Solidaritet med kollegor i Wisconsin, USA

Wisconsin republikanska guvernör, föreslår ta bort rätten till kollektiva förhandlingar för stora dela av statens anställda. Lärare, sanitetsarbetare, läkare, sjuksköterskor och en mängd andra offentligt anställda vill enligt föreslaget förlora deras rätt att förhandla sjukförsäkring, pensioner och andra förmåner.

Förslaget har medfört stora protester och internationell stöd från facket och andra.

SKTF har skickat nedanstående protestbrev till Wisconsins guvernör. Det är tillagt ett par meningar om behovet för social dialog, särskilt i samband med ändringar och omstruktureringar. Mycket talar för att Guvernören har behov för en ”kamratlig” samtal om fackliga rättigheter.

Governor Scott Walker
115 East Capitol Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53702

USA

Governor Walker,

I am writing on behalf of the Swedish Union SKTF to express our dismay over the developments regarding the collective bargaining rights for the public employees in Wisconsin.

We have been informed that you will seek to have legislation passed over the coming days that will eliminate collective bargaining rights for the employees in public services. This will be a serious violation of international labour conventions.

We regard your proposed unilateral action as an attack on one of the fundamental pillars in a well-developed democracy, where social dialogue and collective bargaining through trade unions secures constructive relationships between employers and employees. This kind of relationship has proved its high value in many countries, both in times of economic growth and during crisis.

Social dialogue has an important role to play not just in ensuring decent employment and working conditions for public employees but also in the contribution it can make to the delivery of efficient, effective and quality public services.

Successful management of change, in particular, demands dialogue and co-operation between social partners in all organisations.

We understand that you have refused to meet the unions to negotiate solutions that could contribute to balancing the budget - this is not the way we expect democratically elected leaders to act.

We have been informed that you have announced that you will call out the National Guard if public sector unions protest in what you may consider a disruptive way.

I am sure that you have been following the developments in Tunisia and Egypt and will welcome real democracies in these countries. For trade union members in these countries, their struggle is also related to respect for human rights and trade union rights. This includes the right to organise and the right to collective bargaining for public sector employees who have been in the front line fighting for democracy. Instead of attacking the public sector unions and their members in your state, we urge you to choose a constructive path and stand by commitments that have already been set out in legally-negotiated collective agreements.

Governor Walker, we ask you to show respect towards public workers and stop the unilateral attacks on their unions. A constructive relationship between your government and trade unions will most benefit the citizens of Wisconsin.

Best regards

SKTF

Dan Nielsen
International Secretary
The Swedish Union, SKTF
Kungsgatan 28A
Box 7825
S 103 97 Stockholm
Tel. +46 (0) 771 44 00 00
Tel. direct +46 (0) 8 789 6317
Mobil +46 70 318 6317