On Tuesday, February 11 started a new strike in Greece’s LARCO Metal Industry. The workers of LARCO Industry went on strike against the announcements of the government to completely privatize LARCO, one of the biggest producers of nickel globally.
The Greek government announced its decision to impose complete privatization of the industry or shut it down. In both cases the victims will be the workers and their families.
PAME, unions, federations, students took part in the strike demonstration in front of the factory and declared they will continue their struggle under the demands “Hands Off LARCO”, ”LARCO belongs to the workers and not to the capitalists”, and demanded state funding to ensure the functioning of LARCO and all jobs.
The strike protest was attended by Christos Katsotis, MP and member of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), who delivered a message of support and solidarity to the workers.
The workers announced that the will proceed to a new demonstration on February 18th, participating in the nationwide strike.
On Wednesday, with the votes of the governmental New Democracy MPs, the Greek Parliament cleared an amendment which stipulates the appointment of an administrator in March to liquidate LARCO, cut wage costs by an average 25% and push ahead with a fast-track tender to sell a smelting plant and some of its mines.
KKE: Solidarity and support to the workers
The MPs of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) voted against the government’s amendment which leads to LARCO’s privatization. Speaking at the Parliament, the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas demanded the withdrawal of the amendment and expressed the KKE’s support to the just struggle of the workers.
Koutsoumbas also pointed out that the company must be supported in order to continue operating under state control and underlined that the jobs and rights of all the workers must be guaranteed. “LARCO belongs to the workers, it belongs to the Greek people” he said and condemned the other amendments passed by the governmental majority (selling of Skaramagas shipyards, ports privatizations) which benefit the capital.
