From the French union center SOLIDAIRES:
Greek population has been mobilizing for several weeks to turn down their government’s austerity measures, taken under the double injunction of the European Commission and the IMF.
Those are dreadful compulsory plans and real structural adjustment programs: 4 out of 5 pension retirement will be replaced, VAT rise from 19 to 21%, 10% cut on health expenses, retirement pensions freeze, 15% cut on wage, legal retirement age postponed at 67 years, etc….
The reasons behind those attacks: Greece’s debt load is high with 12.7% in 2009. It’s not many more than other countries like UK (12%) or Spain (10%). USA and Japan’s rates were also two figures numbers in 2009. Everywhere, the financial gifts to support the banks, the cyclical crisis programs and taxes cut have gouged huge holes in the budgets.
Our governments have salvaged the banks from a certain bankruptcy, without compensation. Today, those very banks are leaning on those countries and have clearance to speculate on bad ratings. They are coming back to overcharge people. Greece is under attack, Portugal is in the line of fire, Spain and Ireland are threatened.
Far from resign itself, the Greek people are struggling and fighting back. Several strikes and demonstrations have already taken place. The 24th of February, a general strike has paralysed the country. European Union, far from showing solidarity, is dithering on her support and tries to take profit of it showing day after day its allegiance to financial markets, not to people.
The domino effect is likely to be terrible.
SOLIDAIRES Union affirms its full support for the Greek people and will fall under all the unitary initiatives of support with this righteous struggle of the Greek people, in particular with the general strike of May 5.
In Greece like elsewhere, it is not to the people to pay their crisis!
Annick Coupé
Union syndicale Solidaires
+ 33 1 58 39 30 14
+ 33 6 70 51 39 57
Solidarity with Greeks workers!
From the Basque unions ELA, ESK and STEE-EILAS
Dear friends
Here below the statement signed by ELA, ESK and STEE-EILAS calling for a rally in front of the Greek Embassy in Bilbao (Basque Country) in solidarity with the Greek workers and people and denouncing the EU and IFM policies. It has beens included in the activities of that we’re developing against the current Spain presidency from te 1st to the 22 of May.
All the best
Josu Egireun (ESK)
Solidarity with Greeks workers!
The European Union and the International Monetary Fund are using the public deficit of Greece to the Greek people to impose a policy of austerity and draconian structural adjustment. The public deficit of Greece (13.6% in 2009, slightly below that of Ireland and a little over Britain, the Spanish state, U.S. or Japan) is a consequence of neoliberal policies imposed in recent decades by successive governments and the stability pact of EU . Is a victim, too, of international financial speculation.
Nobody wants to give money to Greece. We talked about to lend money to their government, money that will be repaid with interest. To give them a loan wants to force pay cuts : wages reduction of 15%, both in the private and public sector, increase of the age limit before retirement to 67 years, eliminating thousands of jobs in the public sector, a drastic reduction of public expenditure ... and abolition of collective labour agreements between trade unions and employers! So, all a plan to do pay for the crisis to workers and the most disadvantaged social groups.
The same governments and institutions that have had no hesitation in giving a billion free to private banking, now fattened with Greek people and will require huge sacrifices. Not require the reduction of military spending (10 billion transferred to the EU and the U.S.), or to end the scam of the employer’s Social Security (8 billion) and raise taxes on high incomes, businesses or capital, but drastic action to fatten the accounts of speculators.
Workers and the Greek people take weeks to mobilize against this nonsense and have called a general strike for the 5th May, to challenge this carnival of vampires orchestrated by the EU and the IMF. They have called too for international solidarity with their struggle. And from here, through this rally, we want to join this call.
In solidarity with the Greek people
Resistance against the EU and IMF neoliberal policies !
ELA-ESK-STEE/EILAS
Solidarity in action
From the Social Movements Indaba (SMI) in Soutn Africa
Hi Comrades
On behalf of the Social Movements Indaba (SMI)I would like to extend my
strongest support to the workers and the working class communites in Greece.
The SMI is a national platform of the new Social Movements in South Africa
that are taking up service delivery struggles and fighting for better living
conditions of the poor against the Neo-liberal, Mandela, Mbeki and the
present Zuma Regimes.
We strongly condemn the action of the Greek government as it continues to
cut and attach the living standards of the poor in responding to the global
economic Crisis.
Solidarity in action
Long live Greek workers Long Live
Workers of the world Unite
Mzimasi
SMI - National Secretariat
Time to act for social justice in Europe
From the European Metalworkers’ Federation
Today, the European Metalworkers’ Federation has called for a strong signal from EU governments to show concretely that solidarity is a reality within the EU not merely rhetoric in the Lisbon Treaty.
“We are dependent on each other and should not be divided by those aiming to kill social Europe and solidarity for a quick buck”, stated Peter Scherrer (General Secretary of European Metalworkers’ Federation) speaking on the eve of May Day.
Peter Scherrer called for immediate European intervention to save Greece, Portugal, Spain and the Euro-zone from the jaws of international and European financial market speculators.
“We cannot continue to let the rich get richer, whilst working people are forced to tighten their belts ever harder”, he stressed.
News this week of the increased personal profits of industrialists in 2009, whilst their workers are still being forced to pay the costs of the crisis through increased unemployment, reduced pay and conditions and more precarious work, has reinforced the call for social and economic justice.
On the eve of International Workers’ Day, the EMF has set out its demands:
– Immediate action to re-regulate financial markets and stop speculators undermining countries and industries.
– Renewed action to achieve social justice and cohesion in Europe through a revived EU social and employment agenda, fair wages, and decent work.
– Social responsibility from manufacturing companies to ensure their and our future in Europe.
“Workers share the same fate across Europe in this crisis. We have been set against each other too many times in the past. The EMF rejects any attempt to use the crisis to stir populist and xenophobic feelings”, demanded Peter Scherrer.
30/04/2010