Greece: a new wave of fightback

Greece: a new wave of fightback
January 24 2012
Socialist Worker (UK)

Workers in Greece’s Attica region, which includes Athens, are fighting austerity. Their strike last week was in solidarity with people losing their jobs and facing unpaid and cut wages.

Rank and file workers addressed strike rallies. Their speeches were broadcast by workers occupying the Alter TV station.

Workers at Intracom, a large telecommunications and defence company, also began a rolling strike last Tuesday which is continuing.

And steel workers continue to strike.

There are increasing numbers of workers with confidence to take action.

It is politically significant.

The Greek government is in negotiations with banks over organising a “haircut” (partial write-off) on its bonds.

They say this will cut Greek debt. But it’s designed to save the banks, again.

There is now a push from below for a general strike in the first week of February.

The trade union leaders are holding back because they are negotiating with bosses over collective bargaining rights.

But the way it is developing we’ll have more strikes and a united response to the attacks.

Panos Garganas is editor of Workers Solidarity