Framework for Common Action For the Alliance of the Working Class with the Poor Farmers and the Self-Employed

The Nationwide Conference of the Party for the work in the working class and the trade union movement, that took place on 6th-7th March 2010, elaborated the following framework of action for the social alliance of the working class with the poor farmers and the self-employed.

• The monopolies should pay for the crisis!
• The workers should take their life into their own hands!
• Workers, poor farmers, self-employed should demand the satisfaction of their needs through a common front in a break with the monopolies, the parties and their governments, the imperialist organisations aiming at the consolidation of people’s power.

1.

The course since the entrance of Greece into the EU and the euro-zone up to the present day has been marked by the dominant tendency of the capitalist path of development: on the one hand the large-scale concentration of capital and production and the strengthening of the monopolies in the Greek economy and society while on the other the deterioration of the position of the working class, of the self-employed and the small and medium farmers. However, the manifestation of the current crisis of overproduction sharpened a number of problems related to the competition of capitals within the EU and internationally, problems that have to do with the position of the Greek economy in this competition (increase in imported commodities, deterioration of public debt).

The 8year period before the outbreak of the global economic crisis (2000-2007) during the governance of PASOK and ND, the net profit of the corporations in the stock market surpassed 50 billion euros. From 2000 to 2007 the net profit of these corporations increased more than 100%. During the same period more than 20% of the population lived below the official poverty threshold while 20,000 were forced each year to abandon the agricultural production without any prospect to find a new job. The enforcement of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will intensify this tendency. At the same time, the unemployed exceed 700,000. This situation will be further aggravated with the implementation of the government’s administrative reform through the “Kallikratis” plan that aims to adapt the regional and local institutions of the bourgeois state to the modern needs of the capital.

The working class and the poor popular strata experience in various ways the unbearable yoke of the monopolies’ domination over their economic, political and social life:

• Through the continuous increase of the degree of exploitation of the working class, the small increase in actual wages in relation to the growth of labour productivity; 0, 77 euro increase per day in wages for the period 2006-2007, namely the period of the spectacular increase of the profits of the business groups; establishment of minimum wage lower than 760 euros gross and at the same time the expansion of part time employment and flexible labour relations.
• Through the growth and expansion of lending from the banking groups, the agreements between the most powerful monopolies in the retail trade, as well as the concentration of the agricultural products and the increase of imports by merchants and industrialists and indirect taxation people’s income is plundered and at the same time the position of small businesses in the production, the trade and the agricultural sector is worsened.
• Through the full commercialisation of all social needs, including Health, Education, housing, heating, water supply, that lead to an additional plundering of people’s income. The direct private expenditure for Health has reached 58% of total expenditure while of the so-called public expenditure, which has fallen to 42%, 73% is in fact workers’ contributions through the insurance funds.
• Through the government policy on taxation, the liberalisation of the so-called “restricted professions”, the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and concession contracts, the incentives provided by the development laws, the new CAP, the distribution of public funding for investment etc. All these are policies that accelerate the concentration and centralisation of capital and lead to the shrinking of the share of small businesses in production, in trade, in services.
• Through the development of a complex political mechanism that imposes the dictatorship of the monopolies on social life. This mechanism does not serve only the repressive functions of the bourgeois state but it also extends to the ideological manipulation and integration of popular masses through multi-faceted networks of bribery, such as Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), employer-led and opportunist trade union leaderships.
• The economic dominance of monopolies and their political power is not the result of some form of political governance; it is the essence of modern capitalism.
• Regardless of which party is in government, the tendency towards absolute and relative pauperisation, of further sections of workers in cities and villages, becomes permanent.

2.

• The economic crisis, which is a consequence of this development, will further enhance this tendency, the polarisation between accumulated wealth and exploitation.
• Only in 2009, when the crisis manifested itself in Greece, the net profits of listed corporation groups in the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) had reached 6 billion euros and 55 groups recorded profit growth compared with 2008.
• Furthermore, the registered unemployment rate has risen by 2% compared with 2008. Unemployment among young people has surpassed 18%, while the long-term unemployed represent more than 43% of the unemployed.
• The capitalist crisis is utilised by the government as a pretext to accelerate and expand the capitalist restructuring, to abolish people’s rights and achievements and increase the degree of exploitation. To the extent that new antipeople measures will be imposed they will be permanent, not temporary. Some measures will be maintained even after the crisis, such as: a further increase of the retirement age, reduction in wages and pensions, an additional surcharge for healthcare etc.

3.

All these years the orchestrated propaganda concerning the ability of the EU to ensure sustainable development for all citizens through competitiveness and the increase of the profitability of the enterprises collapses. Along with the myth of Greece's convergence with the hard core of the leading powers of the EU fails and the relative deterioration of the position of domestic manufacturing and agricultural production due to the intense competition in the “deregulated” market of the EU is revealed.

The weak and fragile way out from the crisis of the international capitalist economy outlines the course of the next crisis cycle, of the deeper crisis that will follow.

4.

The EU plan for the way out from the crisis implemented consistently by the government of PASOK with the active support of ND and LAOS and the disorientating role of SYRIZA, serves the needs and demands of the monopolies.

The government escalates the antipeople attack trying to eliminate the popular reaction in the name of “national unity for the way out from the crisis”, for the restoration of fiscal order and the enhancement of competitiveness. All those, as well as the so-called “new model of green development”, are obsolete arguments-traps to disorientate people’s political choice.

In reality, the government tries to readjust state investment incentives, the incentives of introduction of innovations in order to give a boost to capitalist development. Thus, it will place further burden on people’s income so as to ensure additional state funding for “green economy” groups, large tourist and rural capitalist groups.

The promotion of the industrial production can no longer be guaranteed within the framework of the established correlations of forces and relationships of the uneven development of capitalism. Besides, in countries that were and still are highlighted as models such as Germany, Denmark, Ireland, the crisis manifested itself in a greater depth than in Greece, while the deterioration of the position of the working class in these countries continues (wage cuts, extension of temporary and part-time employment, reduction of employers' social security contributions etc.).

The new package of state funding that will be distributed through the NSRF (National Strategic Referent Framework), the Development Act and other regulations is not destined for the self-employed and small businesses, while the pressure of competition will increase.

The new tax bill, the liberalisation of “restricted professions”, the new country planning regulations for the benefit of big businesses, the restructuring of the Social Security System and the new plan of privatisation will accelerate the concentration and centralisation of capital in Greece. The same goes for the state subsidies and compensation towards farmers.

5.

They blackmail workers and people’s consciousness when they claim that “a sacrifice today, a cut in wages and pensions in the future will bring state revenues so as to save the Greek economy and the national reputation”. The political support in favour of the capitalist profitability caused problems in the state management. Profits and wealth go hand in hand with shortages and mainly with the exploitation.

The question as to whether the development should serve monopolies or the people, is at the top of the agenda; it is a matter of life and death.

The interest of the working class, the self-employed, and the small and medium farmers requires a radically different path of development free from the yoke of the monopolies and generally from the driving force of the capitalist profit.

Only this path can ensure nowadays that the workers, the poor farmers and the self-employed have full and stable job and a future without uncertainty and concern for their survival.

Only people’s power can meet people’s needs related to nutrition, housing, integrated education, health protection; to ensure the leisure and creative entertainment.

Only this path can lead to the even and all sided development of regions and sectors, to the development of domestic production and of the necessary infrastructure for people’s welfare.

Only this path can ensure domestic agricultural production that will satisfy the nutritional needs of the people and the development of related sectors of the domestic manufacturing industry.

Only this path can transform water, telecommunications, energy and transport into social benefits establishing the social state ownership in strategic sectors of the economy.

Only this way can extend and ensure people’s liberties and workers’ rights.

There is no other alternative. The producers of the wealth through their revolutionary activity must turn the concentrated means of production into popular ownership that will serve the planned production for people’s welfare.

The working class bears the responsibility for the construction of
people’s alliance.

It will be shaped through the strengthening of the political struggle for a different path of development, for people’s power.

It will be forged by the promotion of a radical framework of common goals of struggle in an anti-imperialist - antimonopoly direction in all sectors of the economy.

It will emerge through the coordinated struggles of the All Workers’ Militant Front (PAME), the All Farmers’ Militant Rally (PASY), the Nationwide Antimonopoly Rally of the Self-employed and the small Tradesmen (PASEVE) on the basis of the acute social problems, in a line of rupture with the monopolies and their power.

The effort to build the people’s alliance requires to take into consideration the inner differences and contradictions in order to establish an anti-imperialist, antimonopoly orientation. The building of the social alliance can not lose sight of the stratification of the social allies, of the contradictions as regards their immediate interests. Instead, it is strengthened and reinforced through the awareness and assertion of their long term interests, recognising the leading role of the working class in order to eliminate social inequalities.

This promising prospect requires the strengthening of the struggle with common demands and goals for the satisfaction of people’s modern needs; it requires struggles that reinforce the people’s alliance, coordinate the struggle, increase their will to counterattack and inspire militant optimism:

1. LABOUR:

A basic human right. We call for: Stable and permanent work for all. Elimination of unemployment. Establishment of a 35-hour working week, 7-hour working day, 5 workdays a week. Guaranteeing Sunday as a day off. Prohibition of all forms of flexible employment and uninsured labour. Providing students who undergo practical training with full salary and employment, insurance and pension rights. A 6-hour workday for workers of heavy and arduous professions as well as for students and school students who have to work. Unemployment benefits for all unemployed amounting to 1.120 euros per month for the entire period of unemployment. Full free unconditioned healthcare for the unemployed.

2. SOCIAL SECURITY:

Mandatory retirement for all after 30 years of work, regardless of age. In general: retirement at the age of 60 for men and 55 for women. Lowering the retirement age by 5 years for workers of heavy and arduous professions and for the corresponding industrial sectors. The minimum pension for employees to be 80% of the basic salary (1.400 euros), i.e. 1.120 euros per month. All insurance funds should grant this minimum pension.

Lowering workers’ insurance contributions till they are abolished and corresponding increase of their payment by the state. Self-employed and farmers should pay one third of the insurance contributions themselves and two-thirds should be paid by the state. Abolition of the contributions for healthcare.

3. TAXATION - STATE BUDGET:

Tax exemption for workers’ families with revenues of 40.000 euro plus 5.000 euro per child per year.

45% direct taxation of the big capital.

Abolition of VAT and excise on heating fuel and fuel used in agriculture.

Abolition of VAT on food, education, healthcare, the electricity tariffs used in housing and agriculture, natural gas, telecommunications, water and sewage system.

Abolition of "public-private partnerships" (PPP) and of the contracting out for the construction of public works.

4. HEALTHCARE - WELFARE:

A comprehensive, common, exclusively public and free modern healthcare – welfare system, preventive and emergency medical services for all, fully funded by the state. The healthcare and welfare system should be adapted to youth, women, the elderly, the disabled, to the special needs of the population of the islands and mountain areas. Medical centres should be constructed taking into account the population, the area, epidemiological surveys, etc. Prohibition of business activity in healthcare - welfare and socialisation of the infrastructure that fits the criteria. A medical insurance book should be available to all, without conditions, regardless of: labour relations, employment, wages, and nationality. It will serve only as an ID and will not be required to pay for medical care, medicines and welfare. Creation of an exclusively public pharmaceutical industry.

Significant, integral measures and preventive action to ensure public healthcare (prevention of pollution, healthy nutrition, etc.). Significant measures to protect health and guarantee safety at work. Creation of the necessary infrastructure and services at workplaces, a body of public doctors, safety technicians, nurses, etc. Insurance against occupational risks. Necessary measures within the exclusively state social insurance system. Ban of the contracts between insurance funds and the private sector.

5. EDUCATION:

Exclusively free public education system. Prohibition of any business activity in education. Mandatory two-year preschool education. A 12-year secondary school for all, without class and racial discrimination. Vocational education, included in the free state education system following the 12-year school programme. Abolition of the professional schools (KEK and IEK). Comprehensive, public, free higher education, creating researchers with a high level of expertise, training, and high general education level. The diploma should be the only requirement for employment. Establishment of periodic training courses for all workers within the public free education system. Expanding the network of free public kindergartens for all children. Abolition of fees. Free public children's camps. The provision of free sustenance and housing to all students in modern and safe accommodation. Provision of 400 euros per month benefits in case there are not enough places in the accommodation or in case their construction is not completed.

6. NUTRITION:

The socialisation of large capitalist agricultural production, of the industry of agricultural supplies and processing, so as to serve the needs of the people and not the capitalist profit, can ensure the domestic production of low price and high quality food in order to cover the people’s nutritional needs. Central planning and cooperatives in agricultural production enable the reduction of the production costs, improve the utilisation of production forces, reduce unemployment and poverty and promote the development of the agriculture and countryside.

7. ENVIRONMENT-SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE:

Improvement of the social living conditions in working class neighbourhoods and in countryside by means of establishing and reinforcing public and free services for healthcare, education, sports and cultural centers.

Policies for the development of people’s housing by means of housing programmes that will cover the basic needs of the people. Special provision for young couples through special and economic programmes. Thorough planning for the prevention of earthquake consequences and measures to address immediately situations created after earthquakes.

Struggle for the establishment of communication-energy and transportation as social services. Exclusively public unified bodies in sectors of strategic importance that will belong to the people and serve the people’s needs.

All big private properties in mountains and forests must be transformed to public property. Reforestation of burnt areas, protection and maintenance of forest ecosystems that contribute to water retention and to the enrichment of aquifers as well as to the production of wood and wood products. Free spaces and coasts must be transformed to public property.

Environmental planning for anti-flood protection. Exclusively state and comprehensive management of water resources as regards research, their protection and utilisation throughout the country but also in the various water compartments.

Protection of free spaces from the uncontrolled building, protection of rivers, lakes, seas from industrial pollution, protection of beaches from wastes. Construction and maintenance of infrastructure for the management of pluvial waters.

8. CULTURE-SPORTS- STRUGGLE AGAINST DRUGS

Guarantee educational and material conditions for the unimpeded access of the people to Art and culture, for the development of the people’s artistic creativity as a remedy to the stereotypes of the market of the monopoly cultural industry, against the monopolies of the media.

Unified and exclusively public mechanism for the production and distribution of cultural and artistic products, consisting of public bodies that will function on the basis of planning and social control. The artists’ decisive role and the state financing ensure that the Art will belong to the people instead of being a commodity in the hands of the ruling class.

Free access of the people to archaeological sites and to all museums which must be exclusively under public ownership. Free access of school students and students to theatres and cinemas.

Exclusively public infrastructure and services for physical education and sports for the people and the youth. Formulation of the corresponding legal framework that will establish the right to physical education and sports in all its forms.

A unified system for physical Education and Sports in the education system based on scientific researches concerning the development of the young people. Abolition of business activity in the field of physical education and sports. The state must provide all the means and support the activities of sports association and unions.

No tolerance of drugs. Creation of a front against the drugs by the mass organisations of the people’s movement. Struggle for free and public infrastructure for prevention-treatment-rehabilitation throughout the country.

9. WOMEN-FAMILY

Pregnancy, child-birth, breastfeeding and newborn-nursing leave, 2 months before and six months after birth, equally for all working women in public and private sectors.

Similar rights for self-employed and farmers by means of allowances covered by the state budget in order to compensate the loss of income due to the absence from work and the birth costs.

State network of infrastructure, social facilities with free service for family, children, the elderly, the disabled person.

Social tourism for the people, free holidays for the poor popular strata, for the youth and the unemployed.

10. DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS:

Abolition of all laws, mechanisms and methods that criminalise the workers’ and people’s struggles and support the employers’ intimidation. Unhindered political and trade union activity in workplaces.

Abolition of the EU anti-democratic legal framework and the terror- agreements with the US. Reveal and counterattack against the increasing EU anticommunism.

Abolition of the Greek and EU framework that deprives immigrants and refugees of their fundamental rights.

11. THE SOVEREIGNTY of the country is ensured by the support of the people, the youth, the soldiers, the officers and the petty officers who do not tolerate the handing over of the country’s sovereignty to the US, the NATO the EU, and the imperialist plans of the plutocracy. Abolition of the institution of professional soldiers.

Disengagement from the EU and the other imperialist organisations and unions. Against the participation in the Common European Security and Defence Policy, the Euro-army, the Rapid Response Forces. Return of all the Greek troops used in the imperialist armies. Abolition of the foreign military bases in our country, abolition of all concessions to NATO-EU-US.