On the assembly that took place on 15th of April in Cazin (Bosnia and Herzegovina), transnational movement of migrant and precarious workers IWW (Invisible Workers of the World) decided to organize demonstration in Ljubljana (Slovenia) for the rights of migrant workers on 4th of June.

The decision is the result of unwillingness of the government of Republic of Slovenia to take responsibility for catastrophic situation of migrant workers. IWW constantly addresses the issue of extremely tough situation for migrant workers, systematic violations and denial of their labor, social and civil rights. In the last years and especially after the start of financial and economic crisis, they were trying to address the government of the Republic of Slovenia and other responsible state institutions. They made it clear that the basic responsibility is of the state with its migration regime that even the most dedicated racists and advocates of apartheid would not be ashamed of. The workers constantly repeat that the only solution is the change of legislation in a way that would terminate workers’ dependence from employers and and include them in social state.

The response of the government on all calls, actions and mobilizations are cosmetic changes of already existing migration legislation, which will not change the system of dependence of workers and will not put a stop to institutional discrimination of migrant workers. In February the government of the Republic of Slovenia decided to address systematically violated social rights in the form of humanitarian help (donations); many workers understood that as the act of humiliation. Ministry of Work, Family and Social Affairs did not respond to legitimate demands of workers who were deported from Slovenia to Bosnia and Herzegovina or were in other ways obliged to leave – employers and the state still owe them workers’ and social rights. The last test for the Slovenian government to make concrete steps beyond declarative compassion for the situation of migrant workers was the manifestation of the ripped-off and expelled workers, that took place in Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in March. Call of self organized, exploited and expelled workers of IWW to include them in the attempts to solve the problems of migrant workers received no answer. At the same time, non of the government representatives or their fellows working in different governmental institutions is concerned with the destiny of workers on strike in former Vegrad workers dormitory in Velenje, Gratim in Sežana or SCT in Ljubljana. They rather rely on threats, uncertainty, marginalization and poverty of the migrant workers.

So – the reasons for the demonstration are clear. Only with big demonstration migrant workers can fight against being forgotten, marginalized, defeated, being left without a hope and against the normalization of extremely unscrupulous forms of exploitation. The reasons for others to demonstrate together with them are also clear: no one gains anything from that mass robbery. Only barons in the fields of construction and elsewhere, only political elites and the institutions of financial capitalism do. Even more: with the culmination of the crisis the fact that the main source of corruption – common wealth going in the pockets and on the accounts of a few which results in blockade of our potential to produce – is the systematic denial of workers’ rights, their dependence and lack of any kind of guarantees became clear. The latter is not only the paradigmatic working and living condition of migrant workers – it is the condition which involves everyone.

Therefore we call to occupy the streets of Ljubljana on 4th June – to build the power to gain rights and guarantees and to stop corruption that deprives us of our common future. The whole generation has been doomed to the life with no perspective. Migrants are denied their right to choose, to move, to enjoy workers’, social and civil rights. Students are being pushed in precariousness, the university and study are being transformed into the polygon of extreme stratification and degradation of young generation. Precarious workers are being denied their rights and pushed in poverty. All those who still have any rights can keep them only for the price of submission. Unless we come together. Not to defend anything, but to define and put into practice our rights, to build our power and to change this world.

In Europe the new generation is rising – on the both sides of common Mediterranean see, in European metropolis that rise against austerity measures and the violence of financial capitalism, in European provinces where young generations rose against hierarchies, life without future and local dictatorships, in transnational movement of migrants that are crossing the borders and braking down the regime of European apartheid. The manifestation on 4th of June in Ljubljana will be the manifestation of that new generation, the moment of its visibility, power and determination. We Will demand rights for migrant workers – those rights that are being systematically denied to them in the frame of European apartheid. We will build new solidarity, new power, new common body – to gain our common future.

Join the call, join demonstration.

IWW (Invisible Workers of the World)

Social Center Rog

www.njetwork.org