PAME proudly salutes the great success of the strike on 30 October! We salute the dockworkers, seafarers, metalworkers and workers across all sectors who fought this tremendous and historic strike battle.
Across 113 ports, in 21 countries, on five continents, the working class sent a message that rang out across the globe: We don’t work for war!
From dawn, at port gates, on ships’ boarding ramps and in factories, the strikers took their positions. Piraeus was at the heart of this great day. Dockworkers maintained picket lines at COSCO’s terminals, and seafarers at ships’ boarding ramps. Not a single propeller turned in Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio, Patras, Igoumenitsa, Elefsina or Rio–Antirrio. Starting from the Municipal Theatre, the strike march filled Iroon Polytechniou Avenue from end to end!
Internationalist solidarity came to life. From Australia to the United States, thousands of dockworkers took part in strikes, work stoppages and militant protests. Messages of solidarity from striking workers in Italy and France to the rally in Piraeus united workers’ voices, strengthening their determination and confidence in the common struggle.
This is the sight that inspires hope among the peoples and concern among their exploiters: workers united, organised and determined, right where profits are generated and the imperialists’ military cargoes are handled!
October 30 takes its place in the history of the international working-class movement! It demonstrates the power workers hold in their hands when they organise, make collective decisions and coordinate their action across borders.
The international impact of today’s action shows how far a struggle can reach when it is rooted in the common interests and organised struggle of the working class.
Capital, governments and imperialist alliances came face to face with what they truly fear: the power of the organised people, capable of confronting the policies of war and exploitation.
On October 30, the New Democracy government and the parties of war, which support Greece’s involvement in the plans of the US, NATO and the EU, received a resounding response. We, the workers, refuse to accept the transformation of ports and infrastructure into launching pads for war. We refuse to line up behind the rivalries and interests of business groups.
We stand alongside the Palestinian people, Cuba and all peoples suffering under imperialist aggression. We refuse to let our livelihoods and our children’s future depend on the slaughter of other peoples!
The ports showed the way. This step can and must be followed by action in more sectors! In factories and shipyards, in the arms industry, on the railways and across transport, in energy, telecommunications and information technology.
We must strengthen joint initiatives and international coordination against the war economy and involvement in imperialist wars. Every link in the chain of war must be confronted by organised workers!
With the pride and momentum of October 30 battle, we move towards the next major milestone: the nationwide general strike on 25 November!
For collective agreements with wage increases, a seven-hour working day, a five-day working week and a 35-hour week, and health and safety measures. For funding for healthcare and education. Against the soaring costs of housing, food, heating and fuel that are strangling working-class households. We refuse to pay with our lives and incomes for involvement in war and the profits of business groups!
We call on every union to join the fight, to organise the strike and ensure its success. The pride and enthusiasm inspired by this historic day must translate into stronger organisation, greater participation in our unions and new decisions to strike!
On 30 October, workers’ voices rang out across five continents!
On 25 November, let the whole country rise up!
Everyone out for the nationwide general strike!
No sacrifice for their profits and their wars!
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