Long live the struggle of the Greek working class!

Drop all the charges against GK, worker at Banquet restaurant, Thessalonica, and Vassilis Gutas, member of the Committee for Solidarity with the Banquet Workers!

Over the last months, the working class and youth in Greece have been fighting against the austerity plans imposed by the social democratic government of PASOK, which is following the dictates of the IMF, the World Bank and the EU in order to make the workers pay for the crisis. However, the latter are fighting back against the draconian cuts and adjustment plans that the Papandreou government wants to implement, as can be seen from the general strikes that have rocked the country over the last months.

Against this backdrop struggles are taking place in many workplaces against the effects of the crisis. In Thessalonica, the second largest city in Greece, workers in the bar and restaurant sector have already taken a stand against the slave-driver bosses: an example of this is the dispute at the Banquet restaurant where workers have protested against dismissals, the non-payment of overtime and nightshift rates, and are demanding the implementation of agreements, among other issues.

On August 31, police launched an attack on Banquet restaurant workers and their supporters from the Committee for Solidarity – the aim was to put an end to this exemplary struggle which has been going on for more than two and a half months. On that day, police arrested G.K, a Banquet worker and leading activist, and on September 2, the police arrested Vassilis Gutas, a member of the Committee for Solidarity. It was a clear warning a few days before the opening of the Thessalonica International Trade Fair 2010 on September 11, which is expected to be a target for demonstrations.

We would like to express our solidarity with the struggles of the workers and youth in Greece and demand the dropping of all charges against Vassilis Gutas and G.K. End the persecution of the workers and activists of Banquet!

Drop all the charges against the activists and workers arrested in Thessalonica!

Stop the persecution of workers in struggle!

Down with the adjustment plans of PASOK, the IMF, the World Bank and the EU!

The capitalists must pay for the crisis!

Signatories

Trade union delegates:

– Raúl Godoy – Zanon worker and former Deputy General Secretary of SOECN, the Union of Ceramic Workers and Employees of Neuquén province, Argentina.

– Andres Blanco – Deputy General Secretary of SOECN.

– Javier "Poke" Hermosilla – trade union delegate of the Kraft Food Factory Shop Stewards’ Committee.

– José Montes – delegate of the Shipyard Río Santiago, Buenos Aires province.

– Miguel Lago – delegate of the Shipyard Río Santiago.

– Hernán "Bocha" Puddu – delegate of IVECO, Córdoba province.

– Leonardo Norniella y Catalina Balaguer – members of the Workers Committee of Pepsico Snacks.

– Oscar “Chiche” Hernández – delegate of the Siderar factory.

– Eduardo Ayala – delegate of the Donneley (ex-Atlántida) publishing company.

– Carlos Artacho – delegate of FOETRA, telecommunication workers’ union, Buenos Aires.

– Carlos Platkovsky and Eduardo Saab – members of the Shop Stewards’ Committee of of the LAN branch of the APA (airlines staff union), Argentina.

– Ernesto Bustos – delegate of IOMA (Municipal Workers’ Union) of La Plata.

– Graciela Frañol – delegate of ATEN (Teachers’ Union of Neuquén)

– Claudio Dellecarbonara – delegate of the Buenos Aires Underground railway workers

– Ana Laura Lastra – member of the Shop Stewards’ Committee of ATE-INDEC (public sector workers’ union)

– Barbara Acevedo – delegate of the Garrahan Hospital

– Carlos Musante, César Gomez, Gabriela Macuada, Ariel Iglesias – delegates of SUTEBA (Teachers’ Union of Buenos Aires province)

– Juri Fernández – worker of Brukman (now Cooperative 18 December), factory expropriated by its workers

– Ernesto González – member of the Chilavert Cooperative printing company, taken over and managed by its workers.

– Franco Villalba – delegate of the Shop Stewards’ Committee of The Value Brand Company (formerly Jabón Federal)

– Leandro Sorribas – trade union delegate of RUB, welfare department of the Buenos Aires city council.

– Gustavo de Biase – delegate of the Vialidad Nacional (National Highway Department)

Political Parties and organisations

– Christian Castillo – member of the nacional leadership of the Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas

– Myriam Bregman – lawyer of CEPRODH, Association of Professionals for Human Rights

– Andrea D’Atri – member of the national leadership of the Partido de los
Trabajadores Socialistas and founder of the women’s activist group Pan y Rosas (Bread and Roses)

– Patricio del Corro – general secretary of the Students’ Union of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Buenos Aires University.

– Jessica Calcagno – former president of the Students’ Union of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Buenos Aires University.

– Juan Oribe – vicepresident of the Students’ Union of the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts of Buenos Aires University.

– University Students’ Association En Clave Roja (In the Key of Red)

– Federico Bordiga – for the youth movement ¡No pasarán! (They shall not pass!)