The power of class solidarity and the importance of class-based trade unions are highlighted in a letter of thanks sent by a migrant worker from China, who was injured at work, to the Corfu Builders’ Trade Union.
Xiang Tianxiao, from China, was working as a construction worker in Corfu and, as he explains in his letter, has been employed in Greece for quite some time. “Like countless colleagues, I work hard every day and struggle to earn a living”, he writes.
While at work, he suffered an injury, and, as he notes, “after the accident, I felt terrified and helpless”. As a foreign worker, he was unfamiliar with the relevant laws and procedures, while the language barrier made the situation even more difficult. However, as he points out, “the Greek trade unions came to my aid when I needed it most, helping me through the most difficult moments”.
Referring to the Corfu Builders’ Trade Union, he states that the Union’s president “did everything he could to help me. He contacted the relevant authorities, assisted me with the necessary procedures, patiently explained to me the legal rights workers are entitled to, and repeatedly helped coordinate and communicate with the various parties involved, resolving one practical problem after another”.
“They did not see me as a stranger in a foreign country. On the contrary, they treated me as though I were a member of their family”, he emphasizes.
Addressing his fellow workers from China, he notes that “it is already difficult enough to leave your homeland and work abroad. We are far from our country and our families, and it is inevitable that we will encounter unexpected challenges and difficulties”. He adds that if anyone finds themselves in a difficult situation or suffers a workplace accident, “please do not suffer in silence and do not panic”, but instead step forward to contact the trade union.
“They will stand up for our legal rights”, he writes, expressing his gratitude to the workers and trade unions of Corfu, who “have always placed the interests of workers first. Regardless of where we come from, the unions are a reliable source of support for all workers”.
The Corfu Builders’ Trade Union stands firmly alongside all workers, both Greek and migrant. It is also worth recalling that the Union recently intervened on several occasions regarding the inhumane living conditions faced by dozens of Chinese construction workers employed on the island, in the Barbati area. As a result of these interventions, the workers were relocated to a hotel in the wider area.