Labour Day sees protests against austerity and unemployment

Labour Day marches are taking place against a backdrop of massive unemployment in Spain , Portugal and elsewhee in the EU. In America the Occupy Wall Street movement is also planning demonstrations and marches are taking place in several countries in Asia. Labour Day is traditionally a celebration for workers but the global financial crisis and rising unemployment have turned it into a mass protest day in many countries.

In Algeria Labor Day  is being celebrated in a new context marked by economic recovery and political reform  reported APS.

The celebration of the International Labor Day comes this year in Algeria in an exceptional situation marked both, by the State’s efforts to improve social conditions of workers in general and by the beginning of a process of political reforms for consolidating the democratic option in the country.The rehabilitation of work values is, for both public authorities and its social partners, a major objective to achieve, for a country emerging from a long period of instability and terrorism.

This celebration, beyond the symbolism it contains worldwide, is a time for Algeria to assess the efforts by workers in defense of national sovereignty, the consolidation of civil peace and especially in their commitment to the national edification.

It is in this context that President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has included in his message to Algerian workers to hail them on this occasion, "in consideration for their dedication in performing their duties and their contribution to recover and safeguard national sovereignty, and respect their efforts in boosting the economic and social development of our country in sometimes difficult circumstances." APS concludes.

In Tunisia,Interim President Moncef Marzouki and interim Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali addressed the Tunisian nation on Monday evening on national TV on the occcaision of Labour day, TAP reports.

Moncef Marzouki urged Tunisians to celebrate Labout Day "in Uniuon,without violence nor counterviolence". The government have announced a commission of inquiry in to violence during a demonstration on 9 April.He said that the Tunisian people should develop a culture of well done work,self relience and the fight against corruption.

He observed that "no honest person can ask the government to settle all pending problems in four months. Interim Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali stresssed government efforts to fight unemployment and called for a "dignity fund" to finance employment , he said that government ministers and senior civil servants should donate one fifth of their salary to this fund, the report in  TAP concludes

AP reported that Two young unemployed Tunisians attempted suicide on Monday outside the jobs ministry as hundreds of unemployed people marched on a main street in the capital demanding government action.

Protesters from the southwestern mining region have been camped outside the jobs ministry for two weeks, criticising the moderate Islamist government for not reversing the conditions that existed under ousted dictator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.

In Morocco, the accent falls on  the strike law put forward by  Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane  which the daily
 newspaper L'Economiste  calls "a sluggish reform". L'Economiste says  it  will be an opportunity for unions to renew their demand for repeal of section 288 of the Penal Code, relating to strikes.

"It is important now to distinguish between the right to strike and the criminalisation of  acts of destruction of property that may result," said Suhail Abdelouahad, Minister of Employment and Vocational Training. For him it is the adoption of the Law on strikes that will overcome this situation.

Souhail has also described the occasion of May 1 as a  "rendez-vous social par excellence", to present its action plan in 2012. After recalling the main indicators of labor market in late 2011, including the decline in the unemployment rate to 8.9% after it was 13.4% a decade earlier, Souhail presented the main projects which the government  will  address, starting with "performance proactive programs to promote employment."He observed that "the country's economic development does not absorb all job seekers. But we have a duty to ensure the balance between supply and demand."

Governments worldwide are struggling to cope with the demands of their workforces and unemployed people, especially the young.  There are calls for renewed policies for growth as the International Labour Organisation highlighted in its report. The problem for governments is that this would call for credit and increasing debts which the global banking community is unable to support due to a loss of confidence the like of which has not been seen since the 1920's and 30's.