Successful nationwide strike of PAME against the anti-people’s attack

On December 17, All Militant Workers’ Front (PAME), which gathers in its ranks the class oriented forces of the Greek trade union movement, called for a 24-hour nationwide strike against the anti-people’s plans of the social democrat PASOK government which are also supported by the liberal party of ND.

This attack, which is based on the general EU guidelines for the increase of the capital’s profit making, strikes a decisive blow on the labour and social security rights. For that reason the government invited political parties and the trade union organizations to the social partnership talks. KKE and PAME do not participate in this fake dialogue that aims at the restriction of worker’s rights. Communists along with the forces of PAME called upon the people to resist and intensify the struggle against the anti-people’s plans that under the pretext of the capitalist crisis intend to place new burdens on the people. Thus, they called for a 24 hour strike on December 17.

A series of nationwide industrial unions participated in the strike, that is the Federation of Construction Workers’ -the biggest industrial federation in the country- the Federations of workers in food and beverages companies, in press and printing companies, the Federation of accountants, the Federation of workers in the textile, garments and leather industries, the Federation of workers in private hospitals, and the federation of pharmaceuticals; in addition, 14 Labour Centres, that is regional trade union organisations that rally all the trade unions acting in their region, as well as tens of primary trade unions both in private and public sector. Moreover the two primary seamen trade unions PEMEN and STEFENSON, that gather in their ranks the engineers of the Greek merchant fleet, managed to “freeze” the navigation throughout the country.

As a result of the dynamics of the strike, a series of trade unions and federations that do not join the ranks of PAME such as the Athens Union of Journalists and the Federation of Nurses went on strike.

The Confederation of the trade unions of workers in private sector (GSEE) that participates in the social partnership talks, terrorised by the strike of PAME, has resorted -for the first time- to an open strike-breaking statement urging the workers not to participate in the strike. PAME and KKE condemned this outrageous action.

Since the early morning thousands of workers and youth joined the picket lines. Furthermore, PAME organised mass rallies in 63 cities and towns throughout Greece which have been especially massive in Athens and Thessaloniki. A delegation of the CC of KKE headed by the general Secretary of the CC of KKE Aleka Papariga participated in the mobilisation in Athens.

Statement of the Press Bureau on the strike

KKE extends a warm militant greeting to all workers who defied the multifaceted terrorism of state, governmental and employers’ mechanisms as well as the strike breaking mechanisms of the employer-led, yellow trade unionism and participated in the strike and mass rallies of PAME.

The participation in the strike and the impressively massive mobilisations of PAME proves that the class oriented labour movement has a strong dynamics. It shows that the working class has the strength and the ability to resist and repel the anti-people’s storm launched by the government and the capitalists with the support of ND and LAOS; it shows that the political and trade union forces that serve consensus and submission have a strong enemy that has roots in the workplaces. Workers are realising that the employer and yellow trade unionism play a dangerous role in their struggles.

The mass disobedience of a big segment of workers paves the way for the strengthening of the workers and peoples counterattack. The success of the strike showed that we can make it.

Workers and people mobilise now demanding the contemporary rights of the working class! Repel and overthrow the anti-people’s policy! People should not pay for the crisis. Now mass liberation of the people from the ideology and the parties of the plutocracy and the EU!

Statement of the GS of the CC of KKE, Aleka Papariga, in the port of Piraeus

Today we can talk about a successful strike in two meanings. The one has to do with the success of the strike throughout the country and the mass rallies in Athens and in other towns. The other has to do with the big victory of the seamen that has a general importance. Despite the prohibition of the strike by the courts, despite the fact it has been declared illegal and abusive not a single ship has left the port. This will be continued till the end of the strike. It is a great victory that has to do with the rights of the workers. At the same time it is also a victory of the real workers and people’s democracy. Because, as you know democracy has two aspects: the one is the democracy of the government, of the employers of the parties that support the EU policy, the democracy implemented by the justice and the other is the democracy that has to do with the workers interests. This day must be classified as a historical day next to another day when the seamen overthrew a relevant decision. It is an important day for the labour movement.

It is not possible to achieve even the slightest gain if you are not determined to disobey, if you are not determined to respect the right to go on strike and the right to struggle for the rights of the workers. And thus we believe that this day, the 17th December will breed big struggles