By James Thompson

Activists express solidarity with Greek Steelworkers

A number of activists from the Northeast USA and Middle West USA converged on the Greek Embassy in Washington DC to express their solidarity with Greek steelworkers in their fight against capitalist intimidation and brutality. Among the activists present were a local president of the Washington AFGE office, a local head of United Electrical Workers (UE) and a representative from the USW. In addition, other activists from Pittsburgh, Kentucky, DC and Virginia were present.

The statement below was received by a staff person from the Greek embassy. She was aware of the strike. Nevertheless, she requested that the activists leave the property straight away.

The statement delivered follows:

Baltimore-Washington Area Peace Council Expresses Solidarity with the Struggle
Of Greek Steel workers at “Helleniki Halivourgia” in Athens

We are here today to express our solidarity with the 400 steel workers at ‘Helleniki Halivourgia’ in Athens who have been on strike for over 100 days resisting management efforts against drastic wage cuts and lay offs.

This cruel and ruthless employer has cut wages 50 per cent, laid off sixty-five workers and threatens to lay off 120 more.

Rather than starve, these workers have decided to fight.

The hundred day strike is already a major victory for the striking steelworkers and the solidarity of the working class.

It constitutes a major victory against employer intimidation, fatalism, and the notion of class peace.

This struggle is a struggle in the name of all Greek workers against the new barbaric anti-labor attacks which are aimed at all Greek workers.

Workers are asked to pay dearly for a crisis they did not create while bankers get a cheap haircut.

From the first moment this attack started, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) was on the side of the workers.

PAME organized very wide and unprecedented expressions of moral and practical solidarity by the trade union organizations, women, youth and student organizations, peasants and other popular strata in solidarity strikes, demonstrations and other initiatives within and outside of Greece .

We demand the immediate end of this brutal anti-labor attack by the owners of ‘Helleniki Halivourgia’ and the immediate satisfaction of the steel workers demands.

Baltimore-Washington Area Peace Council
PO Box 298
Alexandria, VA 22121.