On Thursday, September 15, the class unions of Athens, along with associations of self-employed, women and students, held a massive protest in Athens center demanding increases in workers’ wages and measures against inflation and price hikes in electricity and energy.

The Unions rallied in Athens center at the Ministry of Finance where the President of the National Federation of Construction workers said:

“We call all unions to prepare the General Strike of November 9. With this strike, those who want to intimidate us, we will make them fear us. Now is the time of struggle! To protect our lives. For our rights. To not pay the bills once again. Now we all need the struggle and the struggle needs us all. The nationwide all-workers’ strike on November 9 is the response of the working class to the situation that is taking shape. Our response to the crumbs. Our response to all those who treat inflation, price hikes, our lives that they themselves have brought to a standstill, as an imported problem. The governments, current and past, who pretend to be innocent, who present themselves as protectors and saviors, who hand out crumbs to “put us to sleep”, to do the “dirty” work again, to make us pay the bills so that the few can keep their profits.

Waiting and deluding ourselves that they are going to provide solutions to our problems is dangerous. We would be leaving the field wide open for them to play their game. They give big packages, funding etc to the few who profit from our needs. Energy providers are getting rich on government subsidies while the bill comes to us more expensive every month. Wages remain stuck at 2007 levels.

Whether in crisis or in development, in the pandemic, at every stage, the people and their needs are put in ice and the interests of the few a pedestal.

We know the solutions we need better than anyone else. We do not settle, we do not compromise, we do not fool ourselves with those who tell us and announce solutions to our problems. We know them. We know the results of their proposals. We know that our lives are constantly facing deadlock.

Hope is in the struggle, hope is in our strength. Only the people can save the people!” 

PHOTOS https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA7heM