Message of the strikers of Greek Steelworks

Dear fellow-workers, once more we are witnessing a huge solidarity wave to our struggle that begun on 30/10. On that day, Greek Steelworks SA started the unjustified lay offs in an effort to terrorize us and force us to accept a modification of the collective wage agreement ruling an average  wage reduction of 40%, a reduction of working hours to 5 per day together with the introduction of shift work. The laid off workers have now reached 50+1. Our struggle is continuous. We are still alive and kicking, we are united, we are all together in this struggle. Except for the working class itself, nobody can truly understand why workers that fight for their rights and for the collective wage agreements are united in an effort to block the storm of the anti-worker policies that the employer’s association and their friends are trying so badly to achieve. How can actually people feel it if they do not cross the ‘gates of fire’.

They cannot feel it if they do not see with their own eyes and talk with the workers about the meaning of working with steel and fire, if they do not see what it really means to have accidents, many of which you are forced not to declare as work accidents as this would be harmful for the company and for yourself. We managed to beat the fear, the silence, the dilemma of terror and we come out as winners from the struggle that we started on our own but we became so many as the struggle evolved. We joined the power of our souls and we became harder than the steel that we produce. The people that visit us feel this and we want you to feel this as well. Speak the voice of your souls, call for a workers’ uprising, don’t waste any moment!

You have the right on your side. Others have to fear and they do fear. Light fires of steelwork everywhere!

Support your fellows. Join your voices to shout the great message of victory.

Do not waste any time because they time has come!