On September 24 took place a successful, militant National General Strike all over Greece following the initiative of PAME.
The strike aimed against the new “development bill” of the Government which gives new privileges to big corporations and attacks Collective Bargaining and Trade Union rights of the workers. For example it will impose electronic registry for all union members, giving access to the employers to the workers who are members in unions.
The big workers’ response to the strike was attempted to be stopped with court rulings, calling the strike illegal for maritime workers, and with arrests of workers in picket lines in Construction sites. All these intimidation attempts failed. No ship sailed during the strike and all big construction sites were closed. In Athens took part to the strike all urban transport workers, buses, metro and train. Big hotels shut down and picket lines were held in all sectors. Also on Strike were Mass Media and the State TV
Strike demonstrations of PAME were held in dozens of cities all over Greece. Especially massive and militant were the Strike rallies in Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Patras, Giannena, Crete and other cities.
In the strike demonstration of Athens, the main speech started with a message of Solidarity to the workers of France who were also on Strike the same day. In Thessaloniki strike rally also took part the Serbian Union SLOGA, with its President Zeljko Veselinovic addressing the demonstration.
It is important to note that the forces of GSEE leadership-ETUC members in Greece- attempted to stop the strike, with all means. In clear coordination with the new Government of Greece at first they said to give time to the Government and they took part in meeting of the Social Partners where the new antiworkers’ measures were presented. When many unions decided to go on Strike on September 24, the GSEE leadership called for Strike on a different date aiming to confuse and divide the Strike front. When this also failed, they called for a Strike after the antiworkers measures where imposed! All their tactics failed.
The success of the Strike of September 24, the militant response of thousands of workers and Unions is an important step for the escalation of the struggle against the antiworkers’ attack of the Greek Government. PAME calls the Unions and the workers to give new militant response with NEW NATIONAL GENERAL STRIKE.
Also, PAME will hold a conference of Trade Union leaders on Monday, September 30 in Athens to evaluate the new conditions and plan the next steps and initiatives.
Photos from Strike Rally of Athens:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/141955787@N05/albums/72157711041977127
Video from Strike Rally of Athens:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi1k__FPfWk
Photos from picket lines
https://www.flickr.com/photos/141955787@N05/albums/72157711043509458
Photos from Strike Rallies in other cities
https://www.flickr.com/photos/141955787@N05/albums/72157711057822988
