Dear brothers and sisters,

Tomorrow, May 1st 2012, workers all over the world are celebrating the achievements of trade unions. Members of IFJ unions will join leaders and members of sister unions to uphold the spirit of May Day and express their hopes for the future.

More than ever before, workers everywhere are confronting the same tremendous challenges of ballooning unemployment and precarious jobs, social exclusion and growing inequalities, in a context of aggressive globalisation and a brutal economic crisis particularly in Europe.

Precarious jobs, which have become the only type of employment available to young people, are also spreading to other workers. We will not accept that they represent the future for our members. Over the longer term, we are headed towards widespread impoverishment that downgrades our societies both economically and politically. Our unions will continue fighting for quality jobs for their members to ensure a decent life for them and their families.

Focusing on slashing public spending and social protection schemes, and on targets and deadlines for reducing debt to satisfy the markets and ratings agencies at a time when the economy still needs to be shored up is a mistake that is already having serious consequences.

Journalists unions everywhere will be joining their sister unions to reject this shift towards a lowest-bidder approach to social protection and will issue a loud and clear call for solidarity and cohesion for the future of workers.

We are adding our voices to the call for respect for workers' rights as many employers worldwide try to take advantage of a full-blown corrosive crisis by undermining unions and squeezing their members' rights, pushing them into poverty wages.

The IFJ pledges to expand its struggle for democracy, human rights, peace and respect for all, and lead the fightback for the rights and livelihoods of journalists everywhere.

Long live international trade union solidarity.

Yours in solidarity

JIM BOUMELHA
President