More suffering at ports

OMYLE (Federation of Dockworkers in Greece) has announced a strike in all ports of the country today, Tuesday, from 12:00 to 15:00 and a 24hr strike tomorrow, December 15.

The announcement states:

«We live in a new storm against the workers in the private and public sector.

Having completely accepted the Troika choices, the government is transforming the labor sector in our country into a labor nightmare.

There has been an attempt to overcome the deep economic crisis and budget deficits over the years, both in our country and throughout Europe, with a neo-liberal policy shifting the burden solely onto employees, middle class citizens and pensioners.

All of them, the bankers, the businessmen who got the bottomry and bankrupted their businesses, who have been speculating all these years, as well as all the governments who squandered public money (Siemens, stock market, structured bonds, Vatopedi etc.) are excluded from the effects of this crisis.

Besides being unfair, this policy is a dead end. It leads the economy into a deep depression, workers into poverty and the whole society into disintegration, particularly reminisent of northern European countries in economic misery and marginalization.

The bill imposed by the government with express processes leads to the abolition of the institutional framework of collective agreements and DRAMATICALLY reduces the earnings of workers in the private and public sectors.

After last year’s cuts, it reduces workers in the broader public sector by 10%. The temporary exclusion of PPA and TPA (listed in the stock market) cannot be cause for complacency for anyone.

In the private sector, with the special «business contracts» it leads wages to the level of the minimum wage determined by the National Collective Labour Agreement. And while wages are cut, the black economy and  reckless spending are alive and well.

Against this situation, with no end as it seems, the only ANSWER is none other than a constant, massive, unifying action of all the workers.  

Today, Tuesday 14/12/2010, there is a WORK STOPPAGE IN THE WHOLE OF ATTICA from 12:00 to 15:00 and a RALLY at 13:00 in front of the Parliament.

OMYLE extends the Work Stoppage to all its ports/members, which they can use for action against the new policy.

For Wednesday 15/12/2010 there is a 24hr Panhellenic STRIKE and rally at 11:00 in Pedion Areos, as well as in other cities.

We call upon all dockworkers to put in a massive and swift presence against this widespread attack we are receiving.

To turn our anger into immediate action, to affirm our indignation, because they are cutting our wages, because they are violently changing our lives».