Steel workers at Hellenic Steel plant Halyvourgia are now entering their fifth month in strikes. Hellenic Steel is owned by John Manessis and is one of three firms that control steel production in Greece. The strike began on October 31, when workers at the plant, of about 400 employees, rejected to accept a slash in their eight hour working day and wages of about 40 percent. For instance workers who have been employed there for over 15 years were asked to accept a slash from 1,100 euros a month to just 650 euros per month, and now with the new minimum wage their salaries will be reduced to a mere 550 euros a month. The workers say they have no other weapon to fight these measures but to strike... and we here at hellasfrappe totally agree with them.
The elite in Greece have benefited off the backs of the people for too long and when you do not comply with their needs they either fire you or blacklist you from searching for work elsewhere. They are the group that has benefited from all the EU subsidies and they are the group that are known to be the worse tax evaders as well. And because they ($$$) support Greece's political parties they are also immune from enforcing unlawful practises against their own workers as well, and all this of course in the aim of profiting even more money.
For instance, when its plans were opposed, the Halyvourgia company began unilaterally to sack workers. In fact, Hellenic Steel was the first major company in Greece to utilize new legislation allowing firms to dismiss five percent of its staff every month, instead of the previous limit of two percent.
Since the strike began, the company has sacked 93 workers and plans to dismiss a total of 180.
Of all the strikes in Greece since the imposition of sweeping austerity measures by the social democratic PASOK government in October 2009, the steel workers’ struggle is the longest and the most respected.
But despite a militant fight by the workers to defend their jobs and livelihoods, the Metal Workers Federation (POEM) has from the outset sought to isolate and sabotage their struggle. And for those of you who do not know who POEM is affiliated with... well let's just say that they are chummy chummy with the PASOK run General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE).