Monday, March 28, 2016

"Jobs for everybody- Labour with rights": Patras' communist mayor campaigns against unemployment

Patras' mayor Kostas Peletidis.
Having as a major slogan "Jobs for everybody-Labour with rights", the City of Patras, in Greece, organises a 220 km marathon march to Athens. The march is scheduled to begin at 8:00 am on Sunday, April 3, and to end up seven days later, on April 10th, in Athens' Syntagma Square. 

The campaign is an initiative of mayor Kostas Peletidis- the Communist Party (KKE) candidate who won the 2014 local elections- as an outcry of solidarity against the increasing unemployment (25% according to official sources) in the country. The Municipality has invited a large number of workers unions, youth and women associations and organisations, local unions of merchants and farmers, as well as various cultural and sports-related associations to participate. 

The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) has already expressed its solidarity.


Trade Unions of Athens calls for support in the rally against unemployment
 
Source: PAME.

In a recent announcement, numerous trade unions of Athens expressed their support and will for participation in Peletidis' initiative. The Trade Unions Of Athens respond to the call of Patras City Council initiative against the unemployment which destroys our country and has entered the life of thousand popular families, we will put all our efforts for its success! We will be at front line, participating ourselves and organizing the massive participation of more and more trade unions, workers and unemployed from our workplaces and our branches not only in the rally but also in the events that will be held all over Athens. We all join in the demonstration and the big rally-concert of workers, unemployed and youth on Sunday 5th of April, in Syntagma square.
Now it’s time to reinforce the struggle and fight against the system which gives birth, conserves and grows unemployment. This system is no other than capitalism. The monopoly groups along with their unions and governments, who imposed all the anti-workers’ measures in order to maximize their profits. The SYRIZA-ANEL government, as well as all the previous governments, crushes even more our wages, the social security system, our pension rights, every Collective Contract, imposing EU’s directions and using the huge unemployment as a “scarecrow” for the workers. It flexibilises the working relations and prepares a series of measures which will not leave anyone untouched. It condemns us on unemployment or half work, on various apprenticeship programs, on programs which recycle unemployment and secure huge “armies” of cheap workers, without social security rights, for the monopoly groups and Capital.
The Struggle For Steady-Full Time Jobs With Full Rights Concerns Us All!
The issue of unemployment and the demand for immediate protection and support measures for the unemployed which will cover the needs of the unemployed, concerns not only the unemployed themselves, but all the workers. We are making a call to every trade union, to all Labor Centers to participate in this initiative, to contribute as to make it known to every work place, to their branch, to organize the workers’ and unemployed massive participation. We call upon every worker and unemployed of Athens, the self-employed, youth, women and pensioners’ organizations to support this initiative with their participation.
We must highlight the big issue of unemployment problem. We must demand immediate protection and support measures for the unemployed.
WE DEMAND
  • Steady-Full Time Jobs With Full Rights For Everyone
  • Unemployment Benefit For All The Unemployed Without Terms Or Conditions And For All The Period Of Unemployment
  • Full Healthcare For Every Unemployed And Their Families
  • Full Reinstitution Of Collective Labor Contracts And Of The Minimum Wage
The Athens Trade Unions of:
Workers in Food and Drink Industries
Workers in Pharmaceutical Industries
Metalworkers
Workers in Textile
Workers in Press
Workers in Paper Industries
Workers in Constructions
Electricians
Workers in Commerce-Retail
Workers in Private Companies-Offices
Workers in Cleaning
Accountants
Workers in Tourism, Hotels and Catering
Post and Courier Workers
Telecommunications and IT
Workers in Local Governments
Banks And Insurance Companies
Private Healthcare
Musicians
And the National Unions of Workers in Ships
PEMEN
STEFENSON
PEEMAGEN