Tens of thousands of people participated in the mass strike rallies that were held all over Greece, militantly commemorating the bloody uprising in Chicago and the heroic struggles of the labour movement under the slogan “All over the world workers’ struggles will win!”.
“The working class can abolish capitalist slavery and build a new society without the exploiters and their parasitic nature”, stressed Giorgos Perros, member of the Secretariat of the All Workers’ Militant Front (PAME).
Perros highlighted that “no governmental messiah can give a solution to the daily and acute problems faced by every working-class and popular family. On the contrary, their joint programme, the common god that all parties supporting the exploitative system believe in, dictates a strong labour–popular movement and strong trade unions from 22 May to repel it in practice”.
A delegation of trade unionists from France participated in the Athens strike rally, conveying their experience from the demonstrations they have been organizing against the government and employers. Olivier Mateu, General Secretary of the Marseille Labour Centre, addressed the meeting on behalf of the delegation of the French trade unionists. “Nowhere in the world the workers have common interests with their exploiters” he stressed and called upon the people to strengthen the class struggle on every front, in every way possible.
Nikos Takas, vice-president of the Hospitality Trade Union of Attica and worker of the on-line platform “Wolt”, referred to the demands of the delivery men of “Wolt” who work for 12 and 14 hours a day and are called “partners” of the company, and not workers, resulting in the deprivation of their basic rights.
Dimitris Gionis, President of the Dentistry Students Union of Athens, delivered a speech on behalf of the students. “We honour the workers who create all the wealth through their labour and intellect,”, he said. “The policy that puts profits before our lives will not stop unless we stop it”, he stressed.
The rally began with the poem “Be silent; don’t speak” by Turkish writer Aziz Nesin, which was recited by actor Vasilis Kolovos.
The mass strike rally came to an end with the participants singing the Internationale with raised fists.
D. Koutsoumbas: Strong KKE, for a strong labour–popular movement
The GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, attended the trade union rally in Athens. “In the 21 May elections we strengthen the KKE to strengthen our people, the labour–popular movement, the social alliance of the working class with the urban and rural self-employed; to prevent anti-popular measures, to breathe a sigh of relief; and above all to pave the way for radical changes in the economy and the society, against the anti-popular policies of all the governments of capital, of the EU, of NATO, of the exploiters of our people. We will carry on in a militant way!” he stressed in the media outlets.
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