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Succesful strike in Greece.
Rizospastis. - 31.05.2002 02:12
30-05-02 - CP of Greece, Succesful strike in Greece. Brutal attack by special forces.
24hour Strike Against the reform of the social insurance system. Militant demonstrations in 52 cities in Greece.
The demonstration of PAME in Athens.
President of the syndicate of mechanics tries to stop ship from breaking strike.
Sailors guard their strike in front of the ships.
Raid of the Special Forces of the Port Police and the Navy against the strikers.
Raid of the Special Forces of the Port Police and the Navy against the strikers.
Worker seriously injured.
Civil servants´ confederation called a 24hour strike yesterday (29/05/2002) against the proposed pension reforms of the government. Unions and federations that are in the ranks of PAME (All Workers´ Militant Front) also took part in the strike giving a more militant and massive impulse.
Thousands of workers and civil servants took part in yesterday’s demonstration in Athens at PAME meeting in Kaningos Square. They later marched to Klathmonos Square, where the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDI) had its meeting, changing radically the existing image of only a handful of teachers being there. It is characteristic that at that time there were not presents even all the members of the leadership of ADEDI, while syndicalists of PASOK, ND and Synaspismos openly undermined and some of them even broke the strike.
At the same time, the majority of PASOK-ND-Synaspismos in GSEE (General Confederation of Greek Workers) refused to co-ordinate actions and to support the strikes, insisting in the false "social dialogue" with the government and the industrialists. The picture was all the same in all 52 cities, where the demonstrations were organized practically only by PAME, with massive demonstrations continuing the confrontation with the governmental policy that has the support of EU and the Greek industrialists.
The percentages of the strike: ADEDI gives 70-75% in a sample of 280.000 workers in a total of 400.000. Only some indication: Health – hospitals: 75%, education: 60%, local government: 80%.
SPECIAL FORCES ASSAULT THE WORKERS AT THE PORT OF PIRAEUS
Trying to defend their strike, many sailors and workers gathered early yesterday morning in the Port of Piraeus. The day before, the court of Piraeus, with especially quick procedures, decided to label the strike as «illegal» and «excessive» upon request of the ship owners.
The government tried to break the strike sending against the sailors hundreds of men of the Special Police Port Corps, as well as "frogmen" from the Navy Special Forces!
They were attacking with unprecedented violence the workers all day long till late at night, with at least 47 workers ending up in the hospitals, some of them with serious injures, and at least 5 people arrested. It is not exaggerating to say that whatever moved in the port was brutally beaten. Even the MP of KKE, Nikos Gatzis was hit, as well as trade unionists and reporters.
It is worth noticing that the design of the operation in the Port was based on an exercise that took place in military units some months ago that had as objective to train the Army in facing demonstrations. However, even this brutal attack did not succeed to break the strike.
The General secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), head of the representation of the party at the demonstration stated: «I would like to denounce the terrorism which the government with the Security Forces organized, against the sailors, who are struggling for the survival. What happened today in the port of Piraeus show, for once again, that
the government is determined to pass their measures in any way. (...) We demand that all the parties take a position, and New Democracy, which demagogues systematically on these issues. They have to give an answer: with the ship owners or the sailors. At the same time, in the workers syndical movement of the private and public sectors there are forces that are willing
not to give in, not to bow. That is the important message of today. Workers are obliged to resist, because if they don´t, many worse will be in front of them».
The authoritarianism of the government
In the Mayday’s demonstration, an armed policeman in civil clothes was spotted by the protestors and was asked for his identity. He then he pulled out his gun but was immediately disarmed and was handed to the police director. As was later revealed, he had a police identity card and a student identity card on him.
What is really disturbing is that the government tries to compose an indictment for «formation of a gang» and «robbing» of the demonstrators of Mayday. The authorities have called Dimo Koubouri, ex member of the Parliament (KKE), member of the CC of KKE and known trade unionist to testify as a witness in order for them to bring in an indictment against his fellow combatant and colleagues.
The PAME, personalities and mass organizations have denounced this extremely dangerous authoritarian policy of the government.
* Photos from "Rizospastis" 30/5/2002.
Info by International Section.
Communist Party of Greece - Central Committee.
 Website: http://www.kke.gr/
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| supplements | | | for your information | no more gulags - 31.05.2002 16:13
The above article is taken from the newspaper of the Communist Party of Greece, a stalinistic/nationalistic party that systematically tries to present all social struggles of the country as their own in order to get more points" in the political (parliamentary) race -and to recruit new members wherever it´s possible.
A party whose members do not hesitate to substitute police forces or cooperate with them in open demonstrations, in order to get get rid of other leftist groups that criticize the Communist Party´s ambitions for leading the movement groups usually being accused by the neo-stalinists as "provocators".
| | All political groups want new members? | 31.05.2002 20:21
Dear NMG, do you know ONE political party/group anywhere in the world, including your own (which you do not name), which does NOT want to "recruit new members"? Why no comments on the contents of the article, but an ad hominem attack?
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