On Friday, February 28, USB Porti had the opportunity to participate with an international delegation in an important day of struggle for the Greek people and workers and in a fundamental moment of coordination between port unions from different European and non-European countries.
The day began with participation in the impressive mobilization in Syntagma Square to commemorate the Tempe massacre, a train accident that caused the death of 57 people, most of them young students. A commemoration that became a moment of struggle with one of the largest general strikes in Greek history, with more than three million people taking to the streets throughout Greece. The main demand of this general strike was for money for security and not for war.
Following this great demonstration, USB, together with the Piraeus port workers’ union Enedep, which is part of PAME and the WFTU, promoted the first meeting of an international coordination of port unions from various European, North African and Middle Eastern countries. This coordination is the result of the need for unions to meet and discuss the struggles they have waged in recent years against arms trafficking and war. For example, the port blockades in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Morocco against the export of arms to Israel and in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
From this first meeting it was decided to create the International Dockers’ Coordinating Committee with the intention of extending it to other dockers’ unions based on this shared platform:
– Rejection and condemnation of the involvement of our countries in imperialist wars by blocking the transportation of arms in ports and in solidarity with oppressed peoples.
– For wage increases that cover the price increases and inflation caused by the wars.
– For the reduction of working hours, port security and workers’ health.
-Against the introduction of technologies in ports to increase the pace and exploitation of workers. Against the use by employers of automation and artificial intelligence to take away jobs and increase unemployment.
-For the inclusion of port work among the strenuous categories so that there is a real turnover.
-Against privatization. For the public management and ownership of ports.
At a time when our governments are imposing war and an arms race on us, bringing poverty and death to the workers of the world, this meeting of port workers is another important step for the working class to create true international solidarity. For this reason, we have all committed to coordinating ourselves to build a day of international mobilization.
USB Ports
