The first general strike against the new coalition government boosts the
confidence of left organisers in the Greek city of Chania
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Story Transcript
The first general strike against the new government in Greece was militant throughout the country.
The Real News reports from the city of Chania, on the island of Crete.
Chania is a city of 60.000 inhabitants, heavily dependent on tourism for income.
It is also home to strong unions and left organisations. Several thousand people showed up on the strike march.
Unions and left groups participated in an organized fashion.
Even the secondary school students formed their own block on the demonstration, with their own slogan.
Many left and anti-bailout parties featured prominently on the demonstration
Interview with United Peoples Front member Markos Giorgionakis, about why he is protesting and the attacks on workers rights.
Unions struck against the memorandum of the troika, but also raised their own specific demands. Hospital workers struck demanding sorely needed medical supplies.
Dr Wyronas Nikardopoulos discusses the strike action of the hospital unions, and the problems Greek hospitals have with basic supplies
Syriza, the coalition of left parties that won 27% in the general election, akso had a block on the march
Many union reps are members of radical left parties. Seraphim Rizos, a primary school teachers rep, is a member of the anticapitalist coalition Antarsya. Antarsya and Syriza together have the majority in both teachers unions
Antarsya has not joined Syriza’s pluralist left coalition, sticking to its anti-Euro perspective.
Dr. Wyronas Nikardopoulos;
In the town of Kilkis, the hospiral workers already took control of their own hospital. Dr. Wyronas Nikardopoulos explains that worker self management is a tempting thought for at his work place, as well.
The elections and the summer holidays may have momentarily interrupted the Greek workers movement. The strike of September 26th, however, reveals increasing organization and politization of a movement on the rise.
