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Greece - call for solidarity

Call for a European bottom up mobilization, from movements of Greece: 20 - 26 June

Monday 8 June 2015

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The outcome of the ongoing battle against austerity will define the future not only of the Greeks but also the future of the European people who struggle for more democracy and equality. During the previous governments, Greece used to be a guinea pig but now is a positive example which some forces want to smash.

United we stand against austerity and social injustice

Therefore, there is a need for building a militant European social and political front against the pressure of the EU institutions, leading to the suffocation of the Greek society, and to the restart of the austerity programmes implemented already for 4 years by the previous governments with catastrophic results. The Greek people, by their mandate of the 25th of January, condemned the austerity policies, as well as the anti-labour laws and the privatization programmes. The policies supported by SYRIZA have adopted the demands of the trade union and social movements of Europe for the last 10 years, and now we need the support of these movements in order to repel these pressures and to proceed with the progressive programme of social justice. The European Establishment needs to punish the counter-paradigm of social justice and democracy defended by the representatives of Greek people, because they’re afraid of it: Do not let them do it!

In the period from now till the upcoming June, negotiations are taking place among the Greek Government and the European Institutions. The economic elite find it difficult to accept that someone challenges their policies and propose an alternative plan for economy. They are using all means to blackmail the Greek people and its Government. Show us we are not alone in this fight!

We must put pressure on these institutions to cease this unacceptable behavior and make them accept that it is the citizens of Europe who must decide for their future. Based on the recent decisions of the Athens meeting on the 2nd of May, we, a broad coalition of social organizations, unions and networks, intellectuals, artists, migrant organizations and various left, green and progressive political powers being active in Greece, propose international actions between the 20 and the 26th of June in order to create the positive social and political environment that will support the Greek struggle. Moreover we are willing to host an event here in Athens on the 27th to share ours and yours experiences of mobilizations and solidarity. It is significant to transform the European peoples from passive viewers to active players of this story.

This event will provide the necessary space to these actors in order to express their concern regarding the negotiations but mainly to bring to the surface the necessity of counterweighting the systemic pressures against the Greek Government’s demands against austerity and for social justice. It is of the outmost importance the necessity to send a clear political message. The Greek society doesn’t stand alone. We need to demonstrate that all of us are decided to support the continuous demands of the movement. The Greek people decided, by voting a left government to support them, to break the neoliberal consensus. Solidarity and massive popular support will give the best to a clash between our side and the European political and economic elite.

Let’s fight for a Europe of dignity and solidarity and against a Europe of profit, a Fortress Europe. We call all the social and political forces to be part of the week of solidarity and to build strong national coalitions backing the European struggle against austerity.

Signatories

Unionists

Trachanatzis Stathis
General Secretary of Athens Labour Unions Organization & Member of the Board of the General Confederation of Greek Workers

Amplas Themistocles – Chairman of the Board of Greek Transport Trade Union Federation

Kioutsokioglou-Poulaki Anna – General Secretary Panhellinc Federation of Tax Employees

Nouchakis Stavros – President of the Panhellenic Federation of Medical Representatives, Related Professions Pharmaceutical Industry

Stamatis Theodoropoulos – Board Member GENOP / PPC

Karagounis Athanasios – Board member of the Federation Administrative Employees Manpower Employment Organisation

Parasoglou Vangelis – Chairman of the Board of the Association of Workers in BSH

Pasalidis Costas – Board Member SPARTAKOS / PPC Capella

Kazatza Dimitrios – Board Member GENOP / PPC, Member of the Labour Centre of Trikala

Moutakis Fotis – member DEI GENOP

Xydakis Nikos – President of the Union of Electric Workers Bus Athens Piraeus

?elepoyris Paraskevas – member of the board of Electric Workers Bus Athens Piraeus

Saridakis Antonis – member of the board of Electric Workers Bus Athens Piraeus

Fragos John – member of the board of Electric Workers Bus Athens Piraeus

Ziogas Apostolis – member of the board of Electric Workers Bus Athens Piraeus

Karasoulos Dimitris – President member of the board of Electric administrators Employees Bus Athens Piraeus

Kakoyros Dimitris – President administrators of the board of Electric Workers Bus Athens Piraeus

Vouziouris Alex – President of administrators employees of Road Transport

Tegea Michael – Secretary Union Technical PPC / Aitoloakarnania

Kastrounis Sotiris – President BTB–EIF / PPC Paros

Mihalatos Thomas-Dimitrios – Board Member GENOP / PPC

Dimitris Papachristou – Chairman of the Workers’ Association Board of Directors in Nursing Home Athens

Paloukas Lefteris – Board Member GENOP / PPC Damianos Vassilis – Board Pensioners Federation PPC

Nouchoutidis Maria – Board Pensioners Federation PPC

Nouchoutidis George – ex. President Dockers Piraeus

Apollonatos Memangelos – Board member of the Association of Hospital Workers IASO

Lampos Socrates – President Association Medical Representatives Athens

Kalavanos John – Board member of Union Workers newsagents Athens

Boutsinas Stavros – Board member of Bank of Piraeus Workers Association

Taliakos Dimitris – Board of Association of Employees Bank Piraeus

Bellios Fotis – Board of Association of Employees Bank Piraeus

Arabpatzi Nasa – Member of Audit Committee of Association of Employees Bank Piraeus

Papatriantafyllou Nikos – board member of the General Confederation of Greek Workers and member of the board of the National Bank Employees Association

Mylonas Giorgos – Deputy Executive Secretary of Athens Labour Unions Organization

Anastasiou Yannis – member of the Executive Secretariat of the Federation Employees of Bank

Kavadias Antonis – member of Executive Secretarial of the Federation Employees of Bank

Tziva Emilia – member of the General Council of the Federation Employees of Bank

Nicholaou Naya – board member of the Association of Employees of the bank Eurobank

Sklavainas Andreas – board member of the Association of Employees of the bank Eurobank

Spyropoulos George – board member of the Association of Employees of the bank Eurobank

Kanavou Joanna – board member of the Association of Employees of the National Bank

Petropoulos George – Member of the Executive Committee of ADEDY

Kalomoiris Gregory – Member of the Executive Committee of ADEDY

Mercia Dimitris – Member of the Executive Committee of ADEDY

Zografaki Eleni – Vice OLME

Harisis George – General Secretary of POST and member of the General Council of the Panhellenic Federation of Workers of Local Government organizations

Vassilis Gkitakos – Vice Panhellenic Federation of Workers of Local Government organizations

Monastiridis Minas – member of the Executive Committee of the Panhellenic Federation of Workers of Local Government–organizations

Organizations

DIKTIO (NETWORK FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RIGHTS)

NETWORK OF IMMIGRANTS AND POLITICAL REFUGEES

NIKOS POULANTZAS INSTITUTE

SOLIDARITY FOR ALL

ATTAC GREECE

OPEN CITY (PLATFORM FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF ATHENS)

INITIATIVE FOR THE RIGHTS OF PRISONERS

SAVE ACHELOOS RIVER

ECOLOGISTS RADICALS

NETWORK OF YOUNG PRECARIOUS EMPLOEEYS

OBSERVATORY OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND GLOBALISATION

CO–ORDINATING COMMITTEE OF THE CLEANING WOMEN OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

Activists/ public figures

ALBANIS YANNIS – member of the Organizing Committee of the ESF Athens

BIRBAS DIMITRIS – Mayor of Municipality of Egaleo city

GEORGOULAS STRATOS – Assistant Professor of the University of Aegean and member of the Council of the Municipality of island Lesvos

GIANNOPOULOS NIKOS – member of the Organizing Committee of the ESF Athens

KALIVIS ALEKOS – ex deputy President of GSEE

KOUMARIANOS GRIGORIS – Vice Mayor of Municipality of New Filadelfia city

PEPES ZOIS – ex member of the General Secretariat of GSEE (Central Federation of Greek Workers)

TRIGAZIS PANOS – President of the Observatory of International Organisations and Globalisation

VASILOPOULOS ARIS – Mayor of Municipality of New Filadelfia city

LAMTZIDIS MANOLIS – Member of the City Council of Kalamaria