Greek Steelworks – The six workers that had been arrested by riot police for guarding the strike were laid off

Greek Steelworks – The six workers that had been arrested by riot police for guarding the strike were laid off

- The owner of Greek Steelworks dismissed the workers in an effort to intimidate and avenge them

- He sacked one member of the union’s governing body (GB), two deputy members and three pioneering workers

- The managing director and strikebreakers lodged lawsuits against tens of workers

- The aim was to crush the union and impose a regime of intimidation

In an effort to intimidate and avenge the workers, the employer of Greek Steelworks decided to dismiss at least six workers yesterday -one member and two deputy members of the union’s governing body and three pioneering workers- at the same time refusing to pay them compensation, with the aim of crushing the governing body of the Union and impose a regime of fear at the plant.

The six workers had been arrested early in the morning of Friday, July 20th for guarding the strike at the factory gates against the security police, after the New Democracy, PASOK and DIMAR coalition government decided to execute a fierce clampdown plan against the heroic Greek Steelworks strikers, by mobilising public prosecutors and huge police forces that made use of violence, chemicals and arrests in order to offer their services to the industrialist Manesis.

At the same time tens of other workers had to go to the Police Stations of Haidari and Aspropyrgos yesterday afternoon, in order to receive the lawsuits lodged against them by the company’s managing director and chairman of the Board of Directors, Ioannis D. Iliopoulos, and many willing scabs. The lawsuit consisted of 200 pages (!) against each worker allegedly involved in a series of ‘criminal offences’ concerning illegal violence, insult, threats, etc.

A characteristic example is that of worker Panagiotis Papanikolaou who was sacked on the grounds that he had committed perjury at the trial concerning the strike at Greek Steelworks, as he defended the right to strike. In another case, that of Dimitris Liakos, member of the union’s governing body, there are no legal grounds at all, because trade union office confers immunity from dismissal in accordance with Law 1264/82. Such protection can be lifted only if the trade unionist has committed a criminal offence against the employer himself.

Manesis’ target is to crush the union’s governing body

After out-of-court notices and lawsuits, verbal abuse by former scabs and managerial staff, and an arbitrary assignment to the union’s GB members and pioneering workers of tasks not related to their specialisation, Manesis has now dismissed another six workers in an effort to escalate his terrorising practices against all workers, aiming to prepare the ground for removing the protection conferred to union GB members and ultimately sack them and dissolve the union, which is the only body to safeguard the factory workers’ interests.

Besides, his tactics of the past few days after the strike was suspended leave no room for misunderstanding. Having the full support of the New Democracy, PASOK and DIMAR coalition government, Manesis attempts to turn the factory from a place of work into a concentration camp, by wiping out anything that he thinks gets in his way. Giannis Vroutsis, the Minister for Labour, had promised that no worker will lose his job and that the situation will be sorted out as soon as the strike ends both in his private conversations with the union GB members and in his public statements. Similar assurances were given to the steelworkers by Antonis Roupakiotis, the Minister for Justice. It seems, however, that Manesis has other plans.

Source: The Radical, 2 August 2012

Translated by: Effie A.

Communist Party of Greece: Announcement on the terroristic use of lay-offs at the Steelworks

Communist Party of Greece: Announcement on the terroristic use of lay-offs at the Steelworks

The Communist Party of Greece wishes to inform the people of the six new terroristic and vengeful layoffs of pioneer militant steelworkers, which the big capitalist Manesis deployed to damage their indomitable ethos. It is not at all accidental that big capital and its associates have targeted the six workers arrested by the forces of state repression during their violent invasion of the factory gates, after a D.As decision and the PMs commands. Among the six militant workers fired is one member of the Governing Board of the Union and two replacement members of the same Board.

Manesis' uncontrollable aggression, the display of hatred on behalf of his managers and bullies against the heroic steelworkers has the support of the ND-PASOK-DIMAR government, the state apparatus as a whole, the television and newspaper media that serve the plutocracy. The Minister of Labor is multiply exposed and shares responsibility for the new terroristic threats, since he covered up and encouraged the lies and provocations committed against the steelworkers in the name of allegedly protecting the right to work.

The Minister of Justice has political responsibility and cannot remain silent when District Attorneys and other judges function brazenly as Manesis' instruments, participating in the planning of terrorizing and repressing the just struggle of the steelworkers.

This is the democracy of big industry and its servants: threats, slander, brutal terrorism, cynical exploitation of the workers: this is what they wish to see reign in their factories and workplaces. To ensure profit and competitive edge, they demand with every means necessary that workers accept immiseration, subjection and humiliation.

The savage and concerted attack against the heroic workers of the Steelworks must arouse the rage of the people and particularly of the working class, the progressive people. Now is the time to raise the front of class solidarity, class unity and a counter-offensive. The struggle of the steelworkers concerns the entire working class, is an example to all and shows the path of the intransigent class struggle for justice, honor and the victory of the working class.

Athens, 2/8/2012 The Press Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece

Translated by: Lenin Reloaded

An orgy of intimidating practices at Greek Steelworks

An orgy of intimidating practices at Greek Steelworks

MANESIS AGAINST THE UNION AND THE PIONEERING WORKERS

Using out-of-court notices and provocations, the employer attempts to impose a regime of intimidation

He is engaged in an escalating orgy of intimidating practices ahead of a meeting between a large trade union and Steelworkers delegation and the administration of the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate (SEPE)

Using out-of-court notices, verbal provocations by former strikebreakers and managerial staff, intimidating practices and arbitrary assignment of duties not related to the workers’ specialisation, the owner of Greek Steelworks, N. Manesis, is attempting to demoralise the members of the steelworkers’ union governing body (GB) and several other workers who played a leading role in the 9-month strike.

The workers returned to their posts but the employer did not stop his -utterly unsuccessful- efforts to isolate the union’s GB members and Giorgos Sifonios in particular from the rest of the workers of Greek Steelworks. First he forbade the members of the governing body to walk around the workplace, by way of a personal order issued by the manager of the plant. Moreover, the union’s GB members were practically not allowed to go to their regular posts. Initially their posts were changed and they were assigned different duties, and then they were given the order to go to the union office and remain there until further notice.

On Monday, the workers were asked to work until 5.30pm instead of 2.30pm, i.e. the end of the morning shift, on the grounds they had clocked on at 9.30am, although this was due to the police presence at the gates and inside the factory. At that point the workers’ trust in the union’s governing body was more than evident. As soon as the GB members approached the workers and urged them to leave their posts at the usual time -as they were not in the least responsible for the three-hour delay- the vast majority of the workers responded positively and clocked out at 2.30 pm as usual, despite the managers threatening them to deduct three hours worth of pay from their wages.

The out-of-court notices sent by Manesis: a monument of lies and distortions

Rife with fabrications, the out-of-court notice sent by the employer yesterday to all members of the union’s governing body says: “...following the suspension of the strike, you persistently and unjustifiably refused to carry out the work assigned to you, whereas your overall behavior caused problems in the smooth and unhindered operation of the plant.

Whereas the above-mentioned refusal and your overall behavior constitute a breach of our agreement and the law, we request that you carry out the work assigned to you and refrain from causing problems to the smooth operation of the plant. Otherwise we intend to make use of all the remedies available under our agreement and the law”.

In a letter sent the day before yesterday to the workers’ union along similar lines, the employer of Greek Steelworks claimed that “the suspension of the strike is only a pretext”. In addition, a notice was served by a court bailiff to many workers asking them to visit the Aspropyrgos Police Station and receive information about the content of the allegations made against them in accordance with the Criminal Code.

Meeting between Steelworkers/ trade union representatives and the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate (SEPE)

Facing such an orgy of intimidating and arbitrary practices, the governing body of the Steelworkers’ Union along with a large delegation comprising trade union representatives from the Athens, Piraeus and Elefsina Labour Centres, the Athens, Piraeus and Thriasio Metalworkers’ Trade Unions, the Panhellenic Federation of Metalworkers, the Unions of the Private Sector Workers, the Shop Workers, the Private Health Sector Workers etc., met with Mihalis Halaris, secretary of the Labour Inspection Body at midday yesterday and formally complained about the orgy of intimidating and arbitrary actions practiced at the factory.

Mihalis Halaris promised to call for a labour dispute three-party meeting next week and to send a mixed team to inspect the health and safety conditions at the plant.

Then the delegation requested a meeting with Giannis Vroutsis, the Minister for Labour, who had promised to meet the workers in a telephone conversation with Giorgos Sifonios, leader of the union’s governing body, yesterday morning; however, later at midday the Minister’s head of office said that the Minister was having successive meetings and could not meet the workers.

On top of that, the Minister’s head of office asked the trade unionists to follow a certain procedure that was of course dismissed as ridiculous. Instead of arranging for an appointment with him and the Ministry secretariat immediately, the representatives were actually requested to leave and then call at the office to arrange for a new appointment!

The Governing Board of the Greek Steelworks Union

“The factory is not a concentration camp”

Extracts from the Steelworkers’ reply to Manesis’ lies

In their reply to the out-of-court notice and the letter sent by Manesis to the Union, the governing body of the Greek Steelworks Union pointed out among other things:

“This constitutes a monument of lies and a distortion of truth, by which you try to intimidate the GB members and the workers, prepare the ground to crush the union and impose a regime of fear and arbitrary practices at the workplace.

It is widely known in Greece that when the union’s GB members and the workers arrived on time in order to get into the factory and work on Monday morning, we faced an extraordinary situation. Three riot police vans and hundreds of policemen in full armour were stationed at the factory gates preventing us from entering the factory. It is infuriating to deny that the workers were prevented from getting into the factory when this was broadcast by the media all over the country. The police would not have behaved in this way if your company had not provided its support or at least its consent.

Unfortunately, the attempt of your company to terrorize the workers did not stop when we got into the factory. Many workers were assigned duties that did not match their specialisation; for instance you asked specialised technicians to sweep the factory floor. The invoked “right to give instructions” cannot be enforced arbitrarily, but only in accordance with the law –not martial regulations.

Moreover, the union’s GB members were forced to remain in their office guarded by scabs who used psychological violence and verbal abuse to prevent them from getting out. At the same time, your managers expressly forbade the GB members to visit the factory premises and monitor working conditions or check whether the health and safety regulations were observed.

You wish to intimidate the workers and avenge them for their struggle

Your company has evidently mounted an operation to prepare the ground for removing any protection that the GB members have as trade unionists and ultimately sack them and dissolve the union, because the union is the only means of safeguarding the interests of your factory workers. Your tactics as deployed these past two days show that your intention is to intimidate, avenge and punish the workers for their splendid strike struggle.

Once more, we declare that the plant is a workplace and not a concentration camp, and that your company does not have the right to implement arbitrary, terrorizing and despotic practices as supreme law. The union and its governing body have the obligation to protect the workers’ rights in accordance with the provisions of the labour law and regulations.

We request that you stop your illegal actions immediately; stop hampering the lawful trade union activities; respect the personality and rights of the workers.”

The Radical, 1 August 2012

Translated by: Effie A.

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