To the streets for the rights of working people!

On this International Workers' Day, we commemorate the brave actions of the working class in Chicago in 1886, where they stood against exploitation and advocated for an 8-hour workday. Across the globe, workers participate in street demonstrations to voice their legitimate grievances and aspirations. Together, we unite in a global struggle for a fairer existence, free from exploitation and social injustices.

In Venezuela, various labor organizations, including unions and trade unions, alongside active workers, retirees, and pensioners from both public and private sectors, come together irrespective of ideological or political affiliations. We stand in defiance against government policies and corporate practices that increasingly impoverish and oppress workers. We condemn the erosion of our labor, economic, social, civil, and political rights, facilitated by a corrupt and authoritarian government that prioritizes its grip on power over the well-being of its citizens.

The government's aggressive neoliberal agenda, characterized by deregulation and labor flexibility, serves to boost investor profits at the expense of workers' rights. This has led to the erosion of wages, pensions, social benefits, and collective bargaining agreements. In collusion with the business sector, the National Executive violates the Constitution and the Organic Labor Law (LOTTT), keeping the minimum wage frozen for over two years and imposing arbitrary salary bonuses. Even spokespersons for Fedecamaras demand a complete overhaul of labor laws and the annulment of social benefits, resorting to despicable tactics to pressure employees.

The government showers significant funds on the parasitic bourgeoisie while drastically slashing expenses in public administration, worsening wealth inequality and driving workers further into poverty. This, in turn, impedes national production capabilities. Consequently, it ignores collective agreements—via Memorandum 2792 and ONAPRE directives—and enforces paltry wages. Such policies result in the termination of hundreds of thousands of jobs and fuel a mass exodus of Venezuelans. To compound matters, many of these fellow citizens abroad are left utterly vulnerable, prompting our demand for respect for their human and labor rights. We persist in our pursuit for change that enables us to live and work with dignity within our own country.

Despite claiming a lack of resources to meet wage demands, uphold collective agreements, deliver efficient public services, and maintain quality healthcare and education, the government turns a blind eye to high-ranking officials embezzling millions from state enterprises, shielded by opacity and lack of oversight. Moreover, workers who expose corrupt practices face punishment and imprisonment on trumped-up charges and unfair trials.

The dialogue space, facilitated by the ILO due to the government's blatant violation of agreements regarding union freedom, methods for determining the minimum wage, and tripartite consultation, has failed to yield any positive outcomes for workers in over two years. They have yet to even acknowledge proposals to gradually increase the minimum wage, currently at less than 4 dollars per month, considering all its implications.

Additionally, the government suppresses and curtails democratic freedoms, persecuting, imprisoning, and prosecuting workers, union leaders, and social activists. It employs legislative measures to criminalize the exercise of constitutional rights to legitimate protest, freedom of expression, association, and assembly. To this end, it selectively applies the detestable "hate law" and plans to enact the misleadingly named "anti-fascism law," empowering them to target dissenters opposing their anti-democratic actions.

Workers, as citizens, have the right and necessity to participate in electoral events to steer the nation toward a new direction and articulate our demands and proposals in the ongoing societal debate in Venezuela. Yet, the current government seeks to deprive us of that right.

The extensive economic, social, ethical, and political turmoil that we are experiencing demands nothing less than the most comprehensive unity among the labor force. As signatories to this statement, we urge workers and the populace at large to rally together in a unified, sizable, and resolute manner this May 1, reigniting legitimate, vital, and pressing acts of protest. Our demands include:

Salaries and pensions adjusted to the basic basket (article 91 of the Constitution).
Rescue of social security in all aspects of health, benefits, housing, utilities, etc.
Full freedom for workers unjustly imprisoned or under precautionary measures.
Repeal of memorandum-circular 2792 and the ONAPRE instructions.
Recovery and respect for collective contracts.
Cease direct and indirect dismissals. Reemployment for all those laid off.
Compliance with the LOPCYMAT, respect for prevention delegates.
Full respect for freedom of association and the right to strike.
Full independence and autonomy of unionism, before the state, employers and parties.
Restoration of democratic freedoms, cessation of authoritarianism, repression and criminalization of workers' and popular struggles.

To the streets for salaries and pensions equal to the basic basket!

Long live the unity of action of the working class!

Whoever governs, rights are defended!

Long live May Day!

Organizations of Caracas: Comité Nacional de Conflicto de Trabajadores en Lucha(CNCTL), Colegio de Enfermería del DC, Federación Nacional de Jubilados y Pensionados de Venezuela(FENAJUPV), CUTV-FNLCT, UNETE, CODESA, FETRASINED, Mesa Social de Caracas, Sindicato de Obreros Alcaldía de Caracas(SOUMGIA), Unidad Democrática del Sector Educativo(UDSE), Asociación de Educadores Jubilados y Pensionados del Distrito Capital(ASOCEJUPC), Asociación de Profesionales Universitarios en Funciones Administrativas y Técnicas de la UCV(APUFAT), FenaComunal, Sirtra-Salud DC, FADESS, Movimiento de Educadores Simón Rodríguez(MESR), El COMITÉ de Derechos Humanos, AMOR por Venezuela, Red de Educadores por Venezuela, FORDISI, CONSENSO, Unión de Trabajadores Revolucionarios(UTR), Movimiento de Educadores Unidos por Venezuela, Corriente Sindical de Vanguardia, Plataforma en Defensa de la Constitución.