Massive strike in Greece: Thousands took the streets against anti-Social Security reforms

Photo: 902.gr.

With powerful strike demonstrations in more than 60 cities across Greece the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) and the class movement of the country gave a militant response to the government’s anti-people policy on Social Security and pensions. 

From midnight workers gathered in factories, labour places and production units to prevent possible strikebreaking efforts, while in Athens public transportation was stopped. 

KKE leader Dimitris Koutsoumbas blasts Greek government's anti-worker policy

“Capitalist development neither is nor can ever be development for all” said the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas during his speech in the Parliament on labour issues. 

Koutsoumbas fired against New Democracy government reforms saying that what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis describes as “Greece of development and prosperity” has absolutely nothing to do with what the workers are experiencing.

PAME calls for strike on February 18th against ND government's Social Security reforms

A nationwide General Strike in both state and private sector has been announced by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) for February 18th, as a response to the anti-people reforms of the Greek government on Social Security and Pensions. 

In a statement addressed to workers, pensioners, farmers, self-employed people and students, PAME calls for mass participation in February 18th’s strike. 

“Social Security has to do with our lives. The unacceptable anti-Social Security draft law must be withdrawn!” is the headline of the call which reads:

European Communist Initiative: Solidarity with the workers' strikes in France

The Secretariat of the European Communist Initiative expresses its internationalist solidarity with the workers' strikes in France and calls on the workers to express their support for the new strikes organized on 22 and 24 January in defense of labor, social insurance and pension rights, that are being trampled by the policy of the Macron government.

Workers in France, with strikes and diverse mobilizations, clash with the antilabor measures of the Macron government, of business groups and the EU, that raise pensionable ages, convert pensions into allowances and hand social security contributions and insurance fund reserves to gambling and to the business groups.

France General Strike: KKE and PAME on the side of French workers

Photo: 902.gr

Members and supporters of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and its youth wing KNE, who live and work in France, participated in the large strike rallies of December 5^th.

As 902 portal reported, holding banners with the slogan "Popular alliance against the blow on pensions by the government and the EU", KKE members and supporters stood on the side of French workers, demonstrating in Paris, Marseille, Grenoble and other big cities.

General Strike in France - Grève Générale en France: Solidarity from WFTU and PAME

Today, December 5th, thousands of workers across France participate in a nationwide general strike against the anti-people, anti-worker reforms announced by Emmanuel Macron's government. The government's reforms include several blows to the pension system, including rise in retirement age limits and reduce of financial recompensation. 

In a statement, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) expresses solidarity with the general strike of December 5th. The statement reads:

Greece: "Hands Off Social Security" — Large demonstrations held in Athens and other cities

"Hands Off Social Security Rights", that was the message that thousands of working men and women, pensioners, self-employed people, students sent during a large demonstration held earlier today in downtown Athens. 

The protests were organized by Trade Unions, Labour Centers and Pensioner's Associations. Among the speakers were Dimos Koumpouris, President of the Pensioner's Federation, Giorgos Stefanakis, President of the Trade Union of Catering-Tourism-Hotels of Attica and Dimitris Vitalis, member of the Federation of Craft Industry Unions of Athens.