By Michael Karadjis
ATHENS — Seven thousand workers marched through the streets of Athens during the October 23 general strike called by the General Union of Greek Workers (GSEE). In many areas, 60-70% of the work force participated in the strike.
"We should separate two factors", says Dimitris Desyllas from the New Left Current (NAR). On the one hand, the militancy represents "large-scale rage" which exists in the working class against the neo-liberal program of the government of Kostas Samoyeds. On the other hand, the GSEE leadership "has already agreed to everything" in its discussions with the government and the bosses in the so-called "social dialogue".
This "social dialogue" is the mask with which Samoyeds' Pasok (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) government is driving through a series of radical changes to working conditions and social rights. These changes are dictated by the needs of Greek capital in its drive towards full European economic integration by 2000. They include mass privatisation, cutting taxes for the bosses while increasing them for workers, abolition of collective bargaining, abolition of the eight-hour day and overtime payments, generalisation of part-time employment and "flexibility" of working hours and conditions.
Many of these changes were designed by the 1990-93 right-wing government of Mitsotakis, but massive resistance prevented their full implementation. So far, Samoyeds has been more successful, using the "social dialogue" and the cover provided by the GSEE, under Pasok leadership.
The main demands of the GSEE's action were for wage rises, tax reform and a 35-hour week. However, a militant minority movement among trade unions which took part in the march demanded an "immediate 35-hour week with no loss of pay, with the perspective of further reductions; no to part-time and 'flexible' work; and rejection of the government's changes to industrial relations".
The success of the government's "social dialogue" will depend on the strength of the organised workers' movement. While the Pasok-dominated section of the trade union leadership supports the process so far, the section led by the Communist Party has condemned it from the start.
Another section, led by the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos), pulled out of the process following the October 23 action. This may be one small victory of the action, making it more difficult for the government to have the full "consensus" of the labour leadership.<>><>41559MS>n<>255D>