On Wednesday 9th April thousands of protesters joined the strike demonstrations of PAME that took place in more than 60 cities across the country in the framework of the 24hour general strike.
The Executive Secretariat of PAME saluted the thousands of working people who went on strike, the unemployed, the young people, the women who overcame the difficulties and the threats of the employers, the open undermining of the strike by the employer and the government led trade unionism and joined the battle of the nationwide strike at the gates of the factories, on the ramps of the ships, in all offices and workplaces. It saluted the thousands of protesters who participated in the strike demonstrations of PAME in all cities with the slogans and the demands of the class oriented movement strengthening the struggle for the regroupment of the labour movement. It saluted the poor farmers, the self-employed who participated in the strike demonstrations of PAME. “The message of the general strike today is clear. We continue more resolutely to struggle and resist the ongoing measures that lead the workers’ and people’s families to poverty and destitution” stressed the ES of PAME.
There are forces in the trade union system, i.e. the forces of PAME in the workplaces, that have the ability and the willingness to strengthen the organization, the counterattack of the working class, forces which are militant and determined, forces which have been struggling for 15 years against the employers, against the governments, against the EU, against the barbarity that the working class is experiencing.
We are doing our utmost for the regroupment of the labour and people’s movement, for its rise. Many fear such a rise and do not want it. Above all the big employers in every sector and then their political personnel and the compromised employer and government led trade unionism, in both its old and new form. These are forces that want the labour movement with a bowed head and unorganized. This is the reason why they undermine the strikes and continually impede the organization of the workers. At the same time, forces from the emerging government and employer led trade unionism are presenting themselves as allegedly new but are created out of the old and damaged materials. They talk about an alleged regroupment of the labour movement, bowing to the values of the EU, the profitability and competitiveness of the business groups.
The just cause of the workers, of all the working people, will be determined in each workplace and on the streets of the escalating-relentless struggle, by the united front of all the workers in the public and private sector, of the unemployed and youth.
The militancy of today’s strike mobilization sends a clear message to the government and the bosses. The next major militant meeting will be the strike on May 1st.
We call on the trade unions, the trade union organizations, all the class-oriented forces to organize and enthusiastically prepare for the success of the strike and the May 1st rally from now, wasting no time, with the aim of impeding the implementation of the anti-people measures. It must be a strike and demonstration which are appropriate for the historical weight of May 1st and which will demonstrate the strength of the workers united on a class basis.”
