October 3, 1953
POPULAR RIGHT: The general secretary of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), Mr Fotis Makris, in statements made yesterday, claimed that the Papagos government’s policy was aimed at crushing the working class. The government had created unprecedented conditions for the workers, he said. The industries were not complying with the ministerial rulings and were paying workers, irrespective of their qualifications, the lowest wage (25,000 drachmas for men and 20,000 for women). (…) Furthermore, said Makris, workers’ protection under the law had become minimal, and the persecution of union officials was unprecedented. (…) Makris then said that the attack by capitalists and the State against workers was not a local phenomenon, as shown by the recent workers’ strikes in France and Italy, where the workers, communists, socialists, reformists and others had united against the attack. Mr Makris said that Greek workers were willing to contribute to the task of economic reconstruction in the spirit of universal sacrifice. «If the government does not realize its responsibilities, the road opened up by workers in France and Italy will become an avenue here,» he said.
