(MENAFN) Thousands of Greek workers from various leftist parties and trade unions gathered in the capital Athens to mark May Day. The main body of the demonstration was made up of the major trade union PAME and the Greek Communist Party (KKE). Other leftist parties, including main opposition SYRIZA and former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis' MeRA25 party and PASOK-KINAL, also took part, along with numerous other associations, rights groups, and unions.
The rally in the central Syntagma Square started with Greek poet Vassilis Kolovos reading out Don't Speak, a poem by the late Turkish writer Aziz Nesin. During the rally, KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumpas and PAME senior official George Perros spoke out against the worsening living conditions of the working class amid the cost of living crisis and called for a more united struggle of the workers.
The participation of French trade union representatives was noteworthy, with French trade unionist Olivier Mato delivering a speech at the square and emphasizing the need for a pan-European struggle of the working class. The May Day rally in Athens highlighted the growing concerns of workers in Greece and their determination to fight for their rights and improve their living conditions.
In addition to the May Day rally, tram and metro workers, as well as maritime workers, including ship crews and port employees, went on a 24-hour strike on Monday. This strike is part of ongoing labor disputes in Greece, as workers demand better working conditions, higher wages, and greater job security.
May Day demonstrations also took place in various other cities across Greece, including Patra, Thessaloniki, Larissa, and Heraklion. The demonstrations underscore the importance of international solidarity among workers and their shared struggle for better working conditions and greater rights.
MENAFN04052023000045014228ID1106172939
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.