The controversial head of the Public Power Corp. (PPC or DEH) employees' union (GENOP), Nikos Fotopoulos, called on PASOK to have him expelled from its ranks. Fotopoulos apparently lashed out at the PASOK party, in which he has been a decades-old member, saying he "was not the one who left the party but in essence the party was abandoned by its cadres".
He also denied rampant speculation that he will join the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) saying, however, that in the last two elections (in May and June 2012) he did not vote for PASOK, in other words he did not deny it either. "The party (PASOK) in its present state is nothing but a shadow of itself and has nothing to do with the party envisioned and created by its founder - which some of had wished dead to take over his place."
He also claimed that the president of PASOK is planning to dissolve the affiliated PASKE labor grouping, saying that "with all due respect, let me say that PASKE is independent ..."
Over the past year, SDOE (the Greek IRS) has been cracking down on DEH and its union because they allegedely enjoyed millions of euros in extra (and unaccountable) income.
One example of this evidence is that an impressive amount of 2 million euros was spent by the union on just leisure alone during the period 2008-2010. In fact the amount was spent on luxury travels to Europe, on trade missions, hosting of foreign colleagues and also on studies for unionists’ relatives, (even thought these studies were never delivered).
According to what has already been reported, the GENOP union together with the Organization for DEH workers’ Social Activities, apparently organized some 29 events and overpriced them and then charged DEH with €1,194.497, while the real cost was estimated at €885.711€!
Following the investigation by Greece's IRS, the president of GENOP, Nikos Fotopoulos asked that the bank accounts of all unionists be opened and while defending his actions he spoke of defamation attempt.
A year earlier, even more evidence was surfaced about the squandering of funds at DEH. Here is an indicative example as to how they squandered public funds.
- on parking fees
- gasoline expenses for vehicles belonging to the unionists’ and their children
for excursions - hosting of events
- printing of magazines that were never delivered to subscribers
- for research studies that were never concluded
- for buying flowers, perfumes or alcoholic drinks
- for purchasing personal computers
- and the list goes on...
It is obvious when trade unionists make such an income and receive these types of astronomical bonuses the issue of privatization is definately a no-no because it would totally wipe away their privleages.
Editor's note - We here at hellasfrappe believe that because Fotopoulos began to feel "the heat" he flip-flopped to SYRIZA, to first off maintain all these scandalous benefits and in a second step to get back at the party who taught him the tricks of the trade in the first place.We also predict that Fotopoulos will raise even more action in the future. -Thank the Lord SYRIZA did not win the elections!-
The video above is from June 2009 when the government of Costas Karamanlis was trying to put some order at the Greek Public Power Corporation, as you can see union leaders such as Fotopoulos made it very difficult for any type of reform to be made. These union leaders have enjoyed too many benefits over the years, they are over paid, do not work and have now joined ranks with SYRIZA -which is in favor of maintaining a bloated public state- to maintain their lifestyles.