Workers Lives Matter: Solidarity with the struggle of Cosco workers in Greece

On Monday 25th October, 46 year-old dockworker Dimitris Daglis was killed at pier 2 at the Cosco-owned Piraeus Port Container Station, after he was fatally hit by a crane bridge. 

"It's not the 'bad' moment. It is a result of the intensification of work, the lack of safety measures for our health and our integrity ", the Union of Container Workers at Piraeus Port (ENEDEP) underlined in its statement, declaring a strike in response to the tragic event. 

Important update on Cuba and new maneuvers against the Cuban Revolution

The main problem for the development of Cuba throughout history has been the hostility of the United States, which is not resigned to the existence of a socialist revolution in what they consider to be their backyard or area of influence. To overthrow the government of Cuba they have used the criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade, direct aggression and ideological subversion.

Today the Cuban population is experiencing a particularly difficult situation due to the combination of the blockade, the pandemic, and unilateral coercive measures taken by the US government to erode the people’s support for the revolution. This is compounded by campaigns of lies, of manipulations that try to blame the Cuban government for the economic difficulties in times of pandemic, and they try to present Cuba as a collapsed country and in chaos to provoke a social outbreak and justify external intervention.

Communist and Workers' Parties: The people of Sudan will win! The coup will fail!

In a joint statement, more than 35 Communist and Workers' Parties from all over the world condemn the military coup in Sudan and express their solidarity with the communists and the people of the African country. 

The statement reads:

"The Communist and Workers’ Parties signing this Joint Statement condemn the military coup that took place over the last hours in Sudan.

KKE denounces the despicable anti-communist "resolution" circulated in the European Parliament

Another despicable and unhistorical anti-communist “informal resolution” is being circulated in the European Parliament. According to 902.gr portal, the European Parliament Group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) denounces that the so-called “Informal group on European Remembrance” tries to promote a shameful resolution which is undersigned by some MEPs from the “European People's Party (EPP)” and the “European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)”. 

What kind of “communists” were elected in Graz?

When the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) won the local elections in Graz, the country's second largest city, we did not hide our concern about the political orientation of the party. “The KPÖ is affiliated to the Party of the European Left, the political alliance which includes social democratic and opportunist forces, like Greece's SYRIZA, Germany's Die Linke and Spain's United Left”, we wrote.

Eventually, the KPO and its Graz branch has received strong, but justified, critique by the Party of Labour (PdA) which was formed in 2013 by a Marxist-Leninist breakaway faction of the KPÖ who disagreed with the party's opportunist turn. According to the Party of Labour's chairman, Tibor Zenker, the KPÖ “is not a Marxist-Leninist party”, while concepts such as class struggle, socialist revolution and communism are included neither in the rhetoric, nor in the activities, of the KPO ("Das dunkelrote Graz", zeitungderarbeit.at). 

Worker killed at Cosco-owned Piraeus Port in Greece

A 46-year-old dockworker was killed on Monday afternoon at pier 2 at the Piraeus Container Station, when, under unclear circumstances, he was fatally hit by a crane bridge.

"It's not the 'bad' moment. It is a result of the intensification of work, the lack of safety measures for our health and our integrity ", the Union of Container Workers at Piraeus Port underlines in its statement, demanding 6-hour shifts, abolition of counter shifts, conversion of all contracts into full and Health and Safety Committees by employees. 

KKE: Solidarity with the people of Sudan

In a statement (here in Greek) about the developments in Sudan, where the military seized power and dissolved civilian rule, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) points out the following:

“The KKE expresses its full solidarity to the suffering people of Sudan, the working class and the comrades of the Sudanese Communist Party, who are experiencing another coup. 

Free Carmen Villalba! Joint statement by Communist Parties denounces the Paraguayan government

In a joint statement titled "For the validity of the rule of law: freedom for prisoners with completed sentences", Communist and Workers' Parties denounce the illegal detention of Carmen Villalba despite the fact that she has completed all her prison sentences.

The full statement, which was published on solidnet.org, is the following (in English and Spanish):

The undersigned Communist and Workers Parties denounce the Paraguayan government to the international community for the illegal detention of Carmen Villalba, who is still being held in the Asunción Women's Prison, in Paraguay, despite the effective fulfillment of her sentence.

Truth and Lies about the 1956 counterrevolution in Hungary

"In autumn 1956, Hungary announced its withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, but Soviet troops invaded the country and suppressed the uprising." 

 

"In 1968 the Czechoslovak attempt to distance itself from Moscow was met with an invasion of the country by the member states of the Warsaw Pact.”

(Greek History book, 3rd grade of High School) 70

Communists back Tel Aviv SlutWalk against sexual violence

About 2,000 participants marched in a SlutWalk in Tel Aviv on Friday, October 15, protesting sexual violence, discrimination and victim-blaming.  

 

Participants, among them members of the Young Communist League of Israel, shouted slogans such as: “I believe you,” while carrying signs with pictures of sex offenders and major streets across the city were blocked as demonstrators made their way to the main rally at Habima Square.

Monument dedicated to Yuri Gagarin unveiled in Portugal

The bust of the legendary Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man who traveled to space in 1961, was unveiled in the Oeiras municipality of the Lisbon metropolitan area in Portugal.

The bronze bust, which was placed in the Tagush Park Technopark, was presented to the city by the International Charitable Foundation “Dialogue of Cultures – One World”, while the event was attended by the Russian Ambassador in Portugal.

PAME: Solidarity with the workers' strikes in the USA

John Deree employees protest in Davenport, Iowa.

In a statement of solidarity towards the recent mobilizations and strikes by workers throughout the United States, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), Greece's class-based union movement, stresses out:

"PAME, which represents the class union movement of Greece, a member of the WFTU, expresses solidarity with the workers in the USA who are in various mobilizations, strikes and protests, claiming Collective Agreements with salary increases in many sectors.

EU's concern for the rise of far-right extremism and racism is hypocritical, says KKE MEP

KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis speaking in Strasbourg.

“The organized struggle of the people against the system that generates fascism can isolate the criminal-fascist gangs, said Kostas Papadakis, MEP of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), highlighting the hypocrisy of the European Union on the matter, during his intervention at the Plenary of the EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

Speaking at the debate concerning the “rise of the right-wing extremism and racism in Europe” on October 20th, the KKE MEP pointed out:

Flashback: Remembering the 2011 murderous attack against PAME rally in Athens

Today, 20 October, marks the 10th anniversary of the organized murderous attack unleashed by parastatal groups, anarchists, fascists and other provocateurs against the huge rally of PAME and trade unions in Athens in 2011. Back then, as a response to the anti-people measures taken by the PASOK government, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) and class-oriented trade unions and workers' associations had organized enormous strike mobilizations on 19-20 October throughout Greece,

Dutch communists condemn police violence against housing protesters in Rotterdam

Under the slogan "Houses for people, not profit," more than 7,000 people from all over the country gathered on Sunday in the city of Rotterdam for a national housing rally named "Woonopstand".

The demonstrators denounced the long waiting lists for social housing, the high prices in the private rental sector, the owner-occupied market, and the rising number of homeless people. 

"Farewell" to Colin Powell

Bolivia's jailed dictator Jeanine Áñez nominated for EU's Sakharov Prize!

The story behind the European Parliament's so-called “Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought” is known. Each year, the EU Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize to “honour” “exceptional individuals and organisations” who supposedly defend “human rights” and “fundamental freedoms”. 

 

Nonetheless, the actual aim behind this “award” is the attempt of the European Union to present herself as a “defender of human rights”, to reward the stooges of imperialism and to promote anti-communism. 

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.

KKE denounces the new Greece-US military agreement

In a press release on the amendment of the “Greece–US defence agreement” and the statements of Ministers of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias and Anthony Blinken in Washington DC, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses the following:

“The so-called defence —but in reality extremely aggressive— agreement between Greece and the USA constitutes a dangerous development that further entangles our country in the US and NATO war plans in the wider region. Besides, the reference of the US Secretary of State to Greece's contribution to the war in Afghanistan foreshadows many new cases like Afghanistan, with the active participation of Greece. 

Chilean Communist Party condemns police violence against Mapuche people

With the declaration of a state of emergency, police repression and militarization of four provinces Chilean President Sebastián Piñera responds to the extensive demonstrations by indigenous Mapuche groups.

The Mapuches, which are the main indigenous group in Chile, are claiming the lands they have lived off for centuries and now are under the control of large domestic and foreign farming and forestry companies. 

California: A communist for Long Beach City Council

Good news come from California and especially Long Beach where a Communist Party (CPUSA) member is running for the City Council elections on June 2022. 

 

Steven Estrada, a community organizer and U.S. Army Veteran, is candidate for District 1 and, if elected, he would serve a four-year term alongside eight others representing different council members, People's World reports. 

Greece-US agreement on military bases must be cancelled!

By Nikos Mottas.

Today, Thursday 14 October, Greece's Minister of Foreign Affairs visits Washington DC in order to sign the the second Protocol of Amendment of the Greek-US Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) with his U.S counterpart, Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The right-wing New Democracy government, continuing the “Strategic Dialogue” with the United States which was initiated by social democratic SYRIZA, promotes the renewal of the Greece-US Agreement on military bases for a period of 5 years and then its transformation indefinetely, as well as the installation of more military bases in many regions.