mara Erdelj from the Serbian trade union BOFOS.

WORLD ORGANIZATION OF WORKERS

FINANCE SECTION

AT THE MEETING  HELD ON  17^TH OF APRIL 2012 IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA

HAS  ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING

D E C L A R A T I O N

The consequences of the global economic and financial crisis have seriously endangered the very foundations of the world financial system and disrupted the world economic order as it was known. It lead to the loss of a large number of jobs through massive layoffs, deteriorated the material position of workers and pauperized a significant part of world’s population. The Finance Section of the World Organization of Workers – WOW is disappointed by the fact that principles of equity and social justice are sacrificed by the political agenda and considers this inappropriate in the current situation of crisis.

In the afore mentioned circumstances, the level of workers’ rights achieved in the past as well as the existing international labour standards and national legislations are evaded, neglected and not implemented, under the pretext of a need to save flagged economic and financial institutions.

For many years trade unions and workers-organizations have been struggling to safeguard the acquired rights. They have been, and still are, doing so by attempting to stabilize and secure employment, to fight for decent work in safe and healthy conditions, to regulate workers’ issues by an equal and fair social dialogue, and to conclude and implement collective agreements. Currently all these acquired rights are under threat.

Another view of the same meeting.

Employees in the financial sector, and thus our members, are not spared from these pernicious consequences caused by the world crisis. Primarily when it comes to job security and salary levels. Due to a fall of business profitability in the financial sector, employers try to reduce expenses by dismissing employees. Attempts to lower employees’ rights are frequent occuring. Too heavy work-load and unpaid over-time have become a part of daily life of the employees in the financial sector. Those who have been able to maintain their jobs are increasingly loaded with additional work leading to a deterioration of the interpersonal relationships. Fear of job-loss is damaging both the workers’ health as well as their privacy and violations ( mobbing ) of workers’ human and professional dignity as well as discrimination are more frequent.       

We are deeply concerned about this situation and determined to protect rights and interests of our members, employees of banks, insurance companies and financial institutions. Trade unions affiliated to the World Organization of Workers – WOW are of the opinion that political actors and world financial institutions must find the real causes of the crisis as well as those responsible for the crises. Furthermore they must give just and effective solutions to the existing problems and take the necessary measures to avoid repetition.

To this end we will insist on constructive social dialogue and preservation of rights achieved (workers’ labour and social security) by strengthening solidarity and unity among all workers and trade unions in the world. We will continue our struggle against all forms of inequalities and discrimination in order to achieve sustainable development and progress to the benefit of the entire society.

By sending this message from the said meeting we declare that we will not allow universal values and postulates, constructed and upheld by the UN and ILO directives and documents as foundations of social justice and advancement of humanity, to be replaced by unscrupulous rules of casino capitalism in which the only aim is profit and its domination over all other values and achievements of modern society.

Vienna, April 17, 2012