May 1, Amsterdam: jobless and flex workers block at the May 1 demonstration of FNV
Doorbraak has taken the initiative to form a block of jobless and flex workers during the May 1 demonstration of the trade union FNV. The May 1 celebration of the trade union is all about “real jobs”. With this separate block, we want to make it clear that there are also “real” jobless and flex workers who organize themselves and fight for their interests. The May 1 celebration begins at 1:00 pm with a gathering at the Jonas Daniël Meijerplein, home of the Dokwerker statue. The jobless and flex workers block also gathers on that square, at the corner of the Hortusplantsoenbrug. At 1:00 pm there will be a program by and for jobless and flex workers. Round about 2:00 pm we will join the FNV demonstration as a block. We call upon all jobless and flex workers to let themselves be heard during this Mayday celebration.
Block of jobless and flex workers
at May 1 demonstration
Monday May 1
Starting 1:00 pm
Corner of Hortusplantsoenbrug
and Jonas Daniël Meijerplein
Amsterdam
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| The original text in Dutch |
On May 1, international labor day, we celebrate the results of the struggle for a just, equal and solidary society, without racism, without capitalism and without patriarchy. Thanks to that fight child labor was abolished, the eight hour-workday was introduced and the social security system was set up in the Netherlands. Through these enforced compromises those in power hoped to encapsulate the social discontent and thus integrate the working class through deliberations between bosses and union leaders.
For forty years unemployment numbers have risen enormously and capitalism turns out to be in a structural crisis. In order to maintain sufficiently high profits for companies, neoliberal ideologues come up with all kinds of solutions, not only in the Netherlands but worldwide. Nowadays, the welfare state is being torn down, the repressive penal state build up, wage costs suppressed, labor made more flexible, labor rights are squandered, and the jobless are stigmatized. Unpaid work in the form of forced labor is mandated through benefit sanctions. Those in power use politics of divide and conquer to pit paid and jobless workers against each other, and also white Dutch against non-white, brown and black Dutch. People without a residence permit are socially excluded. The parliamentary Left remains trapped in the neoliberal logic of managing the “redundant” and “unproductive” workers for capitalism.
We have had enough of these developments. We are jobless and flex workers. We demand social security, good shelter and a livable income. We want to be treated with respect. We won’t let ourselves be maddened by the work ethics which is forced upon us from all sides. We are tired and weary of applying for non existing jobs and to compete with others in the capitalist war of all against all. We want: higher wages and benefits, free labor choice, labor rights, an end of the work ethics propaganda, no forced labor, no sanctions, no information obligation, no smear campaigns and repression against jobless, migrants and others who live at the bottom of society. Not tomorrow, but now!
Harry Westerink
