The vote on the UK and Gibraltar’s continued membership of the EU on June 23^rd was the central theme of Sunday’s May Day Rally in Casemates.

All speakers reaffirmed their support for the “In” campaign and highlighted the dangers of ‘Brexit’ for the Rock.

Kaylan Lucas of Unite’s Youth Section said that the youth wings of all of Gibraltar’s political parties were in favour of a vote to remain in the EU.

Mr Lucas said: “Gibraltar has a British European voice and wants to keep it that way…It is our future, our responsibility – get involved and vote to remain.”

Stuart Borastero of the teachers’ union GTA / NASUWT said that the “In” campaign “was not a scare campaign.” Mr Borastero told the crowd that, in the event of ‘Brexit’, “the privilege to live, work and learn anywhere in the EU would be put at risk.”

Victor Ochello, Unite’s Senior Regional Officer, argued that ‘Brexit’ would not only have economic and political consequences; leaving the EU would also affect workers and their rights. Mr Ochello said that Gibraltar’s 23,000 votes could make a difference: “Gibraltar has always risen to these occasions.”

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said that, under a Socialist government in Gibraltar, there would never be a “repeal of workers’ rights” even if the UK were to vote to leave the EU.

“We don’t need Europe to tell us about maternity rights, we didn’t need Europe or the United Kingdom to tell us about a minimum wage because those things happened in Gibraltar first,” he said.

Mr Picardo also criticized Barclays Bank: “Today Barclays is telling us that it’s going […] remember that those who are looking after their money, those who are only thinking about profit, those who don’t heave a heart don’t care about working people.”

He added that both Unite and the Government were working hard to find alternative employment for the staff members who were laid off by the UK bank. 

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