Greece's workers revolt

[IndianaGreen]

Greece's workers revolt

Antonis Davenellos, a member of International Workers Left, reports from Athens on the brewing protests as the government imposes harsh austerity measures.

May 7, 2010

WITH AN enormous general strike and massive rallies May 5--including a mobilization of more than 200,000 workers in the capital of Athens alone--the working class of Greece gave its answer to austerity measures imposed by the social democratic government of PASOK, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU).

The strike paralyzed everything: public and private sector enterprises, small shops, the media. Even taxi drivers were on strike. The following day, several union federations remained on strike, and tens of thousands of demonstrators surrounded the Greek parliament building as representatives voted to approve the measures, which will slash wages and benefits, raise taxes and dramatically lower the working-class standard of living. And the resistance continues: Another general strike has been set for May 10.

The May 5 strike rally and the march that followed were representative of the mobilization from below. The unions were present not only through the large federations, but union locals in workplaces, which took part under their own banners. This activism set the tone for the day.

Also characteristic of the day was anger. Tens of thousands workers thundered, "Today and tomorrow, and for as long its needed, we are all strikers." This fury explains the incredible resilience of the demonstrators, who flooded the center of Athens despite the unprecedented rain of tear gas fired against them by the police.

The demonstration was also exceptionally political. The chants of the revolutionary left were taken up by the overwhelming majority of the demonstrators--for example, "Robbers, robbers, capitalists: Your profits cost human lives."

http://socialistworker.org/2010/05/07/greeces-workers-revolt

[provis99]

1. of course rich Greeks haven't been asked to sacrifice at all.

All the wage and benefits cuts affect working class and middle class people. The rich, who live off their investments, don't sacrifice anything. I support the Greeks out on the streets who are throwing the molotov cocktails.