Is the Greek Steelworkers' strike "over"? And for whom?

It might be best to being with a terminological issue, which pertains to the reactions towrds the decision to suspend the strike during the 20th General Convention of the Steelworkers' Union. The word is "suspension", not "termination" of the strike, as has already become the customary moniker, with an automatism that is disturbing. It is "suspension" because the workers' demands have not been met, and hence no "termination" can properly be declared. It is important that class-conscious comrades writing on the issue note the difference between these two words.

It is equally important, and immediately connected to this issue, that comrades continue to show interest in the Greek Steelworks and to inform others about the situation there. Because of course, working-class struggles are not soccer games where two teams meet, arrive at a result, and then hit the showers before they go home. The workers who returned to the factory, in the midst of the police clubs of the Riot Police and the microphones of zombie journalists in the employers' service, have also returned to an environment where harsh and health-treatening labor (see reports on radioactive residue in the Volos plant) is being accompanied by the concerted efforts of employment to move the situation to the next step: the isolation of the workers' leaders from the main body and the dissolution of the Steelworks Union. As long as a class-conscious, combative, non-employer bound Union exists, there also exists a permanent threat for Manesis, who knows far better than most that the fire of the Steelworks is not out yet. And it is perfectly natural for him to do all he can to put that fire out.

Neither for Manesis himself, then, nor for the steelworkers, is the class struggle out because the strike has been suspended. And it would be ethically and politically inadmissible for us to behave towards this struggle like the journalists of the mass media, who pick an issue to get hysterical with one day and forget all about it the next. Hence, we will continue to cover the issue of the Greek Steelworks, always from the standpoint of the labor movement, for as long as the factory continues to produce something more than steel: political education and militant unity for the working class.

As for the permanent victims of spectacle, those who have obviously not understood that the strike was not a soccer match that finishes after 90 minutes or 273 days (and have not grasped the fact that labor struggles are not related to the temporality of media perceptions that have come to inform the pseudo-revolutionary pose "I want a solution and I want it now"), they can continue preoccupying themselves with what the idle do: undertake "analyses" of strategy and tactics on the coffee-shop table, along with drinks and snacks. We will have nothing to do with such an understanding of the ethical and political tasks of supporting the struggles of the working class.

Originally published: Lenin Reloaded, 1 August 2012

Translated by: Lenin Reloaded

Die Spendenkampagne von T&P ist beendet

Veröffentlicht am 1. August 2012 0

Auch nach dem Ende des Streiks erfordert es die politische Situation, dass wir nicht nachlassen, Aktionen der Solidarität zu organisieren, wie wir es in unserer Grußadresse formulierten, als der Genosse Udo Paulus 2.500 Euro den Streikenden direkt vor dem Werkstor in Aspropyrgos überreichte. Insgesamt wurden 7.825 Euro gespendet, eine beachtliche Summe, die zeigt, was selbst mit unseren schwachen Kräften möglich ist. Es waren große Beträge von 500 bis 1000 Euro dabei und viele kleine Einzelspenden, die auf der Straße, am 1. Mai, in der Gewerkschaft und in Einzelgesprächen gesammelt wurden.

Aus der Grußadresse von T&P an die griechischen Stahlarbeiter:

„Seid versichert, wir werden weiter solidarisch an eurer Seite stehen.

Aber wir begreifen die Sammlung von Spenden für Eure Streikkasse vor allem auch als Aufgabe des Klassenkampfs im eigenen Land. Wir nutzen sie, um über die Krise und ihre Ursachen, zu denen das verheerende Lohndumping der deutschen Exportindustrie gehört, zu informieren. Unserer Verantwortung gegenüber der griechischen Arbeiterklasse sind wir uns bewusst und wir versuchen, der Hetze der deutschen Regierung und der bürgerlichen Presse entgegenzutreten und die deutsche Arbeiterklasse zum Widerstand gegen die Abwälzung der Krisenlasten auf ihre Schultern zu gewinnen. Das wäre ein erster Schritt zu einem wahrhaften Internationalismus. Die Unterstützung einer kämpfenden Klasse durch Propaganda, durch moralische und materielle Hilfe muss zur Entwicklung des revolutionären Kampfes im eigenen Lande dienen.

Überall, wo sich die Arbeitenden gegen ihre Ausbeuter und Unterdrücker zur Wehr setzen, ist Chalyvourgia !“

Theorie & Praxis

Griechische Stahlarbeiter beenden ihren Streik (Theorie & Praxis)

Veröffentlicht am 1. August 2012

Nach 272 Tagen beendeten die griechischen Stahlarbeiter der »Elliniki Chalyvouirgia« in Aspropyrgos auf Beschluss der Vollversammlung der Gewerkschaft des Betriebs am 28.7. ihren Streik.

Doch der Kampf wird trotzdem weiter geführt, die Kolleginnen und Kollegen werden nicht nachlassen. Sie werden sich im Betrieb weiter gegen die Entlassungen und gegen die Arbeitsbedingungen wehren. Die Gewerkschaft wird den Kampf weiter organisieren.

Als sie sich vor 9 Monaten einstimmig für den Streik entschieden, um die Erpressung des Unternehmers für eine 40%ige Lohnkürzung zurückzuweisen, wusste keiner von ihnen, wie lange sie durchhalten würden und welche Entschlossenheit und Kraft sie brauchen würden, um dem Angriff des Unternehmers standzuhalten. Dass sie sich nun entschieden, ihn zu beenden, lag daran, dass sie es nicht mehr allein mit dem Kapitalisten Manesis zu tun hatten, sondern dass nun auch die Regierung, der Premierministers persönlich, eingriff. Nur mit brutaler Repression gelang es, die Streikenden zur Aufgabe zu zwingen. Aber selbst die Stürmung des Werks durch die Polizei konnte sie nicht entmutigen, sie gehen erhobenen Hauptes zurück in den Betrieb.

Sie können zu Recht stolz auf sich und ihren Kampf sein, der international Beachtung fand und eine ungeahnte weltweite Solidarität erfuhr.

Denn der Streik war ein herausragendes Zeichen des Widerstands nicht nur gegen die griechische Bourgeoisie, sondern auch gegen die Verantwortlichen in Berlin und Brüssel. Er zeigte, zu welchen Taten die Arbeiterklasse fähig ist, und sein Beispiel wird in den nun folgenden Monaten wichtig für die weitere Entwicklung des Klassenkampfs sein. Deutlich wird „die Notwendigkeit der raschen Entwicklung einer starken Arbeiterbewegung, die bereit ist, die vielfältigen Angriffe des Kapitals und der EU, sowie der Repressionsapparate abzuwehren.“

So schließt die Erklärung der PAME, die wir hier dokumentieren.

Theorie & Praxis

Whip the workers to save the bosses-The Radical, 25 July 2012

ND-PASOK-DIMAR Government:

Whip the workers to save the bosses

The attack in “Halyvourgia” almost monopolised the PM's speech in the parliament group of New Democracy, showing their fear and hate towards class-oriented struggles.

The three party government of ND–PASOK-DIMAR, based on the words of the prime minister, appears to be determined to use the “whip” of state violence and repression to crush the people's and workers' struggles and guarantee the profitability of business groups, escalating the war.

With the unprecedented, dirty and slanderous attack launched against the heroic strikers of “Halyvourgia”, he confirmed beyond any doubt that the real target is the whole working class. At the same time he made it clear that the demolition of labour and insurance rights and the crushing of workers' struggles by any means necessary, is already decided by the government and is a precondition for economic recovery, the renewal of the profitability of the monopolies and the “attraction of investments”.

Basically, with yesterday's speech, A. Samaras placed the right to strike in front of the firing squad. He announced in advance the revocation of those labour and insurance rights that were left standing and openly declared war against the workers who stand up and organise against the antipopular politics and who struggle to overthrow it.

At the same time he reaffirmed the commitment of the three-party government towards its lenders and partners, not only to implement all the brutal and antipopular measures they have jointly decided upon, but to take even more measures! He himself didn't hide that “the new approach of the government is aggressive”, being quick to clarify that what this means is “wherever we can, we will surpass the goals to which we have committed”(!).

Commitments inside and outside of the country

More specifically, Samaras, in his first speech after the policy statements during yesterday's session of the parliament group of ND:

1. Confirmed beyond any doubt that the attack of the riot police against the strikers of Halyvourgia is the “general rehearsal” for the crushing of the people's and workers' struggles by any means necessary. He said provocatively “We showed in the yard of “Halyvourgia” that we mean what we say”, while at the same time he waged a dirty and slanderous war against the strikers, in order to justify the gangster-like attack of the riot police. He shamelessly claimed that “A group of trade unionists had taken over a factory for seven months, keeping from work those who wanted to work and driving hundreds of workers to unemployment. The factory was about to close. We stopped this”.

The attack of the riot police against the strikers of “Halyvourgia” was presented by the prime minister as an important signal of the government during the first month of office, indicating willingness to “regain the country's credibility abroad, something necessary to attract investments, create job positions, regain our competitiveness”

He announced in advance the demolition of the labour rights and the de facto cancellation of the right to strike, in the name of “the right to work”, as they now call strike-breaking and the deployment of employers' mechanisms! With brazen cynicism he claimed: “We have the utmost respect towards the workers' rights. Especially the most sacred one: The right to work! Which was being violated and directly threatened. We restored it. It's that simple”.

At the same time, he clearly suggested that he will be sending the riot police to every factory where the workers strike to defend their rights. He pointedly said “We're sending a clear message everywhere: While we are in this unemployment, trade union practices such as this are used that threaten to close more factories, we will not sit idle looking at desperate workers losing their jobs”.

He also repeated the reactionary position that he expressed before the elections, i.e that he finds it unthinkable for labour and other rights to exist when there is unemployment! He brazenly argued that “labour rights are sacred. But for labour rights to exist there has to be work! If someone is unemployed, his labour rights are revoked in the most brutal way”, brutally distorting reality and attempting to obfuscate that it is capitalism and monopolies that generate unemployment.

In the same spirit and completely shamelessly, he didn't hesitate to present himself as the protector of the unemployed (!) stating shamelessly that “those that supposedly defend the workers' rights by sending them earlier to unemployment are pitiless! They are enemies of the workers and of labour rights” (!) In order to make his fairy tale role as the workers' protector more convincing, he pompously claimed that the government during the four years of office will lower unemployment from 24%, where it stands today, to 10% by destroying once and for all labour relations and splitting a (part-time) job so it can be share by two or even three unemployed persons.

He made it clear that the currently promoted exit plan out of the crisis in favour of the plutocracy will include more brutal and reactionary measures, driving the people to unregulated bankruptcy and poverty. Answering the question of “how we will achieve our goals – what is our plan” made by himself, he noted : “First we will show that the country respects its goals, which are our goals. Then we will show that we can implement everything that has to be done. Then we will show that in order to achieve our goals some things have to change, especially those that aggravate and deepen the recession”.

In this context, he announced in advance sweeping privatisations and the “fast track” selling off of public property. He noted that “We can do more and faster as regards structural changes, privatisations and the utilization of assets. We have already sent this message. And now we have a very limited time to prove that we mean what we say”.

That is exactly why yesterday he rushed to announce the list with the first abolitions and mergers of public institutions. He also mentioned that the government will soon introduce a law which will “drastically limit bureaucracy and everything that drives away investments” in order for “the investors to be able to come to Greece”.

The president of the Commission who is visiting Athens tomorrow, is expected to offer his support in order to “bring the program back in track” towards the government .Tomorrow at noon, the new meeting of the three political leaders who support the government will also take place, in order to decide the measures' package of a total of 3+11.5 billion over the next three years and also the list of the businesses that will be privatized.

The Radical

Translated by: Yannis Tembelis

Translation edited by: Lenin Reloaded

Worker's Victory in "Phone Marketing"!

Worker's Victory in "Phone Marketing"!
16 July, 2012

The first worker's victory against the measure of work-hour reduction is a fact.

The workers in "Phone Marketing", which is situated in our area (Ergasias 2, Eleutheroupoli) after 114 days of strike, managed to cancel the measure according to which they were to work for 8 hours a week (for 140 euros a month gross*).

This is the first workplace where this takes place after the law was voted; they also managed to have no one fired!

Additionally, they signed to go back to work according to the old EGSSE** (the vast majority of workers in the company were paid according to this) and not according to the new one, which includes shocking reductions of salaries, especially for all young workers under the age of 25.

The heroic fight of these workers must be an example for us all. The workers win justice and their lives through struggle; not through submission, commission and fatalism.

The workers in Phone Marketing paved the way. They organized themselves in their departmental union (SETHP), they came in contact with All Workers Militant Front (PAME) and with the People's Committee of their area and above all they fought collectively, in an organized manner, unremittingly.

We salute once more the Heroic Struggle of the Strikers in Phone Marketing. Your victory is a victory for the Working Class.

The right of the Worker is the Law

No one is alone in the Crisis

One for all and all for one

The announcement made by the strikers: laikiepitropineasionias.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/phonemarketing.pdf

Originally published at: http://laikiepitropineasionias.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/%CE%BD%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B7-%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD-%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B3%CE%B1%CE%B6%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%AD%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BD-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7-phone-marketing/

* including insurance, before taxes etc

** National General Collective Labor Agreement

Translated by: Ijon Tichy

Translation edited by: Lenin Reloaded

Workers in the Recycling Factory in the Herakleion Industrial Zone Victorious

Workers in the Recycling Factory in the Herakleion Industrial Zone

They returned to work as winners!

After an 118-day strike they returned to work, having defied the 22% cuts employment attempted to impose

26 July 2012

After an 118-day strike, workers in the Recycling Factory in the Herakleion Industrial Zone have returned to work as winners. The company, under the pressure and struggle of the workers, but also the impact of class solidarity, was forced to negotiate and to accept the basic demand of the workers. In other words, to restore day wages to pre-January 2012 levels, before the imposition of a 22% pay cut.

Let us remind readers that the workers began their struggle on the 29th of March, because they did not accept working amidst the trash for 450 euros a month, the result of a 22% salary cut that the employers (EPANA LTD) had imposed, taking advantage of the decision of the ND-PASOK government to allow the unilateral imposition of wage cuts.

The determination, the intransigent struggle of workers and the class solidarity displayed under the leadership of the Union of Private Sector Employees and the All Workers Militant Front during this entire period contributed to the success of the strike. Since yesterday, the workers crossed the gates of the factory once more, having won an important victory.

Message of the strikers to all workers

On the wake of these events, the Union Committee of Workers in Recycling in Herakleion issued a statement, a message to all workers. This reads as follows:

We, the strikers of EPANA Ltd Recycling are the winners of 118 days of harsh class struggle! 

It was a struggle against the 22% wage cuts imposed by EPANA Ltd, a struggle that crossed the gates of our factory and that expresses the entire working class of our country, since the attack this class suffers as a result of the barbaric measures of the government is the same attack we had to cope with here.  

During these 118 days of our strike, we had to fight both Gods and demon; yet we stood our ground and coped with all the difficulties we had to face.  

We fought against the spirit of defeatism and subjection, promulgated by employment and its lackeys from the very beginning of the strike. We fought against the effort to criminalize our struggle through lawsuits, in an attempt to declare our strike illegal and illegitimate. 

We dealt with the difficulties of our long-term strike bearing our heads high, in pride. We guarded our strike, on a 24-hour basis, and under any weather conditions. We dealt with the economic hardship that results out of four months of striking. We coped with the provocations of the employer's lackeys  and with its threats that it will shut down the factory if it can't have its way. 

We also had to deal with the intentional indifference of the Municipality of Heracleion, Crete, that smiled artfully in order to save (popular) face, but in reality exerted no pressure to resolve the issue. 

We coped with the hostile attitude of the majority of the administration of the Heracleion Labor Center, particularly that of its president and secretary, who on several occasions fought against us, going so far as to defend the strike-breaking apparatus of the company. 

We were not alone

We were not alone. We had on our side, as we will continue to have, our Union, the Union of Private Employees of Heracleion. And we had the All Workers Militant Front on our side. Tens of Unions and organizations from all of Greece, individual workers as well, showed their practical solidarity with our struggle, either by being with us physically or by issuing statements of support, or by supporting our struggle financially. 

But what we want to underline is the disinterested solidarity we received from tens of Unions, popular committees, individual workers. Without this solidarity (money, food, etc), we couldn't have made it this far!

It is precisely this element of class solidarity that needs to have its place in every militant sector of the workers, in the people at large! We do not need anyone's philanthropy! 

We asked for and we accepted solidarity so we could continue a just struggle that expressed the interests of the entire working class.

Other employees of our municipality were not ready to follow on our path. This doesn't exclude the possibility that they will do so in the immediate future, as the ND_PASOK-DIMAR anti-popular attack is intensified. 

We believe that our struggle has left an important legacy to the entire working class. After all, our island has not featured many similarly long-term struggles. We think therefore that it will constitute, along with the workers' struggle at ARIADNI Ltd. that preceded ours, a sound foundation for the struggles to come, particularly the struggles of youth, the next shift of the working class. After 118 days of striking, the company, under the pressure we exerted with the aid of all of society, was forced to negotiate and to accept our basic demand: to restore wages to the level at which they were in January 2012, before the imposition of a 22% pay cut.

Not a single cog can turn without us

Today, we cross the factory gates having managed to secure our basic demand, to keep our wages at the same level without any cuts. We resume work with our heads up high because we put to practice our slogan: "Not a single cog can turn without us." 

We call on all workers to follow our example, just as we followed the example of the heroic Steelworkers, to organize in their Unions, to create committees in every workplace, to trust the All Workers Militant Front and class-conscious Unions, to trust the Union of Private Employees of Heracleion. 

This is the only way in which we can repel the barbaric policies of the government, secure what we have won, but also embark on new victories capable of meeting our contemporary needs. 

Co-workers, this is a path that will require many sacrifices; but let us not fear, for the sacrifices we will be forced to make if we surrender, if we bend our heads, will be without end. LONG LIVE OUR HEROIC STRUGGLE! LONG LIVE WORKER SOLIDARITY! 

Union Committee of the Workers in Recycling, Heracleion. 


The Radical, 26 July 2012
Translated by: Lenin Reloaded

The Radical-Strikers are firmly standing their ground despite unprecedented government plotting

“Elliniki Halyvourgia”: Strikers are firmly standing their ground despite unprecedented government plotting

The Radical, 25 July 2012

With the order of the government, which openly plays the game of Manesis, traffic in the National Road Athens-Corinth was interrupted three times, as trucks from the factory were allowed to enter the opposite traffic flow. The new general assembly of the steelworkers will take place today.

In the now police-occupied (inside and outside of the factory) “Steelworks of Greece”,  and after the brutal double attack of the riot police against the steelworkers, the government of PASOK-ND-DIMAR takes care to satisfy every desire of the businessman N.Manesis in order to increase his profits, while also trying to crush the strikers' struggle.

This government went so far as to stop, via the relevant ministries, the traffic on regular intervals in the National Road Athens-Corinth at the height of the junction of ELPE, in order for the industrialist's trucks to enter the factory unhindered and load the goods which are stored in the factory's facilities. Thousands of drivers were stuck on the road until the process was completed.

They forced the truck drivers to move in the opposite traffic stream

The peak of the services offered to the industrialist at the expense not only of the steelworkers, but also of thousands of drivers, was the moment when the loaded trucks were ready to leave. Then they interrupted the traffic again to do something unheard of! The trucks were allowed to exit the factory's gate and to move in the opposite traffic stream at a distance of 1km so as to avoid passing in front of the steelworkers who were gathered right next to the factory. The queue of the cars almost reached the Psychiatric Hospital in Dafni.

This police operation invoked the reaction of the striking steelworkers who reported this case of unprecedented arbitrariness. Giannis Gkiokas, pm of KKE (Communist Party of Greece), who was at the side of the steelworkers, asked for an explanation from the head of the police forces, who naturally didn't dare answer anything.

Moreover, to be sure that this operation will have the greatest …success possible, they recruited, from early on in the morning, 8 prison vans of the Riot Police with at least 20 Riot Police squads and a double digit number of police and security with a corresponding … staff, which was placed at the factory gates and which was obviously ready to proceed to massive arrests in case Manesis' interests appeared to be in jeopardy.

Traffic in the National Road Athens-Corinth was interrupted at 9.30 in the morning for several minutes until 11 trucks passed. At 11.10 a.m., traffic was interrupted again, this time in order for 4 loaded trucks to leave, and at 2.25 p.m. it was interrupted again in order for the 7 last trucks to leave.

New General Assembly today

On their part, the Greek Steelworkers plan a new General Assembly today, Wednesday at 11.00 a.m., in light of the new data that has emerged after the repeated attacks of the Riot Police and given the fact that  Labour Minister Giannis Vroutsis is effectively poking fun at them. Until late last night, he hadn't even bothered to inform the Union Leadership of the meeting in which he had invited them (he announced it in writing on Monday, the day before yesterday) on Friday, July 27th at 3 p.m. He is, in other words, avoiding meeting them in person as is repeatedly requested by the Managing Board of the Union of “Elliniki Halyvourgia” (Greek Steelworks), hoping that in this way he will manage to break the strike.

Translated by: Yannis Tembelis

Translation edited by: Lenin Reloaded

Anti-labor ranting and the distortion of reality (The Radical)

Anti-labor ranting...

Appearing on NET* channel yesterday morning, the deputy minister of Education and Culture, K. Tzavaras, went on an anti-labor rant about what is going on in Halyvourgia**. Without a sign of basic respect for workers who have been defending their rights and the dignity of the entire working class for the last nine months, the minister stated the following:

“It is a matter of protecting the free will of the worker (…) For the same reasons that the right to strike has to be protected – and the right to strike is a right that is deployed under certain legal conditions – in the same sense the state has to protect the right of someone who wants to work (…) The use of the Riot Police is an issue decided upon by the one who has the monopoly of state violence (…) We have to understand the state as a guardian of rights; when there is social resistance , the law has to be applied. And sometimes the means of enforcing the law include the Riot Police (…) Order in the operation of a productive unit (i.e. in Halyvourgia) where a number of people had to work was threatened (…) No one has the right to occupy a business because the benefit of the worker coincides with a certain boundary, which is keeping the business in operation. When a business is closed work automatically stops (…) Seeking to destroy a business and the businessman is destructive behaviour. This is not syndicalism, this is barbarity; against this barbarity every democratic state has to take action (…)”!

* New Greek TV – A state-owned TV station
** “Elliniki Halyvourgia”, translated as “Greek Steelworks”
The Radical, 25 July 2012

… And the distortion of reality

Slander, along with the conscious distortion of reality, are fundamental attributes of the political personnel of the bosses. That's why there is no reason to tell the minister that the right to strike has been secured with the blood of the workers. The right to work is questioned every day by the government, which supports any available Manesis* in firing workers by the hundreds, violently extracting millions from those placed outside production as a result of the permanent attempt of the capital to dump the burdens of its crisis on those that it exploits. Nor is there reason to remind the minister that the state is not “neutral” but serves the class which is in power, in this case the bourgeoisie. Doesn't the minister know that one of the workers' demands was the right to work of those Manesis fired? Because, if anything, it is shamelessness for the minister to say what he says for the right to work accusing the steelworkers that they deny it; to who, indeed? To themselves?

There is no reason to answer because the minister knows all of that. And we are not noting these facts because we were surprised by his fury against the workers. We didn't expect anything else. We note them to tell the employees in the Ministry of Culture that the government doesn't see only the Steelworkers this way, but every human being engaged in struggle. So they can know that the only answer to the crushing down of their life is class solidarity and unity--an organised popular counter-attack.

*Manesis is the owner of “Elliniki Halyvourgia” (Greek Steelworks)

The Radical, 25 July 2012

Translated by: Yannis Tembelis
Translation edited by: Lenin Reloaded

Yannis R.-Concerning the Greek Steelworks

Originally published in Greek: Lenin Reloaded, 21 July 2012

Yannis R.-Concerning the Greek Steelworks

Translated by Effie A.

The 24-hour repeated strikes at the factory of Greek Steelworks (Halyvourgia) began on 1 November 2011, when the employer asked the workers to accept either the layoffs of 180 workers or a five-hour workday and a 40% pay cut (the workers could not easily complement their income by working elsewhere for 3 hours per day). Meanwhile, production was on the rise:

-2009: 194,600 tonnes

- 2010: 231,000 tonnes, with the foundry closed down for two months because a worker had died in a work accident

- 2011 (until October): 266,000 tonnes

The company owns a second factory in Volos where the measures for reduced working hours and wages were accepted, but were not implemented as the entire production was transferred to the Volos plant after the strike in Aspropyrgos.

On 3 February 2012, the company obtained a license to construct a big private port next to the steel plant in Aspropyrgos, indicating there were plans to increase production [Source]

The strike and the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME)

It was never denied that the union leader, Giorgos Sifonios, is a member of PAME. However, his co-worker and striker Haris Manolis, also an active member of the Union, is a supporter of ANTARSYA. The strike has been given support by different ideological and political currents. Besides, information coming from the workers indicates that until recently when the strike started, PAME was poorly represented at the Union. In any event, the strike has been decided by the Union, which has the support of PAME but is not controlled by PAME.

The Union’s decisions

The Union’s decisions to initiate and continue the strike have been made by the Union’s General Assembly that can be attended by all the workers of Greek Steelworks. Actually, after the strike was declared ‘illegal’ by the court, a new vote was carried out with 204 workers voting for and 42 against the strike. This means that after 9 exhausting months, the vast majority of the workers voted to continue the strike [Source].

Material and financial support for the strike

Obviously, the strikers of Halyvourgia and their families have been given material and financial support during the strike. They would not be able to survive otherwise, as the majority has no other source of income beyond their wages which were not particularly high in the past to allow for significant savings.

Many people have shown solidarity with the strikers by supporting them financially (by depositing funds to the Union’s bank account) or by offering food supplies, etc. In addition to PAME, many other unions, associations and people’s assemblies have collected money and foodstuffs or organized concerts or other events to support the strikers. Anyone can support the strike without involving PAME or any other trade union.

The legal status of the strike

On 5 June 2012, seven months after it started, the strike was declared illegal by the Magistrate of the Court of First Instance in Athens, because the decision to begin the strike on 31 October 2012 was not made by a secret ballot and the company had not received a 24-hour notice. This reasoning concerning the voting procedure quickly proved to be irrelevant, as the continuation of the strike was confirmed by a new vote carried out by secret ballot (the Union’s by-laws make provisions for a show of hands or a secret ballot), with 204 voting for and 42 against the strike. After the Riot Police broke into the factory on 19 July 2012, the Union held another meeting on 21.7.2012 and decided to continue the strike by 164 votes to 5. [Source]

Negotiations and the ‘intransigence’ of the strikers

The workers’ initial demand was that the company should re-employ all those who had been laid off previously and secure their standard working hours and wages. Under a decision made on 6.6.2012, the Union submitted certain propositions for settling the conflict (immediate re-employment of 40 out of 120 redundant workers and a written commitment to employ the remaining workers in due time without hiring new employees) and reopening the plant [Source]. In the mean time, some workers have already found another job or have retired and therefore the number of employees has decreased. The Union asked the Minister of Labour, Mr. G. Vroutsis, to intervene in an effort to conclude a deal. As a response, the company threatened to close down the plant, the riot police broke into the factory and several strikers were arrested. Immediately after the attack by the riot police, the company withdrew their threats proving them to be just that -threats.

Other information

Information about the workers’ wages can be found in an interview (link) given by the Union leader Giorgos Sifonios. For example, his wage after 33 years of work under 4-day rolling shifts and night shifts amounts to 1,450E. New employees make 42E per hour, i.e. about 1,000E per month. A newly employed worker working at the departments operating five days per week (basically all those who are not directly employed in the production line) earn no more than 900E per month.

The strike at Halyvourgia has had minimum, if any, coverage in the Mass Media. The first report by a mainstream TV channel was that of NET on the 21st day of the strike. Usually the Mass Media remember the strike only to broadcast the company’s threats to close down the factory or to excoriate the Communist Party (KKE) for collaborating with the far-right Golden Dawn party (see below).

The Golden Dawn and the strike

The Golden Dawn’s first known involvement with the strike took place on 19.12.2011 (approximately 50 days after the strike began) when their local organization in Volos issued a statement (link) against the strike, indisputably taking the side of the employer. Then a number of Golden Dawn members led by Ilias Kassidiaris visited the plant of Aspropyrgos on 17.2.2012 (after three and a half months of strike) and released a video in which I. Kassidiaris claimed that they had always supported the strikers but couldn’t visit them due to their work engagements.

Mrs. Eleni Katavati who has made several appearances on TV and radio stations (mainly SKAI TV) as the leader of the Struggle Committee at Halyvourgia, is actually one of the minority workers who oppose the strike. She has often claimed to represent the majority of the workers wanting to return to their posts, but this has not been corroborated by the actual decisions made by the workers at their meetings.

Recently a cargo of residues from the steel-making process shipped from the plant of Halyvourgia at Velestino to Sardinia, Italy, was found with radioactive levels exceeding those detected in cargos originating from Fukushima, Japan after the nuclear accident (source). This was not covered by the Mass Media. One would expect the story to appear at least on the environment friendly SKAI News.

After the intervention of the riot police, some workers got into the factory. However, as pointed out in the address (link) to the General Assembly of the Union on 21.7.2012 (held immediately after the operation of the riot police), the workers employed in the production line are still on strike and therefore the plant cannot possibly operate.

Yannis R.-Concerning the Greek Steelworks

Translated by: Ijon Tichy

With the following we would like to clarify some important points related to the strike at Greek Steelworks. Unfortunately there is wide disinformation on the topic of the strike, which is caused mainly by the one sided coverage of this event from the media, and which finds a fertile ground on the blind disgust that a significant part of people feel towards PAME (All Workers Militant Front) and KKE (Communist Party of Greece).

1. Demands of the Union

The 24-hour repeated strikes in the factory of Greek Steelworks in Aspropyrgos started on 1/11/2011 when the employer asked from the employees to choose between 180 lay-offs and 5-hour 5-days work with 40% reduced earnings (which the employees wouldn't be able to counterbalance from somewhere else in their "free" 3 hours). In the meantime, the production was increased:

-2009: 194.600 tones

-2010: 231.000 tones with the foundry closed for two months because of lethal corking accident

-2011 (until October): 266.000 tones

The company has a second factory at Volos where the measures for reduced hours and earnings were accepted, but weren't applied because, due to the strike at Aspropyrgos, the factory at Volos has undertaken the whole production.

Meanwhile on February 3rd, 2012, the company received a permission for the construction of a large private port in front of the steel mill, showing signs for plans on increasing production.

2. Relations between the Union, the strike and PAME

It is indeed true that the president of the Union, Yiorgios Sifonios, is a member of PAME. Correspondingly, his colleague Haris Manolis who is participating in the strike and is an active member of the Union is sympathetic to ANTARSYA. Moreover the strike has been supported by many different, ideologically and politically, areas. Besides, information from the workers reveals that until recently, before the start of the strike, PAME didn't have a strong representation in the Union. In any case, the strike is decided by the Union, which is clearly supported by PAME, but it is not controlled by it.

3. Decisions of the Union

The decisions of the Union for the declaration and the continuation of the strike are taken by the General Assemblies of the Union in which all workers of the Steelworks have the right of participation. Actually, after the declaration of the strike as illegal, there was a new vote with the result of 204 votes in favor of the strike and 42 against. So after a struggle of 9 months, the vast majority of the workers voted in favor of the strike. After the intervention of the police forces in the strike on 19/7/2012, the Union with a new assembly on 21/7/2012 decided with 164 votes in favor and 5 votes against to continue the strike.

4. Material and economic support of the strike

The steelworkers who are on strike and their families are obviously supported materially and economically during the strike. Most of them wouldn't be able to survive otherwise since it makes sense that generally they don't have other incomes apart from their salaries, moreover they weren't paid particularly well in the period before the strike so they don't have much in savings.

The support of the steelworkers who are on strike comes the solidarity of the people, which arrives to them through the economic support of the bank account of the Union, by providing food etc. Moreover other unions and peoples' assemblies act in solidarity by collecting money and food for the support of the strikers, as PAME does. In addition events are organized like parties and concerts for this cause. In any case, anyone can support the strike without getting involved with PAME or any other union.

5. Legal status of the strike

On 5/6/2012 the strike that started on 31/10/2011 was declared illegal by the Single Member Court Of The First Instance of Athens with the rationale that the decision for the start of the strike on 31/10/2011 was taken without a secret vote and without notifying the company 24 hours earlier. This formal argument was annulled immediately by a new vote of the Union, which this time took place with a ballot box (the charter of the Union allows voting with the rise of the hand or with a ballot box) and confirmed the continuation of the strike with 204 votes in favor and 42 against. After the intervention of the police forces in the strike on 19/7/2012, the Union with a new assembly on 21/7/2012 decided with 164 votes in favor and 5 votes against to continue the strike.

6. Negotiations and "intransigence" of the strikers

The initial demand of the workers was to rehire their colleagues -- the ones that were fired -- and not to apply the reductions of hours and salaries. WIth a decision on 6/6/2012 the Union submitted written proposals for the settlement of the differences (immediate rehiring of 40 fired workers -- out of 120 -- and a written statement that the rest will be rehired in a reasonable time period without hiring new workers) and the setting back in motion of the factory. The Union asked from the under-secretary of Labor Y. Vroutsis to intervene in order to close the deal. The answer was the threat of the company to close the factory, the invasion and the occupation of the factory by police forces and the arrest of some strikers. After the intervention of the police forces the company took back the threat of closing the factory, proving that this claim was just a threat.

7. Additional facts

Concerning the earnings of the workers at Greek Steelworks, informations are given in an interview of the president of the Union, Yiorgos Sifonios. For example, Sifonions himself with 33 years of experience, rolling shifts of four days, three weekends and night shifts receives 1450 euros. The newly hired workers receive 42 euros per day, which translates to a salary of 1000 euros. In departments that operate between Monday and Friday (probably those who don't work directly in the steel production) a married newly hired worker receives a salary of less than 900 euros.

The strike at Greek Steelworks has a very limited, almost nonexistent coverage from the media. The first report in the mainstream media was made by NET on the 21st day of the strike. Usually the media remember to report to the public the threats of the company about closing the factory and to denounce the "collaboration" between KKE - Golden Dawn (see below).

8. Relation of the Golden Dawn to the strike

The first known contact between the Golden Dawn and the strike was made on 19/12/2011 (approximately 50 days after the start of the strike) with an announcement of the branch of the Golden Dawn at Volos in which they side clearly with the employer and against the strike. After this, a group of members of the Golden Dawn led by Ilias Kassidiaris visited the factory at Aspropyrgos on 17/2/2012 (3 and a half months after the beginning of the strike) and released a video where Kassidiaris claims that they were on the side of the strikers since the first moment but they couldn't visit them because they were busy.

Miss Eleni Katavati who shows up on TV and radio stations (mostly SKAI) as the president of the Action Committee in Greek Steelworks belongs to the minority of the Union against the strike. She claims that she represents the majority of the workers who want to go back to work, but this hasn't been verified in the General Assemblies.

Recently on a cargo with waste from steel processing, that left from the factory of the Greek Steelworks in Velestino with Sardenia as its final destination, the levels of radioactivity that were detected were higher than the ones that were detected on cargos that from left Fukushima after the nuclear accident! This issue wasn't reported by the media. Someone would expect that especially the ecologically sensitive SKAI would spend some time on it.

After the intervention of the police forces, some workers entered in the factory being escorted by the police. As it is mentioned in the motion of the General Assembly of the Union on 21/7/2012 (immediately after the intervention of the police forces) the workers who work on the production are still on strike so the factory is practically not operating.

Having read the above it is up to everyone to check the given information and cross check them with other sources. It is also up to her/him to consider who are the ones who distort or cover facts about the strike and why they do that.

AWMF Truck Drivers' Struggle Committee-Don't accept the transport of goods from "Greek Steelworks"!

All Workers Militant Front Truck Drivers' Struggle Committee
Don't accept the transport of goods from "Greek Steelworks"!

The Truck Drivers' Struggle Committee of the AWMF issued a call to all drivers to express their solidarity for striking steelworkers by refusing to transport goods from "Greek Steelworks", expressing its own unconditional support to the striking steelworkers.

In its statement, the Committee notes: "For nine months, the striking steelworkers have been giving a courageous answer to the drastic attacks of the capitalist mogul Manesis--owner of Greek Steelworks--and of the political lackeys of the ND-PASOK-DIMAR government, by waging the harsh but heroic struggle of a strike. They have not relented through the blackmail and provocations deployed by the employer; nor have they relented through the threats and terrorism of the Riot Police deployed by the government, itself acting under employer's orders.

Having as their leader their class-conscious Union, and using as their weapon the solidarity of all workers, they are standing their ground and showing us the path of struggle.

We, truck drivers, are expressing our unconditional support to the struggling steelworker strikers. We will stand with them, next to them, at the factory gates. It is our duty but also an honor to struggle on their side. The threats and intransigence of the employer and of the political or non political lackeys who serve him will not stand."

The Radical, 25 July 2012

Translated by Lenin Reloaded

265 Tage Streik: Solidarität mit den Stahlarbeitern von »Elliniki Chalyvouirgia«!

265 Tage Streik: Solidarität mit den Stahlarbeitern von »Elliniki Chalyvouirgia«!

Griechenland

Samstag, den 21. Juli 2012

PAMESeit dem 31. Oktober 2011 streiken die Arbeiter des Stahlwerks »Elliniki Chalyvouirgia«, des größten Stahlunternehmens in Griechenland. Arbeit unter unmenschlichen Bedingungen mit Temperaturen über 110° C, Verbrennungen, Ohnmacht, tödliche Arbeitsunfälle wegen des schlechten Arbeitsschutzes und der schlecht gewarteten Ausrüstung sind der Preis für den Profit des Unternehmens, das mehr als 30 Prozent des heimischen Stahlmarktes kontrolliert und durch steigende subventionierte Exporte seine Position ausbaut.

Doch das Unternehmen versucht unter dem Vorwand der Wirtschaftskrise noch schlimmere Arbeitsbedingungen auf die Arbeiter zu verhängen: Kurzarbeit und Lohnkürzungen. 180 Kündigungen sind ausgesprochen worden. Darauf antworteten die Werksarbeiter in Aspropyrgos bei Athen mit dem Ausstand.

Seit dem ersten Streiktag unterstützt eine massive Solidaritätsbewegung den Kampf der Streikenden, die von der klassenbewussten Gewerkschaftsfront PAME initiiert wurde. Gewerkschaftsorganisationen, Studenten- und Schülervereine, Bewegungen der kleinen Landwirte und Selbstständigen u.v.a. drücken ihre materielle und moralische Solidarität aus. Auch international kommt es zu tatkräftigen Solidaritätsaktionen, wie z.B. Veranstaltungen, Kundgebungen, Spendensammlungen.

Der Streik der Stahlarbeiter macht den Industriellen, den Monopolverbänden und ihrem politischen Personal Angst. Angst vor dem organisierten Kampf, der Klassenauseinandersetzung und der -solidarität, Angst vor der Organisierung in den Betrieben und an den Arbeitsplätzen. Deswegen bekämpfen sie diesen Arbeitskampf mit allen Mitteln: Erpressungen, Provokationen, bis hin zu dem Erwirken eines Gerichtsurteils, durch das der Streik als illegal bezeichnet wurde und den Weg zu dem Angriff der Polizeisonderkräfte mit Tränengas und Schlagstöcken am Freitag (20.7.2012) eröffnete.

Die Koalitionsregierung von Liberalen, Sozialdemokraten und der Partei »Demokratische Linke« tragen die Hauptverantwortung für die Erstürmung des Stahlwerks durch die Polizei. Es bestätigt sich zum wiederholten Mal, dass die Kapitalisten und ihre Regierungen vereint mit dem Staatsapparat gegen die Arbeiter, gegen alle um ihr nacktes Überleben kämpfenden Volksschichten vorgehen. Der Schlag, der in den frühen Morgenstunden nach Gangsterart ausgeführt wurde, zielte nicht nur auf die kämpfenden Stahlarbeiter, die seit neun Monaten für ihre Grundrechte streiken. Es ist ein Angriff auf die gesamte Arbeiterklasse, um sie zu zwingen, die barbarische volksfeindliche Politik zu erdulden.

Die Kommunistische Partei Griechenlands ruft zur Stärkung der Solidarität mit dem Kampf der Stahlarbeiter auf. Der Terror gegen unser Volk darf nicht durchgehen!

Solidaritätsaktionen der KKE in Berlin:

So., 22.7., 13.00 Uhr, Mauerpark

Mo., 23.7., 18.00 Uhr, Alexanderplatz

Redglobe

Steelworkers' Strike: Lies upon lies

Lies upon lies

The Radical [Rizospastis], 

Organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece, 22 July 2012

Translated by: Lenin Reloaded

Propaganda attacking the steelworkers has reached a fever pitch: They say:

-- "The right to work is sacred." Those speaking of a "right to work" are the guardians of an anarchic, rotten system, which throws millions of people into unemployment. Under conditions of crisis, indeed, unemployment is catapulted in capitalism, due to the uncontrollable destruction of productive forces, with labor power being first in line.  Already, the unemployed in Greece are 1.500.000. Which government has defended their right to work? The government and its parties are defending Manesis, who has already fired 120 workers and who, according to his own statements, intended to shut down the factory and let hundreds of families starve. When it comes to the handful of strike-breakers, the right to work is sacred: this is what the government and its lackeys are saying; but for the hundreds of strikers struggling on behalf of their fired co-workers, it isn't sacred. Their lies and hypocrisy are beyond belief.

-- "We have to apply the law." But which law? The law that proclaims 9 out of 10 strikes illegal. The law that allows employers to impose part-time work on workers, and hence wages that look more like tips. The law that cancels benefits for heavy and health-threatening labor for entire categories of workers who are certain to die slaving, before they manage to go on pension. The law that never punishes the employer when the worker is killed in his inferno. The law that deprives the family of the worker from basic services in Health and Education. These are the laws that they want to see applied; that's why they behave like mad dogs, using D.A.s and court orders whenever workers and the people attempt to resist. The court order against the strike is an alibi and a fabrication. Their justice is class justice. For, according to the letter of the law, the lay-offs that took place during the strike were also illegal, and the workers protested this. But no one cared to apply this law. The decision of the Steelworkers to strike was fully legal, too. But this means nothing to those who took up the mission to break it, one way or another. Their system is unjust toward workers and the people from its very foundation. From the standpoint of the workers, justice is their own struggle to survive, to stop those policies that drive them to crushing poverty, to overturn bourgeois injustice, to subvert bourgeois power.

-- "Intransigence doesn't help, we must have dialogue." They know what they are talking about.  They want labor unionists and a workers' movement that assist them, not oppose them. They want "the collaboration of classes", so they can move freely with the barbaric measures they are imposing; not unions willing to fight for workers' rights. They want Unions with leaderships like the one of the Volos Steelworks, proud to wear the seal of approval of the employer, since it consented to chain the workers down and to accept labor conditions such that two workers have already come close to losing their lives in respective "work accidents." They want "social partners", like those they have in the Union of Private Sector Employees and elsewhere, who will behave like proper victims. They want a labor "movement" tailored to the needs of the employers and of government policy, a fifth column against labor struggles, slanderers and saboteurs of class-conscious unions.

-- "Labor struggles shut factories down." A bold-faced lie. Let them answer: How many labor mobilizations have taken place in the last few months in SIDENOR, which was recently closed? How many class-conscious labor unions did the 600 businesses that were shut down during the last year in Northern Greece have? How many strikes were organized in these businesses? How many, out of the 1.5 million unemployed,  used to work in businesses where a strong, class-conscious union was active in struggle? It is the crisis that shuts factories down while making other factories stronger.  Factories are closed even under conditions of capitalist development (e.g. that of Trikolan), when the capitalist either does not make the profit he expects to make, or is crushed by competition, or moves his capital to other, more profitable sectors of the economy. Those who say that it is labor struggles that close factories are those who in the 1990s, and in the name of the "reconstruction of the Balkans", funded even the purchase of fax machines for businesses that closed operations in Greece so as to move to Bulgaria, Skopje, Albania and Rumania, where wages were drastically lower than those of Greece, making their profit far higher. 

One last thing: The "good ol' boys" like Adonis Georgiadis, who appeared in SKY News to "unveil" the existence of a "front" between the Communist Party of Greece and the fascists of "Golden Dawn", reputedly jointly acting on behalf of the Steelworkers, are vicious liars. They try to slander the Communist Party and the just struggle of the Steelworkers and to give the advantage to the pitbulls they themselves are training against the people. Because, though the "Golden Dawn" is now wearing the sheep's clothing of "pro-labor" attitude, the workers of the Steelworks at Aspropyrgos know very well that in the vital moment when they sought support from their colleagues in Volos, Magnesia, the staff of "Golden Dawn", together with the Union majority there, and together with the local potentates of today's government and their union representatives, did all they could to stop the strike at Manesis' factories, acting as his apparatus.