Vol. 72/No. 1      January 7, 2008

The strike was called by the two labor union federations in the private and public sectors respectively. Some 30,000 workers participated in a rally and march in Thessaloniki. Similar protests took place in most other cities around the country.

The workers were protesting a package of measures proposed by the conservative capitalist government of the New Democracy Party. The legislation would cut social security benefits and raise the retirement age, which is currently 65 years for men and 60 years for women. It would also reduce the number of jobs registered as “hazardous” from 700,000 to 350,000. Workers in this category, such as airport workers, are eligible to retire earlier than 65.

The government proposals would also make it harder for industrial workers injured on the job to be eligible for compensation and early retirement. For example, a construction worker who loses an arm would not be eligible for workers’ compensation. Instead the worker would have to get a job that doesn’t require two arms.

The labor rally and march demanded the reduction of the retirement age limit, the extension of the “hazardous” category to more jobs, increases in retirement benefits, and no cuts in social security.

Some of the largest contingents at the march were of airport workers, especially from Olympic Airways. The government intends to privatize the airline and lay many workers off. Nonunion workers also took part in the rally, including a contingent of DHL couriers who are fighting for a union.

—Bobbis Misailides

Access-A-Ride workers in N.Y.
strike for wages, benefits
NEW YORK—Some 1,500 paratransit drivers and mechanics, members of Local 1181-1061 of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), began a strike here December 10 to win higher wages, better health benefits, and an improved 401(k) plan. The union also wants a three-year instead of a five-year contract. Union members rejected a contract offer a few months ago.

The drivers on strike serve about half of the users of the Access-A-Ride system, transporting up to 9,000 elderly and disabled persons per day in special vans. Four companies are being struck: Atlantic Paratrans, Maggie’s Paratransit, MV Transportation, and Transit Facility Management.

“Our strike is solid,” said Daniel Rivera at an Atlantic Paratrans picket line six days into the strike. “Only two people out of some 350 have crossed,” he added proudly.

Rivera and other strikers answered big-business media attempts to blame strikers for the difficulties faced by people who rely on Access-A-Ride to get around the city. “We were going to hand out fliers letting patrons know there was a set date for the strike so they could prepare and make other arrangements. Management didn’t allow us,” Rivera said.

—Dan Fein

N.Y. building workers rally,
authorize strike
NEW YORK—Several thousand commercial cleaners, doormen, and elevator operators marched here from Times Square to Rockefeller Center December 12. The workers, members of Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), voted at the rally to authorize a strike if necessary to secure a wage increase.

The contract, covering 26,000 service workers in more than 2,000 commercial properties in the city, expires Dec. 31, 2007.

The union opened contract negotiations with the Realty Advisory Board, an association of commercial building owners, managers, and cleaning contractors, at the end of October. A central demand of the union is a wage increase.

Since the last contract was negotiated three years ago, commercial real estate profits have skyrocketed. The union cites figures of an industry source, CoStar Group, Inc., that show rents have increased 26 percent in class A buildings in the last year as vacancy rates have dropped to 5.3 percent, a six-year low for the industry. At the same time, the union points out that real wages of workers after inflation have dropped by 5 percent since 2005.

“We’re here to get better wages because everything is going up—gas prices, rents, and the subways,” Victor Leon told the Militant. David Finney, a building porter for 24 years, said, “I support the fight for a contract that can insure our health care and get us a fair raise. Union members who’ve been on the job as long as I have know the health-care issue is a big one.”

—Olga Rodríguez  
 
 
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