Across Europe, working people are being hammered with hundreds of billions of euros of cutbacks. The result is a slashing of living standards, deteriorating public services, lower wages and over 23 million unemployed in the eurozone. To help build a unified fight back across Europe the Socialist Party together with other left groups in Ireland have endorsed the European Wide week of action initiated by Joe Higgins MEP and 15 other left wing MEPs. Here we post the text of the joint leaflet.
These protests are a vital opportunity to stand together across Europe and oppose these attacks – make sure you are at the Central Bank Plaza on Dame Street in Dublin on Saturday 26 June!
Ireland has become a model for attacks, with other countries encouraged to follow the example of the Irish government by the EU Commission and the IMF. We know what this model means:
- €7 billion of cutbacks destroying public services, including health and education
- The slashing of wages in the public and private sector of up to 20%
- Mass unemployment with 1 in 7 without a job
- €73 billion in bailouts for the banks and developers who are caused the crisis.
- Further cutbacks within months of €3 billion plus, together with the possible introduction of a property tax
End the dictatorship of the markets
In whose interests are these attacks being driven? The continual reference to the need to appease “the markets” gives the answer. This term is simply a codeword for a tiny cabal of extremely rich speculators and hedge-funds, many of whom profited massively in the course of the crisis, at the expense of working people.
| Demands of the Protest |
|---|
| – Workers, pensioners, the unemployed, students, youth and those socially excluded must not pay for the crisis – Make the super rich and bankers pay |
| – Solidarity with the working people of Greece and for the unity of working people across Europe. |
| – No cutbacks, wage cuts, unemployment & increases in the retirement age |
| – No to privatisation of public services |
| – End the dictatorship of the financial markets, credit ratings institutions and IMF |
| – Stop the bailouts of the banks – nationalise the banks and financial institutions in the interests of working people |
European-wide response
We reject this dictatorship of the financial markets supported by the neo-liberal IMF, EU and right-wing governments. Public services, workers’ wages and living standards must take priority – not the profits of big business, speculators, bankers and developers.
16 MEPs of the European United Left (GUE/NGL) from Ireland, Germany, Greece, Portugal, France, Netherlands, Cyprus, Denmark and Sweden including Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) have initiated the call for a European-wide week of protest and solidarity from 21 to 26 June. Protests will take place across Europe in this week – from Greece to Germany and from Portugal to Ireland.
List of those endorsing the protest in Ireland
This protest in Ireland has been initiated by Joe Higgins MEP, and has been endorsed, by the following organisations so far: Socialist Party, Workers’ Party, Socialist Workers Party, People Before Profit Alliance, Right to Work, Workers Solidarity Movement, éirígí, Irish Socialist Network and Socialist Democracy
Help us
As well as coming along to the demo, you can help out building for this protest – whether it be putting up posters, taking some flyers or getting it endorsed by your trade unio branch or community group. To talk to us about how you can help, contact 26juneprotest@gmail.com or phone Joe Higgins’ MEP office on 01-6795030
