UNISON members are “shoulder to shoulder” with Swazi trade unionists and democracy campaigners, general secretary Dave Prentis declared in a solidarity letter to Swaziland campaigners today.
The southern African country is a royal dictatorship and this week has seen a ‘global week of action’ in support of its people’s fight for democracy.
“UNISON’s 1.4 million public service members may be thousands of miles away from our sisters and brothers working to deliver public services in Swaziland, but have no doubt that we stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with you this week,” wrote Mr Prentis.
“We are impressed by the high level of organisation and activity taking place in Swaziland as part of the Global Week of Action,” he added. “It is a tribute to the growing strength of the campaign for democracy and the engagement of a wide range of civil society organisations.”
UNISON helped co-ordinate a successful meeting at Parliament yesterday, where British MPs were able to hear first-hand accounts of “the autocratic and repressive Swazi regime and the united and growing campaign for democracy” led by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) – which has now been ‘deregistered’ by the regime.
Unions are at the forefront of the struggle for democracy in Swaziland, together with a wide range of civil society organsiations, and called the global week of action to put pressure on King Mswati III.
UNISON head of international relations Nick Sigler is in Swaziland as part of a group of international representatives taking part in the week of action and monitoring the regime’s response to protests.
He is currently at the People’s Summit for a New Democratic Swaziland and reports: “Over 600 people are participating in the summit, from all parts of Swazi life. At the end of the day, there will be a People’s Charter calling for change in Swaziland.”