Modest May 1st protests
01/05/2013
 
On the Workers’ Day, syndicalists gathered at the “Unknown Soldier” square, where the unemployed construction workers seek for daily jobs.

They protested for hundreds of thousands of workers in Albania who don’t have their legal rights. The steel workers of the Elbasan Metallurgy, and workers in Burrel, declared that their work is still undeclared, because they haven’t signed the collective contracts with their employees.

“This unknown soldier does not know the city for which he fell. He is led by the workers who are threatened by death at their work, by the miserable wages and the lack of social and health insurances. He is led by the women that are exploited in their jobs and their families too”, one of the organizers declared.

“We distance ourselves from the political lies and slogans that use the Albanian people as soldiers for their votes. They don’t use votes to regulate the social balances, for good governing and for better wages, but only to exploit them”, declared Kol Nikolla, President of the Albanian Syndicalists Council.

Besides the syndicalists, other modest protests were held in the Albanian capital. The Communist Party organized a protest with slogans that commemorated May 1st.

Another meeting was organized by the “Mjaft” movement in Tirana’s main square. The activists of this movement protested against the illegal privatizations and the difficult situation in which most of the Albanians live. May 1st in Albania is still considered a celebration day, and protests are still very modest.