Brexit threat looms over May Day

Gibraltar’s unions will use the May Day celebrations to champion Britain and Gibraltar remaining in the European Union.

Unite the Union and the white collar union GGCA will take to the stage this May Day to rally support for the ‘In’ campaign.

Unite’s mandate from both its Executive and its Activists is to campaign in favour of remaining within the European Union in the upcoming Brexit referendum.

“The possibility of having to leave the European Union should be one that the entirety of our community should hold with the deepest of apprehensions given the very real and tangible ways such an outcome may affect our livelihood and way of life,” Unite said in a statement.

Precisely because of the gravity of this threat and its effect on the people of Gibraltar, Unite said it will abandon its sectarian perspectives and rally the whole community into one cohesive voice.

“Locally, we must put across our vision for Gibraltar and the benefits of our continued inclusion amongst the European family of countries, but furthermore, we must ensure that as many of our people vote, because we can make a difference in such closely contested elections, as we could have done in previous European elections.”

“An existential threat has arisen to which we must rise to the challenge of,” Unite added.

“Our whole community, with one voice, must tell the people of the United Kingdom as well as the rest of Europe that Gibraltar demands to remain within the European Union, and that any other outcome will be a threat to our way of living.”

It is within our capacity to rally fervently to this cause, Unite stated adding that the people of Gibraltar are well known for their passion and conviction to overcome adversity.

“We will throw down the gauntlet to all our sister organizations and welcome them in taking up arms in the face of the challenges ahead. Unite calls upon all of you to stand up and be counted, for the sum of our actions will be the future measure of the consequences for our Gibraltar.”

The GGCA echoed these sentiments in a statement of its own.  “At this juncture it is imperative for the GGCA to encourage its members and their families to vote “IN” at the upcoming Brexit referendum,” the statement read.

The union will also use the occasion to highlight the long standing injustice of no obligatory occupational pensions for its members in the Private Sector despite the creation of wealth derived from their labours.

“May Day and Worker’s Memorial Day are solemn occasions, days to remember the deaths of those that fought to improve ordinary workers´ rights and conditions and paid for it with their lives,” the GGCA added.

“They are also days to commemorate the advances made by the labour movement. However, as much as unions have achieved there is still a lot to fight for.”