Info about the strike on Friday, March 5
The immediate mobilisation of the class oriented forces has been a strong response to the announcement of the new reactionary measures that impose severe cuts and launch a sweeping attack on the people’s income.
The class oriented forces unveiled the coordinated effort of the social democrat government along with the liberal ND, the nationalist LAOS, the opportunist SYN/SYRIZA, the GSEE and ADEDY leaderships that seek to conceal the fact that the new measures constitute a result of the capital’s strategy, that they are permanent and affect all the working people.
Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the centre of Athens and tens of other cities protesting the cuts on salaries and pensions, the 30% cuts on Christmas-Easter bonuses and vacation allowances, the drastic increase of taxes in all categories of products and service and especially in public consumption products.
By the announcement of the measures the class oriented federations and trade union organisations that gather in PAME called for a strike for Friday March 5. At the same time under the pressure of the immediate response of PAME that called for a 24-hour strike, the compromised leaderships of GSEE and ADEDY called for 3-hour and 4-hour work stoppages. In this way, they proved in practice that they seek the extinction of the militant spirit of the working people. We should only mention that the yellow leadership of ADEDY had initially called for a strike for March 16 although the vote on the anti-people measures was on Friday March 5.
The call of PAME for a 24-hour strike had a big impact. Class oriented federations, Labour Centres and primary trade unions played a leading role in the organisation of the strike. It is noteworthy that the leaderships of the trade unions of the employees in Athens public transport who traditionally follow the line and the forms of struggle of GSEE and ADEDY were forced to call for a 24-hour strike that paralysed the transport in the capital. The same happened with a series of primary trade unions that do not join PAME. Yellow trade unionism was once again isolated. In critical moments the masses of workers trusted the class oriented forces of PAME for the organisation of the struggle.
Since Friday dawn the class oriented forces organised picket lines in ghetto-workplaces enabling workers to go on strike, to defy employers’ intimidation and to participate massively in the strike.
The social-democrat government, supported by the extreme-right party LAOS, passed the measures while tens of thousands of strikers from the ranks of PAME were surrounding the building of the Parliament.
The parliamentary group of KKE abandoned the procedure of discussion in the parliament considering that there was no room for discussion of such hostile bills for the working class.
The General Secretary of KKE, Aleka Papariga, saluted the strike rally and explained the stance of KKE underlying that: “Right now it does not worth it discussing a bill that is clearly at the expense of the interests of the workers and constitutes the prelude for new measures. (…) In this phase everything discussed in the parliament is tragic for the working people and so we fight before a bill is set under discussion. When discussed at parliament there is a majority that will vote for it. (…) Thus, today, it is not enough to vote “no” to a bill, because this may be relatively easy and may happen when people’s discontent rises so as to be able to manipulate people. What matters is what does the “yes” mean, what do you demand and how do you assert it. That’s what actually matters. (…) There is one slogan that will always be valid: People, workers, employees, working people, they must all take this case in their hands; whether now as opposition, or tomorrow as the class in power.”
Another militant response will be given immediately, on Monday, through the mass demonstrations organised by PAME and the Federation of Greek Women for the International Women’s Day. After the recent developments these demonstrations acquire a new content. At the same time, PAME organises a new nationwide strike on Thursday March 11.
e-mail:cpg@int.kke.gr