Everyone in the May Day strike and strike rallies!
At 10.30 am at the Syntagma, the strike gathering of Athens, at the same time at the Venizelos Statue in Thessaloniki
” May Day is not a holiday, it’s a strike!” : With a strike and rallies across the country on Wednesday May 1st, the unions are celebrating Labor Day.
With their strike mobilizations, Labor Centers, Federations and Unions are honoring the day dedicated to the struggles of the working class, taking over from the great strike struggles on both April 17th and February 28th.
Tomorrow the workers will take to the streets again, protesting for better working conditions, Collective Agreements, wage increases and protection measures in the workplaces, but also for the disengagement of the country from the imperialist designs, at a time when the risks for the people are escalating.
In Athens, the strike rally will take place at 10.30 am at Syntagma. In Thessaloniki at 10.30 in the morning at the Statue of Venizelos. May Day rallies have been set in dozens of cities across the country.
Labor Centers, Federations and Unions are on strike tomorrow Wednesday, against the permanent policy of all governments to treat May Day as a holiday. Especially this year, they are organizing their strike against the decision of the Ministry of Labor to move May Day to Tuesday, May 7. This decision, as the ministry has already announced in February, “was taken in order not to disrupt the economic activity of the market at a time important for trade and consumers”.
” From Chicago in 1886 to May Day in Athens in 1894, from May 1936 in Thessaloniki to May Day 1944 with the heroic sacrifice of 200 communists in Kaisariani, the working class has written with the indelible ink of its blood the most brilliant pages of class struggle, organized struggle and assertion, which no amount of state and employer terrorism and repression can stop”, PAME notes in its strike call and continues: ” May Day is not a holiday, it is a strike! And thus competitively he will be honored by all the unions of our country .’
This specific day ” marks the struggle of the workers, against their capitalist exploiters, to claim better working and living conditions, but also to pave the way for the abolition of the exploitation of man by man, for the overthrow of capitalist barbarity “. It calls on workers and unions to continue the fight for SSE with wage increases and expanded rights, repeal of anti-labor laws that crush the 8-hour shift and criminalize union activity, direct measures against punctuality, measures to protect health and safety at work.
In this direction, Federations and unions throughout the country are moving at a pace of strike preparation, conveying the message of May Day to the branches and workplaces, with a series of demands at the forefront.
The preliminary gatherings for Athens
The pre-gatherings for the May Day strike rally at 10.30 a.m. in Syntagma Square have been set for 9.30 a.m., at the following points:
- Kaningos Square: Federations, Unions and Struggle Committees of workers in the private sector.
- Omonia: Federation of Craft Associations of Attica, Associations and Associations of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants, Women’s Federation of Greece, Women’s Associations and Groups, Federations and Associations of Pensioners, mass bodies of the municipality of Athens, the South-West, West, North-West and North Districts of Athens.
- Propylaia: Unions of Public and Private Education, Unions of Workers in Universities and Research Institutions, Student Associations, Student Coordinators.
- Pillars of Olympian Zeus: Unions of health and special education, Unions of Ministries, of the Decentralized and Regional administration, Unions of municipalities, mass organizations of the Eastern and Southern Districts of Athens.
Buses for the Constitution
For the strike gathering in Athens on May Day in Syntagma, buses are being run from areas of Attica.
- Agia Paraskevi , 8.30 am, Agia Paraskevi square (starting point 421)
- Agios Dimitrios, 8.45 am, IKA square
- Alimos, 8.15 am, Hesiodos and Ionias
- Alimos, 8.20 am, Kalamakiou Avenue (at the height of Sklavenitis)
- Ano Patisia , 9 a.m. from the “Ano Patisia” trolley stop, corner of Patision and McMillan
- Argyroupoli, 8.30 am, City Hall
- Vrilissia , 8:30 a.m.. Pentelis Avenue, “Kotsovolos”
- Galatsi , 8.30 am, Veikou and Galatsiou
- Glyfada, 8.15 am, St. Tryphon square
- Elliniko, 8 am, Sourmena square
- Heraklion , 8.30 am, “3 Stars” Cinema
- Kallithea, 8.45 am, Davaki square
- Red Mill, 8.45am, Triangle Square
- Maroussi , 8.30 am, Spyros Louis Stadium
- Melissia , 8:15 a.m., Dimokratis Avenue at Zoodochos Pigis church
- Menidi, 8.30 am, Karavos square
- Metamorfosi , 8.30 am, Ag. Constantine
- Nea Ionia , 8.30 am, OTE on Heraklion Street
- Nea Smyrni, 8.45 am, Polis Park
- N. Philadelphia , 8:45 a.m., city hall
- Olympiako Chorio, 8.15 am, Kaklamanaki 21
- Paleo Faliro , 8.30 am, Amphithea Avenue at Piraeus Bank (at the height of Davari Square)
- Pefki , 8.15 am, 13th stop – ELKO shopping center
- Chalandri , 8:45 am, “cocomat”
- Cholargos , 8.30 am, City Hall
The preliminary gatherings for Thessaloniki
At 9.45 a.m., the pre-gatherings of the associations and organizations of Thessaloniki have been set .
Specifically:
- Contribution of Tsimiski – Aristotelous : Unions in the Trade, Catering, Tourism and Services sectors, Self-Employed Associations.
- Contribution of Venizelos-Ermou : Unions in the sectors of Construction, Transport, Food, Chemical Industry, Energy and other private sector unions.
- Karolou Dil and Ermou : Unions in the field of IT and Telecommunications, Women’s Associations, OGE.
- Agia Sophia Square : Unions in the fields of Health, Education, Public, Student Associations, Parents’ Associations.
Strike on ships and railways
The ships will remain tied up in the country’s ports, as the seafarers participate in the strike mobilization. The strike will begin at midnight on Tuesday and end at midnight on Wednesday. May 1st is a day when we inspect our forces, set goals, to strengthen the fight, for the protection and safety of human life, for work with rights, against the galley conditions that shipowners seek to impose on all classes of ships “, emphasize the shipping unions PEMEN, “STEFENSON”, PEEMAGEN, PEPRN and PES/NAT . They call for a pre-strike rally at 5.30 am at the ISAP station and participation in the strike rally, at 10.30 am, in Pasalimani.
The trains will also be stopped on Wednesday, as the Panhellenic Railway Federation (POS) has announced a strike.
” The employees of the sector are honoring Labor Day with our participation in the strike and in the strike gatherings and we continue our fight for safe air transport “, emphasizes the ESK of Air Traffic Controllers CAA in the face of the unacceptable rejection of the strike proposal by the Union Air Traffic Controllers of Greece (EEEKE).
As far as Athens’ urban transport is concerned, the bus union leaders have decided on a work stoppage from the start of the shift until 9 am. and from 9 p.m. until the end of the shift. According to an informative announcement by STASY SA, “Lines 1, 2 and 3 of the Metro will operate from 9.30 am. until 4.30 p.m., while the Tram from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. Metro routes to and from the Airport will run as normal between 9.30 am. and 4.30 p.m. By order of EL.AS, the Syntagma Metro station will remain closed on Wednesday, May 1 from 9:30 a.m. until further notice. Trains will pass through it without stopping. The tram will operate from 9 am. until 9 p.m.
The employees of the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization participate in the May Day strike with a work stoppage from the start of the shift until 9 am. and from 9 p.m., until the end of the shift.
They are calling for strike rallies
A call to participate in the strike and the gatherings is addressed by the Panhellenic Committee of Blocks , restoring the just claims of the subsistence farmers for their survival, related to the reduction of production costs, the protection of income, etc.
With the slogan “Either their profits or our lives!” Struggle for studies and life with modern rights!” the Student Struggle Front (MAS), calls for the May Day strike and the strike gatherings of the trade unions throughout Greece.
The Federation of Craft Associations of Attica (OBSA) calls the trade unions and professional associations to the May Day strike meeting . Taking the baton from participating in the mobilizations on April 17, together with the labor unions, he calls on the organizations of small professionals to continue their competitive initiatives. The Association of Metal Craftsmen of Attica (EBMA) is also calling for participation .
The Women’s Federation of Greece invites women to competitively celebrate Labor Day “by claiming what is modern and necessary for the life of the working woman” .
A call to the Unions of the Federation, all pensioners, to give a fighting – competitive “attendance” to the gatherings of the class struggle movement on May 1st across the country, the Federation of Pensioners IKA addresses .
PEEAA – DSE , the Hellenic Committee for International Democratic Solidarity (EEDDA), the Panhellenic Federation of Retired Policemen , the Chamber of Visual Arts of Greece (EETE) are also calling for the strike meeting .
The demands of the unions
Claiming better working and living conditions, for SSE with salary increases and rights expansion, as well as measures against punctuality, are put forward by the unions ahead of Labor Day.
They also claim:
— The immediate repeal of the anti-labor laws that crush the 8-hour shift and criminalize trade union action, prohibit the right to strike. They fight for 7 hours – 5 days – 35 hours, as the development of science and technology allows.
— Immediate measures for the health and safety of workers at work.
— Disengagement from imperialist designs and war conflicts.
And once again they reiterate their solidarity with the people of Palestine, in the just and cruel struggle they are fighting against the murderous state of Israel, which is slaughtering them with the backs of NATO and the EU.
Strike rallies across the country
Athens, 10.30 am, Syntagma
Thessaloniki, 10.30 am, Statue of Venizelos
Patras, 10.30 am, Labor Center
Piraeus, 10.30 am, Pasalimani (clock)
Agios Nikolaos, 10.30 am, central square
Agrinio, 10.30 am, central square
Aigio, 10.30 am: Agia Lavra Square.
Alexandroupolis, 10.30 am, town hall
Aliveri, 10 a.m., Statue of the Woodcutter
Amaliada, 9 am, Labor Center
Amfissa, 10 am, People’s Square
Arta, 10.30 am, Labor Center
Veria, 10.30 am, Clock Square
Volos, 10.30 am, Eleftheria square
Ioannina, 10.30 am, Labor Center
Giannitsa, 11 am, EPON square
Grevena, 11 am, central square
Drama, 11am, main square
Edessa, 11 am, Mikri Kataraktes
Elassona, 11 am, Post Office square
Elefsina, 11 am, Eumolpidon square
Zakynthos, 10 am, Ag. Marco
Igoumenitsa, 10.30 am, Town Hall Square
Heraklion, 10 am, Eleftheria square
Thassos, 11 am, Heroes square
Thebes, 11 am, central square
Ierapetra , 10.30 am central square
Ikaria, 12 m., Evdilou square
Istiaia, 11 am, central square
Kavala, 11.30 am, Municipal Garden
Kalamata, 10 am, central square
Kalambaka, 11 am central square
Karditsa, 10.30 am, central square
Kastoria, 10.30 am, in the Vice-region
Katerini, 10.30 am, central square
Corfu, 11 am, Labor Center
Kefalonia, 10.30 am, Labor Center
Komotini, 11 am, central square
Kilkis, 10.30 am, Irini square
Kozani, 10.30 am, pedestrian street
Corinth, 10.30 am, Labor Center
Kos, 10.30 am, Eleftherias square
Lamia, 11 am, Eleftherias square
Larissa, 10.30 am, central square
Lavrio , 10.30 am, Statue of Metallorichos
Lefkada, 10.30 am, Agios Minas square
Limnos , 10.30 am in the port of Myrina
Livadia, 10.30 am, central square
Litochoro, 10.30 am, central square
Mantoudi, 11 am, central square
Messolonghi, 10.30 am, central square
Mytilini, 11 am, Sapphos square
Naxos , 11 am in pl. Court of First Instance
Naoussa, 10.30 am, central square
Nafpaktos, 10.30 am, Kefalovrysos square
Nafplion, 10.30 am Nikitara square
Xanthi, 11 am, central square
Polygyros, 11 am, Heroes square
Preveza, 10.30 am, old KTEL
Ptolemaida, 10.30 am, old park
Pyrgos, 11 am, central Saki Karagiorga square
Rethymno , 11 am Job Center
Salamis, 10.30 am Ayanda Square (Begni)
Samos, 10 am, Labor Center, Vathi
Santorini, 11 am, Fira square
Serres, 10.30 am, Eleftherias square
Sitia , 10.30 am central square
Trikala, 10 am, Labor Center
Tripoli, 10.30 am, Petrinou square
Tyrnavos, 10 am, central square
Florina, 10.30 am, central square (cannons)
Chalkida, 10.30 am, Labor Center of Evia
Chania, 10 am, Municipal Market square
Chios , 11 am, in Vounakiu square
Newsessentials Blog 
Posted on April 30, 2024
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