Clashes broke out early Friday morning between police and protesting Hellenic Steel Industry (Elliniki Halyvourgia) workers at the industry’s Aspropyrgos plant. The factory reopened at 5.30am, after nine months of workers’ strike, on orders of the prosecutor and the intervention of a strong police contingent. For more read here and please read the response from the union below.

COMPLAINT

The Board of the Union denounces the coalition government of New Democracy – PASOK – DIMAR. After doing favors to Manessis  all the previous period he did all in favor Manessis, they gave him what he demanded; today, early in the morning they implemented another mandate of his. With an entire army, riot police, teargas, mechanical units, hit the striking steelworkers. Accompanied by squads of riot police they tried and succeeded in installing in the factory the managers as well as the strikebreaking mechanism that Manessis has created.

It is clear what interests the government serves.

They are mistaken if they believe that with such actions they will be able to break the heroic struggle of the steelworkers that lasts for 9 months.

It is clear that all these days when the minister of labour appeared to be pressurizing the employer in order for a solution to be reached, in fact they were preparing the riot police attack.

The Minister of Justice of the Democratic Left says it is not his responsibility

The masks have fallen.

They are deeply mistaken if they think that by riot police and chemicals will turn us to slaves.

We urge the working class, all the working people to rally today at 5.30 pm at Aspropyrgos bridge.

The Board invites tomorrow all steelworkers at a General Assembly, 11am at Eleusis Labor Center.

The steelworkers’ struggle is for all the workers.

The President G. Sifonios

The General Secretary Th Pavlakis