Information about the strike ahead of the strike on October 14 for our colleagues who will be striking for the first time. The strike has been called by the Confederation of Private Sector Employees (OIYE) and dozens of labor centers throughout Greece, in which our Union is participating, and we are all covered to participate.
#1: What is a strike? A strike is a form of struggle, a way for workers to collectively demand better working and living conditions, to show solidarity with other workers, to protest against something, etc. We put forward our demands each time. How do we do this? By stopping production, putting into practice the slogan “without you, the wheel doesn’t turn.” We exert as much pressure as we can on the employer by stopping work, so that the employer cannot make a profit on that day, or during those hours if we are talking about a work stoppage.
#2: Who decides it: Strikes in the private sector are called by trade unions (unions in a company or sector, labor centers in a region, or federations for workers in a sector nationwide, GSEE for all workers in Greece). Similarly, in the public sector, it is the trade unions of the workers.#3: Can I participate? All employees can participate in the strike. They are covered by the decision of the trade unions that have taken the decision. Regardless of whether an employee is a member of a union, they are covered and protected by it. the Confederation of Private Sector Employees (OIYE) and dozens of labor centers throughout Greece have decided on a strike on October 14th, so all employees in the private sectors nationwide are covered.
#3: Can I participate? All employees can participate in the strike. They are covered by the decision of the trade unions that have taken the decision. Regardless of whether an employee is a member of a union, they are covered and protected by it. the Confederation of Private Sector Employees (OIYE) and dozens of labor centers throughout Greece have decided on a strike on October 14th, so all employees in the private sectors nationwide are covered.#4: How do I go on strike? It’s very simple: I don’t go to work. I don’t go to the office, and I don’t log in if I’m working from home. If I am asked on that day why I am not working, I explain, or else I inform my employer the next day so that my absence is not considered unjustified. If I want, I can inform my supervisor in advance by email (*see example below), or if there is a company system for submitting leave requests, I can submit it there, but this is not mandatory.
#4: How do I go on strike? It’s very simple: I don’t go to work. I don’t go to the office, and I don’t log in if I’m working from home. If I am asked on that day why I am not working, I explain, or else I inform my employer the next day so that my absence is not considered unjustified. If I want, I can inform my supervisor in advance by email (*see example below), or if there is a company system for submitting leave requests, I can submit it there, but this is not mandatory.
#5: When can I decide whether to go on strike? Even on the same day. At any time before or during the strike, an employee can decide to go on strike.
#6: What should I do if they pressure me? We contact the Union directly. No employer, manager, or HR representative has the right to prevent us from participating in any way. They cannot tell us to take leave, take our laptop home, pay for a taxi to come to work, or ask us to work because of workload, deadlines, etc. All these are ways to weaken participation in the strike, i.e., they are strike-breaking mechanisms. Employee participation in the strike is a right, and the union can block such strike-breaking mechanisms.
#7: Do strikes achieve anything? Yes, and that is why governments, the state, and employers fight them in every way possible. Strikes are a very powerful weapon we have at our disposal. Because it is the day when workers stop production and it becomes clear who ultimately holds the power. Because as long as we don’t work, we don’t produce, employers lose out, they have no way of making a profit without us. Because the more massive the participation, the louder the message sent to the state, their governments, and business groups that we workers are determined to fight for our demands by any means necessary. Because even if we are understandably concerned about lost wages, the gains from collective action and demands pave the way for us to achieve much more.
#8: Is that enough? The strike is another weapon in the hands of workers. Power lies in collective organization. Within the Union. That is, in the organization of workers in a company or industry. This is the space, through General Assemblies, meetings, events, mobilizations, and initiatives of the Union, where workers can meet away from management, discuss what concerns them, and decide collectively.
SETEP, through daily action and struggle, together with our colleagues, is fighting for real pay rises, a collective agreement for all, and health and safety measures.
Template for the strike on 14/10:
Dear (supervisor name),
I will be participating to the 24 hour General Strike on October 14 (23:59-24:00), declared by the Federation of Private Sector Employees (OIYE) and Labor Centers throughout Greece.
Thank you very much for your time in advance.
Kind regards,(Name and last name)