The overwhelming majority of the farm workers in Marathonas who participated in the strike are from Pakistan, India, and Egypt. Although the imperialist occupation of Afghanistan has heightened the war danger between India and Pakistan, "here we are all workers facing the same problems and trying to find common solutions, which lead us to organize a strike," said Nawaz. The walkout began June 9 and lasted for two days.

The workers are employed by capitalist farmers and labor in greenhouses and in the fields producing flowers, vegetables, and fruit for markets in Athens. There has not been a union of farm workers in Greece.

Nawaz has worked for eight years in the greenhouses. During that time his pay for an eight-hour day has risen from 11.15 to 20.50 euros (1 euro=US 98 cents). "Farm work is a heavy job that most Greek workers won’t do with such low pay," he explained. Farm workers in the fields are relatively worse off. They work from 6:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night and receive between 14 and 20 euros. Workers generally work seven days a week. Nawaz said this is the first strike in the eight years he has worked in Marathonas.

In addition to low pay, farm workers, especially in the greenhouses, face dangerous job conditions due to chemicals used in intensive cultivation. Although many workers in Marathonas have health insurance, the bosses refuse to give any money to the fund. Workers are thus forced to pay some of the 500 euros a year for state health insurance.

Another issue in the strike is the inhuman housing conditions. Like most farm workers in Marathonas, Nawaz lives with 10 other co-workers in two small rooms provided by his boss.

In the face of such conditions, Nawaz and others organized the strike by talking with workers in the fields and greenhouses throughout the region. They formed a representative committee of two Indians, two Pakistanis, and two Egyptians. Among those they talked to were a few Greek and Albanian workers who decided not to participate in the strike.

With the mediation of the mayor of Marathonas, they agreed to go back to work and give the employers 20 days to come up with an answer to their demands.

By firing the most active workers in the strike, the employers hope to use this time to their advantage. The fired workers face an uphill battle to get their jobs back. They have filed a complaint with the ministry of labor that is scheduled to be heard July 8.

Voicing the support of the General Confederation of Workers in Greece (GSEE), union official Dimitris Stratoulis told the Athens News that the federation’s legal services were at the workers’ disposal. "If we tolerate [these conditions] today for migrant workers it will soon apply for Greek workers as well," he said.  
 
General strike
This bold action by immigrant farm workers comes in the context of resistance against government attacks on pensions. On June 18, the day before the parliamentary vote on measures attacking social security, the GSEE and the confederation of civil service unions (ADEDY) staged a general strike. Despite the fact that a significant section of GSEE’s leadership, which is loyal to the governing social democratic PASOK party, opposed it, the strike paralyzed transportation and many large industries, such as shipyards and oil refineries.

Parliament approved the measures, which include extending the working years necessary to retire by two and decreasing the pensions workers overall will receive by 10 percent. The government had attempted much deeper cuts a year ago, arguing that an aging population would lead to bankruptcy of the retirement fund. Broad resistance by working people pushed back the assault.

The Greek Maritime Workers Federation (PNO) called for an ongoing strike and continued their work stoppage through June 21, causing sea transportation to come to a halt. PNO’s main demand is for the increase of pensions to 70 percent of wages, up from the current 60 percent. The government went on a propaganda campaign aiming at pitting other working people against the maritime unions, by pointing to dwindling food supplies in the country’s many islands and the loss of tourist revenue.

In a move designed to chill broader labor resistance, the government broke the strike by invoking an emergency military conscription law, under which the strikers could face court martials if they did not return to work.

Natasha Terlexis and Bobbis Misailides work at the Athens airport.  
 
 
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