Protesters hold flares as they take part in rally, during a nationwide general strike organised by private and public sector unions demanding for better wages, in Athens, Greece, November 20, 2024
THOUSANDS of workers marched through Athens today during a 24-hour general strike called by Greek unions in protest against the rising cost of living.
In an action timed to coincide with the government submitting the 2025 budget to parliament, workers in both the public and private sectors joined the strike, which disrupted public transport and halted ferry service between the Greek islands and the mainland.
Medical staff at state-run hospitals and teachers were among those who joined the action, which also pressed a demand for the reinstatement of collective wage agreements that were scaled back during Greece’s financial crisis — which began in 2010.
KEVIN COURTNEY of Stand Up to Racism and JOHN PAGE of the Ella Baker School of Organising announce a joint project aiming to unite trade unions and social movements in creating new narratives to fight the divisive rhetoric of the far right
It is only trade union power at work that will materially improve the lot of working people as a class but without sector-wide collective bargaining and a right to take sympathetic strike action, we are hamstrung in the fight to tilt back the balance of power, argues ADRIAN WEIR