March 13, 2003: March 14: Last Warning to Warmonger Bush and Protest against Schroeder's Government Policy

1. The German trade unions and the European trade union federation are calling for expressing protest on Friday, March 14, against the impending war on Iraq. From 11.50 a.m. on work should be stopped for at least 10 minutes.
In many enterprises preparations are being made to extend the actions beyond silent vigils and have the entire workforce of the enterprises gather to stage active strikes of protest. With self-made signs, banners and calls as well as clear decisions of the blue- and white-collar workers at the gatherings a signal will be set for active resistance. It is pointless when the president of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, Hundt, complains that the place for political demonstrations is "outside of the enterprises and working hours". Bush must get a last warning! If the USA starts a war, against the desire for peace of nearly the whole world population, then all work will be stopped on the same day.

2. While appreciating the call of the trade unions "No to a War against Iraq", the attempt to transform the workers’ desire for peace into support of the German government meets with resolute opposition. The strength of the worldwide peace movement is its independence from the rival imperialist powers. The workers will not allow themselves to be roped in by those in power and set against the workers of other countries. Workers of all countries, unite!

3.

On Friday at 9.15 a.m. Chancellor Schroeder will make a government statement in parliament (live on TV). The ruling monopolies have dictated the text for Schroeder's statement. It means a general attack on the social gains of the working class movement: relaxation of the protection against wrongful dismissal, cuts in unemployment benefits and shortening of the period of entitlement for such benefits, unemployment assistance just above the level of income support, dissolution of the equal financing of health insurance (shorter period of entitlement to sickness benefits, curbing of statutory medical benefits, and more) are at the top of the list. The president of the Federation of German Industries, Rogowski, demands as accompanying measure "first to burn all area- and industry-wide union contracts" (Junge Welt, 12 March). It is perfidious when Schroeder tries to use the protests against the war on Iraq as an opportunity to push through an anti-worker and anti-people government policy against the broad masses of his own population. 

4.

Tomorrow morning the blue- and white-collar workers in the enterprises will not only say No to the war on Iraq, but also will not accept without a fight the "declaration of war" against the working people, the unemployed and the sick in our own country!
When on March 14 people stop work, this is done in the first place in order to stay the hand of the warmongers in Washington, but also in order to unmistakably demonstrate protest against Schroeder's social "declaration of war".