Greek union calls strike, cabbies abandon cars (see Reuters, Athens, via Gulf Times)
Greek workers lead the fight against cuts (see SocialistWorker online, UK)
Other news from the social fights in Greece (by CARLOS MARXOS, Indymedia Süd)
* Conflicts in Creta University in the town of Chania. Ioakeim Gryspolakis, rector of the University, was talking with some representatives of constructive companies who are interested to renew a building which belongs to the University for 5,5 million euros. The certain building is squatted by Rossa Nera anarchist team and open as a social centre with political and cultural activities. The certain rector seems to start having a new hobby, such one of trying to give University buildings which are squatted to private companies' interests.
* Around 100 anarchists/antiauthoritarians squatted the offices of PASOK ("socialist"party on government) in Ioannina town asking for the release of the imprisoned comrades during the demonstration in Vyronas district of Athens. A local TV-station team arrived on the spot asking for an interview, event that never happened after the squatters refused to participate in the spectacle of Mass Media.
* Coordination of Base's Labor Unions in Public and Private Sector announced a demonstration on the 4th of March in Athens asking for a new General Strike against the plans of the government, European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
* Solidarity actions with the dismissed workers of METKA factory still go on all around Greece. Independent organizations, syndicalist unions, anarchists, squats etc. have already expressed that they are on the side of the struggling workers. (Watch also older updates)
* Also solidarity actions from several organizations and individuals with Ntinos Palaistidis, dismissed from AGRA Publication Company because of his fault to struggle for his co-workers and his own labor rights. Many workers of AGRA company still strike against the decission of the bosses and also blockade many company's bookshops.
Announcement by the Organization of Communists Internationalists in Greece:
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF NTINOS PALAISTIDIS DISMISSAL CONTINUES
On 13th January AGRA Publication Company dismissed our co-worker and comrade Mr. Palaistidis. Ntinos Palaistidis has for many years exemplary actions in the labor movement, fightingfull and firm, for the rights of workers, for a class and anti-hierarchical unionism. particularly through the Association of Employees in Book-Paper Sector Attica, association which he first worked for together with other employees. This dismissal is not only a blow against the right of a comrade at work, but also against free trade unionism, against any workers' struggle.
As was written on the announcement of his co-workers in AGRA company:
"The dismissal of Mr Dinos Palaistidi surprised us all. We are able to know precisely the large workload that we took all of us (also Ntinos) during the recent years. A workload that was resulted after the growth of AGRA in which we all have helped for! The pressure thus exerted because of the busy work, led our colleague since the past two years to repeatedly requested a meeting with the employer, for the clarify-restatement of his duties, meeting that never took place. However, after meeting with the inspection work, the response of employers was the dismissal of him. We are able to know and for that we say publicly, that our colleague up till the time of his dismissal, he was performing consistently in all the tasks assigned to him."
So this is a purely vindictive and anti-union dismissal. AGRA even spoke provocatively about "unconventional behavior" of our colleague! The Association of Employees in Book-Paper Sector Attica proceeded and organize protests and repeated strikes in AGRA. Solidarity is expressed by dozens of unions, collectives, organizations and employees, with communications, participation in demonstrations, support of the strike action fund. As Ntinos Palaistidis has practical and generously expressed his solidarity during recent past in numerous other workers' action and struggles. Well-fed "personalities of the literature and the arts", among them some supposedly "progressive persons", tried to back up the employer of AGRAS Mr. Petsopoulos, talking about a try of defamation and denigration against AGRA company. "Spiritual leaders" closed inside their own glass towers, who have divorced from the problems and anxieties of the world of working, care only about not to upset their 'own-beloved' publisher-businessman. But also it does not fit any half-hearted attitude, no attempt - as was done by a number of other intellectuals - that presents the dismissal like a misunderstanding which can be solved by "consultation" with employers. Even worse when it is said that "AGRA is not an ordinary capitalist company", distinguished by the "quality of publications and the great contribution to the intellectual life of our country"! And these statements when capitalists, government and EU have declared a straightly anti-labor war without an end. When it is a matter of life or death for the labor movement to regroup its forces, to smash the attacks of the capitalists - first of all stop the redundancies and the antisyndicalistic pogroms - and to fight back.
IT IS A MATTER OF ALL OF US:
- To defend in practice Mr Nt. Palaistidis with all our strength. - To support the Association of Employees in Book-Paper Sector Attica, during the long and difficult struggle for the withdrawal of the dismissal.
Organization of Communists Internationalists, Greece
*Series of protests against the government's economic measures, decided the Board of OLME (Workers Federation of Middle Education).
According to the announcement of OLME, the mobilization actions of teachers will be:
- Protest at the Ministry of Finance of all bases' unionists tomorrow.
- Demonstration on Thursday in Athens.
- Protest at the Ministry of Finace and at the EU's offices on 8th March.
- Protest at the State's General Accounting Office on 10th March.
- Participation in the public sector's strike of 16th March.
* Fotos from the squatted rectorship building of Aristotele University in Thessaloniki (for an announcement here).
Slogans sprayed on the walls & poster (free translation):
"An asylum structure that will not only spread the word of ideas, but also function for:... social struggles, students, workers, unemployed people, immigrants, refugees. Instead of: ... cops, rectors, bosses' contractors, business
KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY
LOVE OR DEVELOPMENT ?"
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