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INPRIMATU
LAB overcomes the 50,000 membership barrier by half a century
  • At the 50th anniversary celebration, LAB has emphasized that the workers' demands will be an "active agent" to achieve sociopolitical change.
Olaia L. Garaialde 2024ko apirilaren 09a
“Esplotaziorik gabeko jendartea sortzea da gure handinahia, bai Euskal Herrian baita mundu osoan ere”. ARGAZKIA: LAB

LAB looks at the work of the past, present and future in celebrating the 50th anniversary. LAB general coordinators Garbiñe Aranburu and Igor Arroyo have highlighted that they have overcome the barrier of 50,000 members and that they are "healthy" and "forcefully". They transfer the demands of the workers to the center of the political debate and point out that they will be "active agents" to achieve sociopolitical change: "Our ambition is to create a society without exploitation, both in the Basque Country and in the world".

The event was held at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao and they have pointed out that they have flourished thanks to the militancy: "50 years ago a group of nationalist workers put the seed of what LAB is today". They highlight counter-terrorism, socio-political character, independence, anti-capitalism, feminism, anti-razism, etc., and the fight against Franco: "The Abertzale Left recreated the Basque national liberation project. He fought for the freedom of this people and gave and is giving the best of himself."

Although the extreme right is being strengthened in Europe, they have stressed that in some places, such as Ireland and Euskal Herria, the sovereign left "is being "strengthened" as an alternative: "We mean goodbye to the political cycle that depletes workers". For this reason, they consider that sovereign policies are necessary to deal with both the ecological and economic crises: "In the socio-occupational sphere we demand a labour code and a social security system of our own in order to be able to decide the working and living conditions of Basque workers".

Finally, they highlight the commitment to continue opening the way to the "national liberation" and "social transformations" of Euskal Herria: "We will make the organization and the struggle of workers".