Class war in Greece

 Most of this by សតិវ អតុ

Class warfare is erupting in Greece. Their elected prime minister has been removed and replaced with Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, who was simply appointed by the governing parties.
Papademos  made a deal that Greece will Receive receive a €130 billion ($170 billion) bailout from other countries in Europe and around the globe. In return the people of Greece will face more cuts in government programs, layoffs, salarie cuts and cuts in benefits for workers.
People have already taken to the streets to protest this action, which has led to clashes with the police.
According to Yahoo News;

“Unions have called protesters to rally again in Saturday and Sunday after they chanted on Friday: "Do not bow your heads! Resist! No to layoffs! No to salary cuts! No to pension cuts!" For more click here.

So far the government has just ignored the protesters and those who throw things at the police. They seem more concerned about paying debts the European Markets seem to want then the welfare of their own people’s needs and welfare. As in the US these people are not just taking this laying done and there have been thousands on the streets.
Also according to Yahoo News;

“Far-right leader George Karatzaferis, who leads the junior party in the coalition formed in November, said later on Friday he could not back the tough terms attached to the bailout and all four cabinet members of his LAOS party submitted their resignations, along with two from the socialist PASOK party.” For more click here.

Cuts and tears: Greek police disperse angry mob in Athens clashes

From the Prison Gates are Open;
 

Communist Party of Greece: Loud message of general strike against new barbaric measures

Posted on February 8, 2012 by BJ Murphy

Communist Party of Greece: Loud message of general strike against new barbaric measures

February 7, 2012

Large general strike held by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), Students' Struggle Front (MAE), and others.

A mass militant strike took place in Greece on Tuesday 7/2. It was an immediate dynamic response the morning after the official announcements of the government concerning 20% cuts to the basic wages and corresponding 15% cuts to the supplementary pensions, new reductions of the basic pensions, unemployment benefits, and 150,000 dismissals in the public sector.
In Athens there was a demonstration of thousands of workers despite the rain and in 61 cities all over the country there were large strike rallies. Once again the demonstration of PAME was many times larger than that of GSEE and ADEDY.
A powerful response was given by the class forces, by the All-workers Militant Front across the entire country the moment when all together the general staff of the plutocracy, the government of the black front (social-democrats, liberals and nationalists) and the Troika are feverishly working on the new round of savage measures which bring destitution to the people. This message could not be eliminated by the limited incidents in front of the parliament during the demonstration of GSEE and ADEDY.
It should also be noted that the strike followed the mass and dynamic response given by the KKE with a rally and a march in torrential rain in the evening of Monday 6/2.
The decision for a general strike in the public and private sector was taken by the administrations of GSEE and ADEDY under the suffocating pressure of PAME which had promptly proposed a strike from January onwards, taking decisions in this direction in many trade unions which belong to it. At the same time GSEE and ADEDY through this whole period have actively participated in the manoeuvring to pass the measures through the social dialogue in which they participated.
From the crack of the dawn the class oriented forces guarded the strike in numerous workplaces. Many factories were paralysed despite the employers’ intimidation. At the same time , ports, public transportation and state agencies came to a standstill.
At the demonstration of PAME, Ilias Stamelos, cadre of PAME, who delivered the main speech, condemned the new round of barbaric measures and called on the working class not only to drive out the parties of the government but also to overthrow the class which is in power.
A large delegation of the CC of the KKE, headed by the GS of the CC of the KKE Aleka Papariga, participated in the demonstration. Aleka Papariga made the following statement:
“Now the responsibility lies solely with the people. Either the people will completely sweep them away or they will pointlessly and unfairly waste their tears and indignation on the old and the new pseudo-saviours”.
PAME has announced new demonstrations for Thursday 9/2.
At the same time the day of the strike is also marked by the 100- days continuous and hard strike struggle of the workers in “Greek Steelworks”. Their union organised a popular solidarity concert, at the gate of the factory, calling on all the working people to participate so as to spread the militant message of the striking steelworkers to every workplace.
Statement of the GS of the KKE Aleka Papariga on the recent political developments
We call on the workers to join the mass rally of the ΚΚΕ in Omonoia today. Tomorrow the whole country must be paralysed in the framework of the strike which has been announced. There is no other solution, we only have one choice: to frighten them, to impede them. We must do whatever we can through the escalation of our mobilizations, so that the loan agreement and the new memorandum will not be passed, so as to overthrow the government through the will, the activity and the organized intervention of the people. This will be a first step.

For more click here.