Mi 15.06.2005
Stop the repression against Trade Unionists and the attempts to privatise the PTCL
TO
Embassy of Pakistan in Austria
Hofzeile 13
1090 Wien
Austria, Vienna, June 15th 2005
with anger we have heard of the undemocratic and brutal reaction of the pakistani government against the telecommunication workers. We were outraged to hear of the arrest over the weekend of 400 telecommunication workers because they were involved in the entirely legitimate campaign of fighting against the privatisation of their industry, Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd (PTCL). Even worse than this there are reports that police raiding the houses of trade unionists in the telecommunications sector and arresting relatives in their place. On top of this the National Industrial Relations Commissions has temporarily banned all trade union activity in the telecoms sector including any protest demonstrations. We regard this as a flagrant attack on democratic and human rights which must end immediately.
What is even more unbelievable is that the government signed an agreement with the unions on Friday 4 June in which they announced the indefinite postponement of plans for privatisation of PTCL. And yet just a week later this agreement has been broken. How do you explain this?
We, signing organisations and persons, want to protest in the strongest terms and we demand:
- Release all telecommunications workers and trade union
leaders taken into custody. Stop the crackdown now. No more arrests
- For the immediate withdrawal of all paramilitary and
police forces from in and around PTCL premises
- Honour the 4 June agreement – No to the privatisation
of PTCL
- Full support to PTCL workers fighting privatisation
This protest is supported by the following organisations and individuals:
Fischbacher Karl, Shop Steward, GOeD - Union of Public Services (GÖD), labournet Austria
Gehmacher Michael, ÖHTB Shop Steward, GPA - Union of Salaried Private Sector Employees
Grusch Ilse – Chair of the Cultural Association „Zwischenraum“
Grusch Peter – Member of the leading body of the Green Party Brigittenau, Union of Salaried Private Sector Employees (GPA) - Member of the Controll-Comission
Holzmann Martin – Convener of the White Collar workers in the „Hanusch“-Hospital, Member of the Federal Body Department 20 (Social Insurance) GPA, Member of the Central Board of the Department for Health-Professionals in the ÖGB
Jonischkeit Oliver – Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) – Member of Executive Board
Keller Fritz, Member of the Central Committee of the Union of Municipal Employees (GdG)
Kerschbaum Thomas – Konsequente Interessensvertretung (KIV) – Union Faction in the Union of Municipal Employees (GdG)
Margulies Martin- Member of the Regional Council of Vienna/The Greens
Rumpf Elisabeth – Member of the Regional Council Gmunden/The Greens
Schön Renate – Chairwomen of the Organization for the Konsequente Interessensvertretung and Independent Trade Unionists (KIV/UG)
Vana Monika – Member of the Regional Council of Vienna/The Greens
Wurm Robert – Chair of the Post Bus Union/ Union of Postal and Telegraph Workers (GPF)
Communist Party Austria - Kommunistische Partei Österreich (KPÖ)
Youth against Racism in Europe – Austria (YRE)
Platform for fighting and democratic Unions in the ÖGB
Socialist LeftParty (SLP) – Sozialistische LinksPartei (SLP)
Socialist Resistance International – Austria (SWI)
Trade Union - Left Block – Gewerkschaftlicher Linksblock (GLB)
Workshop for Peace and Solidarity/Linz