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Summary

A 24-hour general strike in Greece on Wednesday shut down transport, schools, and government offices as workers protested high living costs.

Unions are demanding a 10% pay raise and the return of holiday bonuses cut during Greece’s financial crisis.

They accuse Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of not doing enough to tackle inflation, despite recent minimum wage increases.

Hospitals operated on emergency staff, while protests and marches were planned.

Many say wages have not kept up with the rising costs of energy, food, and rent.

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The one tool Americans refuse to use.

Apparently we haven't been fucked enough yet. I'm honestly curious how low we will go. I suspect there is no bottom and Americans are just flesh bags trained to seek out meat grinders.

[-] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 3 points 2 hours ago

Well, based on the recent election results, I suspect there's literally no limit to how low Americans will go.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 9 points 5 hours ago

Union leaders don't want to risk their position and union by breaking the law. American law highly restricts when a strike can happen. The punishment for companies is generally a fine or a do over for things like a ballot. Punishment for a Union is often the dissolution of the Union.

Basically we need to completely rebuild the ideology around unions. Right now if a union were to strike illegally, get dissolved, stay on strike, and then prevent scabs from entering; they would be beaten, arrested, and ridiculed by fellow workers. We won't ever see a large strike in the US until workers remember that they are the de facto source of wealth and start acting like it.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 6 points 8 hours ago

American billionaires want self driving cars specifically because they can't strike.

[-] Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee 5 points 8 hours ago

No, but they can burn...

[-] smeenz@lemmy.nz 1 points 6 hours ago

But the people who build and maintain the roads can.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

unless you're talking about tow truck drivers it will take a while for maintenance problems to catch up with the strike. This is, in my mind, why billionaires hate trains the most.

[-] Eatspancakes84@lemmy.world 24 points 19 hours ago

The first problem is the polarisation. If people that are perceived to be Democrats call out a general strike, 50 percent won’t participate. Vice versa if perceived GOP does this. The polarisation and politicisation of every topic is what stops you from organising effectively.

[-] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 1 points 2 hours ago

This is also very evident in the reactions to the election. Trump and the GOP were all screaming and hollering about election fraud right up until it looked like they wound win. Then crickets. Everyone is in only when their own team is winning.

[-] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago

Ha, like either of them would ever do that

[-] Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works 2 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

Vice versa if perceived GOP does this.

That logic really falls apparent when you consider that GOP is the one pushing unions out.

You make it sound like both parties have a strategy to help the workers… no… only one does.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

Part of one at best. Certainly not its leadership.

[-] Tinidril@midwest.social 5 points 13 hours ago

It's not a both-sides thing. The right hates the left for identitarian reasons. We are the "other" and must always be hated. If the left takes a position, the right will oppose it, even if they supported it first. The left hates the right for their ideological reasons that would be largely irrelevant if the right actually called a general strike.

[-] Eatspancakes84@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

Sorry I did not mean to both-side it. I am well aware that a union push will never come from the GOP. The main point was that because everything has become politicized there are no independent voices that can call for a national strike. If you want to dive deeper into why all is politicised you obviously come back to the conservative sphere (FOX, etc), so this is definitely not a both sides are bad argument.

The first problem is people looking for problems, instead of signing up or lending support. You are the real problem.

[-] GhiLA@sh.itjust.works 7 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

be in the system to change the system.

Tell that to the Democrat Governor in NC who's surrounded by wolves, gridlocking the whole state to a standstill year to year so nobody gets what they want.

Our system is part of the problem, if not Subject A.

[-] Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

I understand troubleshooting as someone who has worked as a project manager.

First, you have to have a project to start troubleshooting it.

[-] Eatspancakes84@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago

I can simultaneously lend support and analyze why the probability of success is quite small. Anyway, this is an anonymous forum. Start a petition and I will sign it with my name.

[-] Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

No, I mean real support. Yes, we will need people to analyze and strategize but that comes after we see movement. You can pre-empt some of the stuff and formulate some arguments, but that shouldn't be your opening line.

The thing we need now is people to call for one. I'm trying but I get so much push back its been difficult to not get discouraged.

If you want to show support, the thing that would help the most is another voice that keeps the idea of a strike in the discussion. Which discussion? All of them.

Good luck.

[-] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

We don't refuse I think it's just too hard to coordinate.

I'll take any day off work. I'm looking for excuses!

[-] b161 5 points 20 hours ago

It’s not like people need to even get into the streets. Everyone just coordinate to call in sick one day. Just one day to show yourselves the power you have, then go from there.

[-] De_Narm@lemmy.world 158 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

That's so much smarter than voting for far right shitstains to 'protest'. Would love to see this all over Europe instead of the rise of fascism.

[-] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 36 points 1 day ago

Unfortunately a one-day strike is not a problem for the system which is why they usually don't lead to anything. Do an indefinite one and then see.

[-] FenrirIII@lemmy.world 59 points 1 day ago

A one-day is a warning that the people are organized. It's a shot across the bow.

[-] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 1 day ago

I've seen way too many one-days in Greece to get excited...

[-] piracysails@lemm.ee 4 points 1 day ago

Can confirm, they are not even taken seriously. Few are those that do strike.

Public transport pretty much operates as expected for the most part. Liners just push their schedule at 2300, literally just pushing the schedule 2-3 hours ahead. The maritime industry's union is run by general managers and hypocrites... If you do strike, you are pretty much flagged as you stand out so much. :)

This country is literally a joke.

[-] sepiroth154@feddit.nl 36 points 1 day ago

Love to see it!

[-] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 9 points 1 day ago
[-] piracysails@lemm.ee 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

One reason could be that salaries are so low for the newer generations that even a few days of strike and you will not make the month.

Literally I do not know anyone that pays rent, does not live with their parents and has savings.

Somehow 50% ended up in the capital, which has skyrocketed renting prices. The minimum salary is literally arround 700 euros. You cannot find an actual house that is not a fucking shack under 500, that is not a joke, I am trying to survive in this shithole by myself and I do not see the point.

low salaries lead to people that cannot strike. To be fair, most, do not even consider it as an option due to "nothing will change"... fucking logic

this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2024
580 points (100.0% liked)

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