15 trials against maritime workers until the end of June!

There has been a barrage of persecutions against the right to strike. Even whole ship crews are brought to trial. Prosecutions of trade unionists and trials against workers, where the indictments directly try to suppress the right to respond to the antiworkers policies and especially the right of workers to strike, come the one after the other. Whole ship crews have been dragged to the stand, because of their participation in nationwide general strikes. Even the ship crew that participated in May 1^st Strike, is brought to trial, due to all strike activity in maritime workers was called illegal.

So far, the trials planned for the next period are:

• On March 17^th, lawsuit of the company «Trans World SRL» against the maritime workers’ unions PEMEN, “Stephenson”, members of PAME. This lawsuit is for the strikes on the passenger and ferry ships ROPAX 1 and 2 in June 2011. The maritime workers had been fighting against the reductions in jobs positions in ship crews and against the “black” work, with no insurance, a situation the company wanted to impose.

• On March 18^th, the whole crew of the passenger- ferry ship “SUPERFERRY II”, is tried, because of the crew’s participation in the general, nationwide strike on April 16, 2013, while under conscription to work. This is the second trial against this crew. On February 26^th, this crew was brought to trial again, under the same severe indictment. The crew was acquitted then, but as it is obvious from the upcoming trial, the crew will be brought to trial until found guilty.

• On the same day, on March 18^th, in another Court room of Piraeus, the Leadership of PEMEN Trade Union, the former president of the trade union ‘Stephenson’ are brought to trial under the “accusation” of participation in the strike on February 23th 2011, which “disrupted the scheduled routes of passenger ships and ferryboats from the Central Port of Piraeus”. The strike in which the trade unions participated, was a general, nationwide strike.

• On March 27^th, the crew of the passenger – ferry boat “Theologos P” is also brought to trial, for having taken part in the strike of May 1^st 2013, while under conscription to work, which means strike action is illegal.

• On March 4^th,  in Patras, the president of the local trade union of maritime workers is under trial, with the trumped-up charges of hindering transport and illegal violence, because he was one of the pioneers in organising a maritime workers’ strike.

The situation is even worse for the workers in Kavala – Thassos ferry on northern Greece

• On March 2^nd , at Thassos, 20 people, trade unionists and workers, will be tried for their participation in picket lines during a general, nationwide 48-hour strike on 2012.

• On March 23^rd, at Thassos, 33 people, trade unionists, maritime workers and other workers, will be tried for participation in the nationwide strikes in all ships on January 31^st, 2013, February 1st, 2013 and February 5^th , 2013.

• On the same day, March 23rd, at the same court three other trade unionists of the maritime workers will be tried for their participation in picket lines during another nationwide strike of the maritime workers.

• On March 27^th, at Kavala 23 people, maritime workers and other workers who supported them, will be tried for their participation in the general, nationwide strike, on March 11^th, 2010. It should be noted that 20 out of the 23 accused were sentenced to 8 months imprisonment at the first trial. The filed appeal is on March 27^th.

• On May 4, at Thassos, 27 people, maritime workers and other workers, will be tried, after the lawsuit filed by the maritime company ANETH, for their participation in the 48-hour nationwide general strike on April 21^st and 22^nd 2010.

• On the same day, May 4^th, at Thassos, 24 people will be tried, trade unionists and other workers, for their participation in and picket lines.

• Again on May 4^th, at the same Court, 29 people maritime workers and other workers will be tried, for their participation in the same strike, ie 18 to 22 October 2011.

• Also on May 4^th, at Thassos, 16 people, trade unionists maritime workers and other workers, will be tried for their participation in picket lines during the 48-hour general, nationwide strike on March 19^th and 20^th 2012.

• On May 28^th, trade unionists of the Ferry are called to account for their participation in the nationwide strike on April 2^nd 2014, by the Port Authority of Prinos.

• On June 22^nd, at Thassos, 12 people, trade unionists maritime workers and other workers will be tried for their participation in picket lines.