On Monday, August 22, the Court of Kavala gave its ruling for the cancelation of the layoffs of the workers in Kavala Fertilizers Industry.

The court’s decision came after the appeal of Kavala Fertilizers Industry Workers’ Union against the layoffs of 133 workers. Layoffs that took place last year with the antiworkers’ legislation of Hatzidakis Labor Minister.

The massive layoffs were a continuation of the attacks by the management of the Industry, which since 2016 attempted to impose new antiworkers’ regulations, change workers’ contracts and layoff dozen of the workers. Last year, the management using the new legislation announced the layoff of 133 of the workers.

The Workers’ Union, with the support and solidarity of the workers and the class unions gave important struggles to reverse this development with militant protests, demonstrations and legal actions.

On Monday, August 22, the Court of Kavala gave its ruling stating that all layoffs are canceled and all workers are to return to their posts. Also, it orders the company to pay to all the dismissed workers default wages and a sum of €5.000 for damages.

PAME stated in its press release

The organisation of the workers, their struggles and solidarity bring positive results

The verdict of the court that declares all the dismissals of the workers at the Fertilizers of Kavala invalid is the result of a long-lasting collective struggle, which met the solidarity of many trade unions not only from the region but also from the whole country.

It reveals once again that workers can cancel in practice the anti-worker laws that unleashed the massive dismissals, as long as their unions organise themselves even more effectively against the dirty anti-worker methods, push their struggles even further forward, escalating together with the with the rest of the working class in the struggle for the abolition of the antiworkers’ policies.

The PAME Secretariat will stand by the workers of the Fertilizers of Kavala who struggle for their rights to be put into practice, for everyone to return to work, and for their rights to be respected. For wages and rights based on their needs.

Such struggles are a thorn in the side of the governments and employers. They are an inspiration for all workers, for all trade unions fighting for the interests of the working class, because they highlight the value of solidarity and common struggle that needs to be made in every workplace against our exploiters and their political servants.