The LSAP politician emphasised the urgent need for citizens to stand up against the government’s recent decisions, which he believes undermine social cohesion.
Just this Wednesday, Michel Reckinger, president of the UEL employers’ federation, had urged Luxembourgers to stay at home, arguing the unions were spreading untruths and aimed only to block progress.
In contrast, Kersch, who formerly represented the left wing of the LSAP, clearly supports the unions – as does the rest of the party. He said it was “high time” that people in Luxembourg protested against the government’s announcements, which are leading to social deterioration.
In response to Reckinger’s claim that in the past 30 years, individuals like Kersch, Engel, Schmit, Bofferding, and Haagen were members – and even paid workers – of the independent union OGBL while serving in government, Kersch said the interview “speaks for itself” and was counterproductive.
He believes the comments only made people angrier and more motivated to protest. If anything, he argues that employers have become much more aggressive in their dialogue than in the past – to the country’s detriment.
Although Kersch does have an OGBL membership card, he insists he has never worked for the union and was therefore never paid by them.
During the interview, the long-time LSAP politician repeatedly stressed the importance of social dialogue and empathy, pointing to past efforts to engage with social partners. That sense of empathy seems to have gone astray, Kersch laments.
He thereupon urged the government to take accountability and get back on track to restore meaningful dialogue.
Kersch interprets the current CSV-DP government’s actions as something that is “not leadership but chaos.” In what are already uncertain times, the government is causing further insecurity among citizens with its “zig-zag course” – which he considers dangerous.
Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Kersch claimed, had already presented an essentially finished pension reform plan during his State of the Nation speech – without being asked – and is pursuing an agenda written by “employer think tanks.”
This agenda, Kersch added, is being pushed through with no regard for consequences. It’s no surprise, he said, that there’s backlash. It’s also not by chance that the relevant social ministries are staffed with inexperienced individuals – because, in his view, Frieden does not tolerate dissent. But such a style of governance, Kersch warned, “will lead to ruin in the long term.”
He also criticised Reckinger for describing the opinion of the Council of State on shop opening hours and Sunday work in commerce as “just one opinion among many”, calling his stance “disrespectful.”
