General strikes in Greece
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Since the Sept. 20 election that enabled Greece’s Syriza govern ment to retain power, there’s been an uptick in mass action. Pro tests focused on the government’s proposed tax hikes and plans to cut pensions for retired workers.
Some 25,000 trade-union members marched in the first antimemorandum strike against Syriza in a 24-hour strike in Athens on Nov. 12. Another 10,000 marched in Thessaloniki, Greece’s sec ond biggest city.
The strike was called by the Civil Servants Confederation (AD EDY) and the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) and the Communist Party-linked “PAME,” the “All-workers’ Militant Front.” The red flags of Communist Party supporters in PAME flew in big contingents. Syriza’s labor policy office hypocritically de nounced “neoliberal policies” and encouraged party members to march.
One worker said, “I am protesting against the government be cause they are making fools of us.” Many demonstrators held ban ners declaring “No more!” and “It won’t pass.”
On Dec. 3, workers once again walked off their jobs to join a gen eral strike called by the unions to protest austerity. The 24-hour walkout shut down public services and transportation, closed schools, and forced hospitals to function with reduced staffs. n 4 SOCIALIST ACTION DECEMBER 2015 ties than address the needs of our commu nity. Though they destroyed the communi ty space we created, they will not destroy our resolve to fight until we get justice for Jamar Clark, or the bonds created across a diverse set of communities.”
Organizer Mica Grimm added, “We reit erate our demands: Release the tapes, ap point a special prosecutor with no grand jury for Jamar Clark’s case, institute a safety plan to protect Minneapolis residents from continued police violence, and address ra cial disparities plaguing our communities.”
Twelve hours later, over 400 converged on City Hall, taking their message directly to the mayor and city council. The peaceful protesters with Black Lives Matter Minne apolis endured a white supremacist terror ist attack, police violence—mace, batons, less lethal bullets—and freezing tempera tures to demand justice for Jamar Clark and Black people in Minnesota.
Organizers are grateful to the thousands of supporters who stood with them in the weeks since Jamar Clark was murdered by Minneapolis police. “Our work is not over, it has just begun.” n
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