CIVIL – Center for Freedom congratulates all workers in Republic of Macedonia and worldwide on May 1.

On this day, we loudly demand a stop to the inhuman attitude towards workers. We demand amendments to the laws in favor of workers’ rights and their subsequent implementation.

We demand from the trade unions, civil society organizations, political parties and all those declaring to be fighting for social justice and workers’ rights, to start doing so truly and sincerely as of today, or to stop with the lies and opportunism.

Workers’ rights are trampled, while the lives of the workers are miserable and undignified, for which the government and the extremely unconscious business community in the country are responsible.

The workers in this country have the lowest salaries in Europe. Workers often do not even receive the minimum social, health care and legal protection.

They work in horrible conditions, usually without the basic means for protection at the workplace.

Mobbing is widespread, and the legal protection from mobbing in practice is invisible.

Women workers are treated even worse, they are often humiliated and discriminated based on their gender, and there are also cases of sexual harassment, something for which they do not dare to speak publically. Single mothers are in an even more difficult position.

Workers are often paid in cash. When they are sick, they have to return cash money to their bosses or superiors. Often they are given various agreements that they are withdrawing from certain benefits and are forced into signing them.

In many cases, the political discrimination and pressure on workers in the real sector is almost just as much present as it is in the administration. Under the pressure of the political centers of power, or until recently, the ruling VMRO-DPMNE, business owners in the country are forced to hire party soldiers at work.

Workers in the administration and public enterprises are treated differently, but no better. Party pressure, discrimination and mobbing are ever-present. Professional and educational preparation, work experience and job performance are completely irrelevant criteria. Loyalty to VMRO-DPMNE and the effects from participating in this party’s black campaigns are crucial for receiving and keeping a job and for advancing in the administration and public enterprises.

Therefore, we once again call on workers to report violations of their rights, mobbing, discrimination and political pressures. We urge them to encourage themselves and to loudly demand their rights, because they belong to them!

Happy May 1!