Workers and unions rally in Athens to mark Labor Day
Federations, unions, and workers Monday participated in two large strike rallies in Athens to mark Labor Day.
Greek Communist Party (KKE)-affiliated PAME protesters gathered at various locations across the city before converging towards Syntagma Square, where they voiced their support for labor struggles and rights. Actor Vassilis Kolovos recited a poem by Turkish poet and author Aziz Nesin titled “Be silent.”
The major federations of the private and public sector, GSEE and ADEDY, were also present, along with the Labor Center of Athens.
French union members, who have been protesting against President Emmanuel Macron government’s pension reforms, participated in the rallies and displayed bilingual banners in Greek and French reading “The people will win” (Les peoples gagneront). Earlier in the day, they visited the Athens suburb of Kaisariani to pay their respects to Greek resistance fighters executed by German occupation troops during World War II.
Several politicians attended the rallies, including PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, KKE Secretary General Dimitris Koutsoumbas, former prime minister George Papandreou, and ex-finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos.
Similar labor rallies were organized separately in Thessaloniki in northern Greece. [AMNA]
