Greece

A call for support of the struggle of VIOME

Against the imminent threat of liquidation, the workers of VIOME appeal for international solidarity.

Dear solidarity supporters, we invite you to stand beside us, to support every effort of the workers to make the forces of production autonomous from the capitalist class, a class which anyway has delocalised all production abroad. We invite you to support the operation of the factory, since we, the workers, have declared that we are not leaving, that our lives are now linked to this factory. read more »

Take back the factory: worker control in the current crisis

The economic crisis that began in 2008 has put workers’ control and workplace democracy back on the agenda in the countries of the northern hemisphere.

During the first decade of the current century, factory occupations and production under workers’ control seemed to be limited mainly to South America, with a few exceptions in Asia. It was beyond the imagination of most workers and scholars in industrialized countries that workers would or could occupy their companies and run them on their own. Nevertheless, the crisis that started in 2008 put workers’ control back on the agenda in the northern hemisphere. In the course of the current crisis, factory occupations occurred throughout Europe, especially in France, Italy and Spain, but also in other countries, including Switzerland and Germany, and in the US and Canada. read more »

Workers' "Caravan of Struggle and Solidarity" to Athens

Autonomous and horizontal workers’ movements in Greece embarked on a caravan to Athens to remind the SYRIZA government of the base from which it arose.

Workers’ movements and their supporters from throughout Greece have embarked on a caravan to speak with, and demand from, the new SYRIZA government. They are asking for concrete support for their struggles, each of which is based on self-organization and horizontality. Saturday April 4th marked the first day of a caravan, which will travel to various towns throughout Greece, meeting with and gathering other workers in struggle in each location, who will then all make their way to Athens. read more »

Vio.Me: workers' control in the Greek crisis

When a factory in Thessaloniki was abandoned by its owners in May 2011, the workers decided to occupy it and resume production under workers’ control.

Just one among thousands of Greek companies that succumbed to the deep recession brought about by the austerity measures imposed by a series of governments, the construction materials manufacturer Vio.Me was abandoned by its owners in May 2011. Forty of its workers, organized horizontally in a militant primary workers’ union, occupied the factory, located in the outskirts of Thessaloniki, to prevent the employers from taking away the machinery before paying the workers the nearly €1.5 million owed in salaries and compensations. read more »

Vio.Me, Self-Organization in Greece

This short documentary tells the story of how the VIOME workers re-opened the factory under self-management and looks to where the factory is headed now.

The workers at the Vio.Me. Factory in Thessaloniki, Greece have quickly grown into a symbol of self-management internationally. After going on strike and occupying their factory, on February 12, 2013 they re-opened the factory and started production under worker's control. For many, the factory represents a new potential way forward for unemployed workers in Greece – seizing the means of production, running factories without bosses, producing only goods that are needed, and distributing them through solidarity networks. read more »

Workers’ control in Greece: Eleftherotypia’s workers are back with their own newspaper

Workers of bankrupt daily 'Eleftherotypia' printed their own 'strike issue' in 2012 to raise money for the strike fund. This endeavour would eventually give rise to the cooperative 'Editors' Journal'.

Here it is! Done! read more »

Greek Workers Take Over Factory

An interview direct from Thessaloniki, Greece, where workers have gone into production at a building materials factory abandoned two years ago by its owners.

Tuesday February 12, was the first day of production under worker control at Viomichaniki Metalleutiki (Vio.Me), a building materials factory in Thessaloniki, Greece, which was abandoned by its bankrupt owners two years ago. Facing 30% unemployment and a dismal future for their community, workers in a series of mass assemblies decided to occupy the factory and operate it under direct democratic workers’ control.

As part of a letter being circulated by the Thessaloniki Solidarity Initiative explains:
read more »

Occupied Greek Factory Begins Production Under Workers Control. Occupy, Resist, Produce!

“We see this as the only future for worker’s struggles.”
Makis Anagnostou, Vio.Me workers’ union spokesman

Tuesday, February 12, 2013 is the official first day of production under workers control in the factory of Viomichaniki Metalleutiki (Vio.Me) in Thessaloniki, Greece. This means production organized without bosses and hierarchy, and instead planned with directly democratic assemblies of the workers. The workers assemblies have declared an end to unequal division of resources, and will have equal and fair remuneration, decided collectively. The factory produces building materials, and they have declared that they plan to move towards a production of these goods that is not harmful for the environment, and in a way that is not toxic or damaging.
read more »

Greek hospital now under workers’ control

Health workers in Kilkis, Greece, have occupied their local hospital and have issued a statement saying it is now fully under workers control.

The general hospital of Kilkis in Greece is now under workers control. The workers at the hospital have declared that the long-lasting problems of the National Health System (ESY) cannot be resolved. read more »