Posted: Thursday, 24 June 2010

Barbara Byers, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress, has warned the G20 political leaders who will meet in Toronto that they must not attack and erode public services in their countries.

Byers made her comments on June 23 to a Public Service Day rally held during the Second World Congress of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) meeting in Vancouver. “We salute all those workers in every country who deliver public services – from health care to education, to child care, to police and fire fighting, to social assistance, to government administration and much, much more,” Byers said. “Ordinary people depend on all these valuable public services – to help make their lives better – and to protect them from harm. Unfortunately, some G20 leaders are already talking about making dramatic cuts to public services – at a time when the world is still reeling from the financial crisis.” Byers said that workers and their unions in every country will fight to protect public services. “We have a clear warning for the G20 leaders,” Byers said. “Do not take decisions at this G20 Summit that we will make you regret.