Spain: Communists slam government's Labor Reform

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE) has issued a statement making assessments for the so-called "Labour Reform" prepared by the social democratic government of Spain.

Read the statement below in both English and Spanish:

"The Reform passed by the Government, the trade unions, and the employers' unions, carries out component #23 of the so-called Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, and it is an essential part of the Government's commitments to the European Commission in return for the NextGenerationEU funds. 

Mexico's AMLO government orders brutal crackdown against striking workers

Right: President Obrador with business magnate Carlos Slim

Since the early hours of yesterday, October 12, the more than 5,000 workers who are building the Dos Bocas refinery, in the Mexican state of Tabasco, began a protest against the ICA Fluor employer, owned by Carlos Slim, businessman affiliated to the current social democratic government headed by Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

It is the second mobilization of workers so far this year, who do not stop demanding compliance with their labor rights, especially the reduction of their working hours, the payment of overtime and other basic rights.

Italy in the streets: General Strike on October 11th

In a statement the Italian USB Trade Union (Unione Sindacale di Base), jointly with other class oriented trade unions and workers' association, has proclaimed a General Strike, for both public and private sector, throughout the country on October 11th. 

The statement reads:

The Draghi government has literally removed from the economic recovery plan of the country the interests of Italian workers. With the complicit support of CGIL, CISL and UIL, the layoffs have been unlocked, starting a wave of redundancies, relocations and heavy restructuring throughout the private sector.

Italy: Solidarity with Alitalia workers!

Hundreds of striking air workers blocked the highway to Rome's Fiumicino airport on Friday demonstrating against the government's plans to cut jobs in the transition between Alitalia and a new carrier dubbed ITA. 

Italian police forces responded with violence to the workers' protesting at the highway. 

Unions say that only 2,800 out of a total of nearly 11,000 employees of Alitalia will be immediately re-hired by ITA and that the labour contract offered by ITA will be less generous than the one of Alitalia.

Greek Parliament approves monstrous anti-labour bill — "The people will have the last word" says KKE leader

Thousands of people demonstrated on Wednesday June 16th in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras and other big cities denouncing the monstrous omnibus labor law that abolishes the 8-hour working day and attacks trade union rights.

Large strike demonstrations took place in Syntagma Square, downtown Athens, in the morning of Wednesday, as well as in the afternoon, during the voting of the omnibus bill in the Parliament. 

Large KKE rallies in Greece sent militant message of struggle

A powerful and militant message against the anti-labour policies of the government was sent by thousands of people who participated in the political rallies organized by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in Athens, Thessaloniki and other major cities on Thusrday afternoon.

In Athens' Syntagma Square, thousands of workers, men and women, self-employed and unemployed people, young students and pensioners, joined their voices against the monstrous anti-labour draft law prepared by the conservative ND government. Dimitris Koutsoumbas, the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE, delivered a speech, sending the message: “We refuse to become slaves in the 21st century! The monstrous anti-labour law must not be submitted!”. 

KKE and PAME express solidarity with the people of Colombia

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) have expressed their solidarity with the working class and the people of Colombia who are mobilizing against the anti-popular policies of the conservative Duque government. 

In a statement issued on 12 May, the International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE points out:

Greek government escalates oppression, intimidation and prosecutions against the workers struggles

Statement by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) concerning the latest anti-people, anti-worker policies initiated, amidst the pandemic, by the conservative New Democracy (ND) government:

 “…Because for me,the most surprising,
the most imposing, the most mysterious and grandiose
Is a man not allowed to walk;
A man who’s being shackled”

- Nazim Hikmet.

With the “demonstrations’ management” plan, the Greek government is running to prevent the popular anger and outrage that is piling up and growing.

Who will pay for the crisis? Lufthansa receives $10 billion state bailout and cuts 30,000 jobs

On November 14th we were writing that at least 90,000 people will lose their job by the end of December as a result of mass layoffs by major U.S. airline companies. Aviation giants, such as United Airlines and American Airlines laid off 32,000 workers last October in an attempt to blackmail the U.S. government for higher subsidies.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a serious impact on the aviation industry due to travel restrictions and a significant slump in demand among travellers. No travellers means less profits for the big airliners. In order to reduce losses, the monopolies of aviation proceed to a series of anti-labor measures, including pay cuts, furloughs and, of course, layoffs. 

Workers in Greece go on strike on November 26th: Statement by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME)

While Greece is in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic crisis, with a nationwide lockdown imposed, the conservative government of New Democracy (ND) escalates the policies of authoritarianism and anti-labor measures. 

 

The government not only failed to protect the country from the second wave of the pandemic, but follows a policy that focuses on the protection of business groups' profitability rather than the health of the working people. 

On Thursday 26th of November, the country's workers respond to the anti-labor, anti-people policy of the government by organizing a nationwide strike. In statement, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) points out:

Solidarity with the workers and staff in U.S. airlines — No to layoffs, pay cuts and anti-labor measures!

Employment will drop by 90,000 full-time employees by December, according to Airlines for America trade group, which represents major U.S. airlines.

The 90,000 job losses will bring U.S. airlines employment to its lowest level since the mid-1980s by year's end as a result of more than 30,000 furloughs at airlines such as United and American and thousands of other workers from Southwest, Delta Airlines and other carriers accepting buyouts, CNBC reported.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics data that the trade group compiled show the drop from pre-COVID peak in March of 460,000 full-time jobs to 370,000 full-time jobs by year's end.

Coronavirus: Workers’ lives and health cannot be put under the criterion of profit

Common Position Of European Trade Unions On The Developments Because Of The Coronavirus

We Fight To Protect The Health And Lives Of Workers

The unions that we sign this text we salute the heroic contribution of workers, scientists in Healthcare, hospitals, sanitation and a series of other services who under, even life-threatening conditions, exhaustion, under-staffed and unprepared prevention systems, fight for the protection of the lives of the workers, of all the people.

KKE leader Dimitris Koutsoumbas blasts Greek government's anti-worker policy

“Capitalist development neither is nor can ever be development for all” said the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Dimitris Koutsoumbas during his speech in the Parliament on labour issues. 

Koutsoumbas fired against New Democracy government reforms saying that what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis describes as “Greece of development and prosperity” has absolutely nothing to do with what the workers are experiencing.