A few days ago the 36th Congress of GSEE (General Federation of Workers of Greece), which represents the trade unions of workers in the private sector, was held.

In the elections for the new administration of GSEE, the list of DAS, which was supported by the All-workers' Militant Front (PAME) achieved the 2nd position (it was 3rd in the previous elections).And this despite the corruption and fraud that prevails in the trade union elections.

The specific election results were:

• DAS (supported by PAME):83 votes (22.55%) and 10 seats.
• PASKE (list of the social-democratic PASOK party):119 votes (32.33%) and 15 seats.
• DAKE (list of the rightwing party of ND) :67 votes (18.2%) and 8 seats.
• META (list of SYRIZA and Popular Unity):53 votes (14.4%) and 7 seats.
• New Democratic Independent Initiative of Workers (split from the DAKE grouping):31 votes (8.42%) and 4 seats.
• EMEIS (split from PASKE): 9 votes (2.44%) and 1 seat.
• Militant Class Unity (Antarsya and others):6 votes (1.63%) and no seats.

Organization-regroupment is our path

In its statement, PAME notes that the results f the elections demonstrate "the trust, stability and dynamism of PAME's forces in the sectors and workplaces. This was also expressed at the Congress of GSEE, in conditions where once again fraud, the adulteration of the real correlation of forces, under the table deals, bribery, the complete degeneration of collective procedures were prevalent. Phenomena that are alien to the working class, far removed from the worries and concerns of the thousands of workers and unemployed."

"The difficulties are in front of us!" notes the statement which continues:"We have to face the escalation of the onslaught on the social-security and pension rights and then a new round of attacks on the labour rights, salaries, trade union rights, as regards taxation and the "red" loans etc.

The only response that can create strong obstacles and reverse the onslaught, push for the restoration of the losses of the working class and popular families and struggle for new demands on the basis of the contemporary needs of the people, is the organization in the workplaces, the sectors, the organization in the trade unions.

The organization in the  trade unions, the intensification of the collective activity linked with all the values of the class struggle, the implacable struggle against capital and its political personnel, the exposure and isolation of the representatives of employer and government led trade unionism, the ceaseless conflict against the ideological constructs and "values" of these forces are preconditions for the change of the correlation of forces that exist today and are the basis for the regroupment of the labour-people's movement.

The forces of PAME will utilize the results of the 36th Congress of GSEE in this direction. They will continue in a more organized, decisive and combative way and will devote all their forces to the class struggles, will focus their fight on the workplaces and sectors."

24.03.2016