GREEK workers have called for support from their international counterparts ahead of a general strike next week over measures that they say would effectively ban trade unions in the country.

The communist-affiliated All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) has called for protests at Greek embassies on November 26 when millions of workers are expected to walk out across the country.

They are protesting against a government bill that will legislate for a 10-hour working day and 60-day working week while banning workers from striking and outlawing trade unions.

PAME warned that the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is using the cover of coronavirus to push through the restrictive measures, the latest raft of legislation against workers in the debt-ridden country.

“The pandemic is turning into a great opportunity for the government and the bosses. At the same time that the country, because of the government’s choices, is at the brink of a new lockdown, the pandemic is sweeping the national healthcare system that was left defenceless and understaffed,” a PAME statement said.

On Tuesday workers protested outside the Ministry of Health over a failure to protect front-line workers effectively from coronavirus. Further protests took place at hospitals yesterday.

Under the government proposals, PAME warns that stable working hours will be shattered with an additional two hours per day of unpaid labour for workers and Sunday banned as a day off.

So called “safety staff” will be made to work during strikes which the union warns will mean more workers will be brought in to cover those involved in the industrial dispute.

General assemblies to discuss strike action are set to be abolished and replaced by electronic voting while picket lines will be made a criminal act, which PAME warns will effectively ban strikes.

But PAME insisted it would not allow the government to rush through the Bill.

“We will not back down from fighting collectively for our rights and union freedoms. We will not hand over to the capitalists and their state the right to unionise, to assemble and decide, to elect our representatives. We will not stop fighting no matter how many persecutions they initiate,” it said.

“PAME is calling to the unions of every country to denounce the anti-worker Bill of the Greek government. Express solidarity to the general strike of the workers of Greece on November 26.”

Messages of solidarity can be sent to:

PAME: [email protected]

ILO: [email protected]

Protests and messages are called for at Local Embassies of Greece in each country