In a statement regarding the General Strike, held today, June 27, 2013, in Portugal, Jerónimo de Sousa, General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party, stressed:
Thursday, June 27, 2013
«Today’s great General Strike, with a remarkable convergence and widespread support, displayed in the opinion and on the streets, constitutes an undeniable expression of the wish for change and a massive show of force by the Portuguese workers and people.
Today’s General Strike clearly shows four fundamental aspects:
First. The General Strike constitutes an irreparable shock for the PSD/CDSPP government and its policy, a government and policy outside the law, on the margin and against the Constitution of the Republic, discredited and without legitimacy. From today onwards the issue is not whether the government will be defeated. It is the continuation and intensification of the struggle to speed up the moment of its defeat, freeing the country from its disastrous policy.
Second. The General Strike constitutes an undeniable demand of rejection of a rightwing policy, of the SGPs, of the Pact of Aggression signed by PS, PSD and CDSPP with the European Union, the ECB and IMF, of the course of national disaster, the worsening of exploitation, impoverishment, recession, unemployment, attack on the social functions of the State, on public services, on democracy and on national sovereignty.
Third. The General Strike constitutes a clear demonstration of rejection and a determination to face and defeat the programme of measures that aims a new cut in wages and other pays, increasing precariousness, easing of dismissals, including the attempt to dismiss tens of thousands in Public Administration, increase in working hours, increase in retirement age, new penalisations in social protection, with less benefits in sick leave and unemployment, an even greater cut in pensions and retirement pay.
Fourth. The General Strike represents an undeniable affirmation of participation, increase in social and class awareness, strength, dignity and will to change, by those who do not surrender, nor remain silent, in face of the destruction of their lives and the country, who demand a worthy future for the present and coming generations, for jobs, wages, rights, collective bargaining, social security and public services, for the resignation of the government, early elections, for an alternative policy, for Portugal with a future.»
Stressing that «today’s General Strike, one of the greatest ever, had a strong support and great repercussion on national life, on the whole country and in various sectors of activity, in industry, services, in the private sector and the public sector», Jerónimo de Sousa highlighted the stoppage, full or partial, in many companies in industry; widespread stoppage in the fishing fleet and fish auctions;
full or almost full stoppages in the rail, river and urban passenger transport companies, and very high support, as a whole, in private passenger transport; a stoppage in most sea ports and significant support in air transport; a massive support by the postal workers (CTT); a very strong participation in Central and Local Administration; the dimension and growth of support found in large shopping
distribution and a significant number in shopping malls and stores, hotels and canteens, in the financial sector and in the area of social equipments and structures, namely in private social solidarity institutions (IPSS) and charities.
Jerónimo de Sousa also stressed that this is «a strike with strong expression in many other areas as is the case of arts and entertainment, media, revealing diversified support and a great participation by the workers from the Lusa press agency», highlighting «the fact that many workers with casual labour links went on strike for the first time» and pointing out that «in this day of struggle many thousands took part in more than 50 demonstrations and concentrations, showing a great support and participation by the Portuguese people».
Through the voice of its General Secretary, the PCP saluted «the Portuguese workers for their participation in this day of struggle, even more significant given the situation of unemployment, with a million and a half unemployed workers, the precariousness, the economic difficulties, several threats and repressive actions.
The workers stood out against fear, massively joined the General Strike, a huge show of courage and determination, in defence of their interests and rights, of the aspirations of the Portuguese people, of Portugal’s future. »
The PCP also saluted «CGTPIN, the great Trade Union Central of the Portuguese workers, which took the initiative of calling the General Strike, the various structures and organisations that joined it, the thousands of leaders and activists who, with their class conscience, dedication, resilience, combativeness and courage, clarifying and mobilising beforehand, in picket lines in their companies and workplaces, created the conditions for the success of this great day of struggle by the Portuguese workers and people.»
Concluding his statement on the General Strike, Jerónimo de Sousa said:
«Portugal has spoken. The workers, the unemployed, the retired and pensioners, the younger generations, the Portuguese people, have made their voice heard to the big national and transnational capital and its political representatives in the country and the world.
The PCP reaffirms the urgent need to put an end to the rightwing policy that successive governments have executed and the course of national disaster into which they are leading the country. The PCP reaffirms its confidence in the need and possibility of materialising a patriotic and leftwing policy and a government to execute it.
The future of the country rests in the hands of the workers and the people, using all their rights set down in the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, with the pursuit and intensification of the struggle for their interests and rights, for the values of April in Portugal’s future.»
