Leftist Parties, Unions In Hungary Celebrate Intl Workers’ Day

  • 5 May 2014 9:00 AM
Leftist Parties, Unions In Hungary Celebrate Intl Workers’ Day
Leftist parties and trade unions celebrated May 1 International Workers’ Day in central Budapest and in the City Park. May 1 is traditionally a celebration of work, “but in Hungary these days having any work is in itself a reason to celebrate,” Gordon Bajnai, the leader of the E-PM party alliance, said at an event at Szabadság Square.

The E-PM alliance entered into a strategic alliance with the Hungarian Solidarity Movement, created to represent the interests of employees, he noted. At the Democratic Coalition’s event in the City Park, party leader Ferenc Gyurcsány said that many Hungarians today faced losing their jobs, and many are even “grateful to work for pennies”.

Hungary should be a country in which the interests of employers and employees can coincide in some areas. Péter Pataky, the president of the Hungarian Trade Union confederation, said workplaces are needed where employees are not exploited but appreciated and respected for their creativity as well. He called for wages that enable workers to support their family.

István Gaskó, the president of the Liga confederation, said his organisation would initiate talks with the government on strengthening social partnerships. Liga wants amendments to the labour code and to the strike law, he added.

Meanwhile, Bernadett Szél of the opposition green party LMP told a news conference that it was “unacceptable” that Hungary’s workforce is “advertised in the east” by the prime minister as cheap but highly skilled, while at the same time the new labour code drawn up by ruling Fidesz had limited employees’ rights.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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Source of photo: ORIGO

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