The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) a class oriented Trade Union confederation representing more than 7 million workers and an affiliate of WFTU, extends its international working class solidarity to the Greek working class who under the banner of PAME went on a nationwide Workers strike on 21st September, 2023 against unbridled attacks on lives and livelihood of the workers, wage and pension freeze, lengthening of working hours, soaring inflation, worsening job security condition of workers, growing precarious nature of jobs and unemployment.
After reinstallation of ruling ND Government in Greece under the prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the ND government renewed its policy assault on the working people, recently prime minister announced a savage austerity drive along with freeze on wage and pension. The government introduced a new bill in the parliament that imposes 13 hours work days, 78-hour work weeks, proceeds to abolish the work break, a number of benefits as a result of the dominance of new flexible forms of employment, they want to abolish the five-day work week and Sunday holiday in more sectors such as the food industry. Also the bill further criminalizes the right to strike and trade union action.
Against these brutal policy onslaughts, the PAME called for a nationwide workers strike on 21st September, that garnered huge popular support. On the strike day, Greece witnessed a collective action of the workers in the main Greek cities Athens, Piraeus, Patras, Lavrio, Lesvos.
The CITU fully supports the just demands of the PAME and demands upon the Greek Government to pay heed to demands of the workers. The CITU once again congratulates the working class of Greece in general and PAME in particular for their successful strike actions and calls upon its affiliates and members and also the entire fraternity of the WFTU within the country and abroad to organize solidarity actions.
Issued by
Swadesh DevRoye
National Secretary, CITU & Head of International Affairs
