Reports point to fault lines

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"This week Oxfam, the ILO and World Economic Forum have brought out a mountain of new evidence that the jobs crisis will continue to deepen as inequality rises. We are living in a world transformed by the insatiable greed of the 1% and the failure of governments to act on the concerns of people," said Philip Jennings, the General Secretary of UNI Global Union.

"We can expect seismic shifts in the political landscape this year. We have seen an upsurge of growing unrest across the globe as people take to the streets to demonstrate against inequality and attacks on democracy. They are right to protest.

"Politicians and business leaders at Davos are sitting on a volcano of legitimate discontent fuelled by unemployment, inequality and austerity. Collectively we have a responsibility to face-up to the need to change course," Jennings said.

No answer

"Keeping calm and carrying on is no answer to the urgency and anxiety of the times. The labour movement has constructive solutions to offer. A future built on a living wage, decent jobs and collective bargaining where workers have a seat at the table.

"At UNI we call it 'Including You', at Oxfam they say 'Even It Up'; it amounts to the same thing, growth geared to social inclusion, a fair share of profits, young people given training and job guarantees, quality jobs and a living wage," he continued.

"This year at Davos we will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, a cornerstone of modern democracy. We should not forget that democracy has been hard won and we should not let it leak away by continuing down the path of inequality for the benefit of a handful of multi-billionaires," Jennings concluded.