A national protest is being planned to take place in Luxembourg city on Saturday 28 June, departing from Luxembourg-Gare (start of Avenue de la Liberté and Avenue de la Gare) from 11:00 for solidarity, democracy, and social justice.
The protest march will go along the Avenue de la Liberté, across the Pont Adolphe and then congregate at the Place Guillaume (Knuedler) for speeches.
The country's leading trade unions, including the OGBL and LCGB, and now Aleba, are promoting this event as a way for members to make their voices heard for a social model, and for an open, supportive and democratic society, for equality and social justice.
Initially announced by the OGBL and LCGB, it was described as "informing and raising awareness among your colleagues and those around you". Their statement announcing the protest explained "We have reached a tipping point: while the world as we know it is faltering, the Luxembourg government and employers are directly attacking our social model and our achievements".
It claimed that pensions are in danger - "The direction chosen by the government is becoming increasingly clear: an increase in the effective retirement age, a massive deterioration of our public and solidarity-based system, and no increase in the minimum pension"; wages are under attack - "By attacking the prerogatives of unions regarding collective bargaining agreements, the government and employers are attempting to destroy our social model and pose a serious threat to our wage conditions"; working hours are being undermined - "Widespread Sunday work, liberalisation of retail opening hours, annualisation of working hours, questioning of rest periods... the list of attacks on working hours is long. Not to mention the weakening of our collective agreements, which would leave us at the complete mercy of our bosses"; purchasing power is suffering - "By unilaterally deciding to end the cap on energy prices, the government has deliberately allowed these prices to explode, with increases of more than 30% in some places. As if housing prices weren't enough, the cost of energy is also eroding our purchasing power"; social security is in danger of being unravelled - "Not only is our pension system under attack, but so is our social security. Thus, a deterioration in our healthcare system's benefits is to be feared. In addition, employers are demanding an ever-increasing campaign against the sick and the introduction of waiting days for sick employees"; fundamental rights are being called into question - "Begging bans, "Platzverweis" (removal measures), the right to demonstrate is being challenged, and an increasingly repressive immigration policy: An authoritarian shift, also in Luxembourg, is jeopardising our open and democratic society"; living conditions are under threat - "The housing crisis, which is jeopardising the lives of thousands of people, and the ecological and climate emergency, which is a concrete threat to our way of life and primarily affects the most vulnerable, are being relegated to the background. The government prefers to attack the rights and achievements of those who, through their work, drive the country forward".
On 3 June, the Aleba trade union officially announced its active participation in the national demonstration which it described as an "essential mobilisation, in the face of the government's persistent contempt for the trade unions and its systematic refusal to engage in genuine social dialogue with ALL the social partners".
Aleba's statement mentioned that, by taking part in this demonstration, it "is clearly affirming its solidarity with all employees and all the country's trade union organisations, while renewing its call to the government for a transparent and serious dialogue based on concrete and verifiable data. This mobilisation represents a strong act of rallying around common trade union values and reflects the urgent need to finally be heard by a government that regularly neglects the voice of workers".
In particular, ALEBA decries that:
• The government announces but does not publish the calculations and concrete data justifying its reforms, particularly concerning pensions, which unfairly penalise the younger generations through an arbitrary extension of working years.
• ALEBA remains systematically excluded from important consultations and meetings, despite the government's commitments to dialogue with ALL the social partners. The Prime Minister's recent announcement that he was inviting all the trade unions to discussions, while excluding ALEBA, is blatant proof of this.
• The serious and concrete proposals put forward by ALEBA on pensions, collective agreements, fair taxation and working hours, particularly on Sundays, remain unanswered.
ALEBA is therefore calling on all its members and delegates, as well as all employees in all sectors, to join in the massive national mobilisation on 28 June to defend a fair, equitable and humane vision of work.
