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Greek trade unions condemn fascist attacks

By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Greek labor organization, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME). The Trade Unions Against the Fascists’ Attacks

On Tuesday, January 17, the Parents Association and Teachers’ Union of the 1st Primary School of Iconio, Perama (neighborhood of Piraeus, next to Athens, the largest port of Greece), were holding a meeting for the reception of 27 refugee children, who are to start attending at this school.

The school meeting was attacked by a fascist raid battalion, of the Golden Dawn, headed by one of their MPs (who is also accused in the trial for the murder of the Antifascist Pavlos Fyssas and the murderous attack against union leaders of PAME). The fascists attacked the parents and the teachers, while police forces were present and did nothing to stop them. The fascists were repelled by the strong stance of the teachers and the people at the school.

The PAME-affiliated Unions of Piraeus and Perama stated:

“The Piraeus workers and the whole country have accepted the refugee children in schools alongside with their own children since the vast majority of people understand that the refugees are forced to leave their countries, chased together with their family to escape rockets and bullets, getting drowned in rafts to survive, you need solidarity and protection, especially when it relates to infants and young children.

Our Unions from the first moment stood by the refugees, did everything in their power to show their solidarity, material and moral, but also to demand from the government immediate measures so that refugees can reach the fastest in the destinations they wish, but while they stay in our country to live in appropriate conditions.

We urge every parent to isolate the neo-Nazi criminals who trample on the bad situation we are living as workers and trying to present those responsible, as victims.

Responsibility for the tragic situation that forces millions of people to leave their homes, have those who cause people to be slaughtered in wars for the sharing of oil and natural resources of each country. The neo-Nazi Criminals Golden Dawn will do what they can, to hide from the workers that, for the refugee situation and the situation that we live the workers in our country, guilty are the business groups, the monopolies that profit billions from the imperialist wars and interventions.

This is the reason why the capitalists finance and support the fascist Golden Dawn all these years. We call on the workers of the Piraeus region, to welcome the refugee children like our own, together and to strengthen our struggle against wars which cause death and uprooting of people”

The Trade Unions of:

Metal Workers and Shipbuilding Woodworkers Union National Union of Maritime Mechanics-PEMEN National Union of Maritime Workers-Stefenson National Union of Maritime Catering Workers-PEEMAGEN Retail and Private Employees Union of Piraeus Private Healthcare Employees Union of Piraeus Construction Workers Union of Piraeus Chemical-Oil-Soap Workers Union

Athens Jan. 18

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