The response from the supporters and readers of Marxist.com to our recent solidarity appeal for the Coca-Cola workers in Athens (Greece) has been tremendous. The comrades of the Greek Marxist journal, Marxistiki Foni, sent us a message for all our readers. The Union in the factory has also sent us a letter of thanks for all our readers that we are also publishing here.

From the Editorial Board of Marxistiki Foni to readers of Marxist.com

“First we would like to thank all the comrades for the response to the international campaign in defence of the Coca-Cola workers against redundancies. The campaign has had a very important impact on the Coca-Cola workers in Athens and has boosted their morale tremendously. The workers reacted with great enthusiasm to the campaign.

“We have received close to 200 emails from the readers of marxist.com from all over the world. After receiving the messages we have been informing the Coca-Cola workers every day through comrade Theodoros Chalvatzis a key trade union activist in the factory and a supporter of Marxistsiki Foni.

“The Coca-Cola workers are presently in the vanguard of the Greek working class and all eyes are on their struggle. Their victory would be a victory for all workers.

“We have set up a Solidarity Committee which has the full backing of the Union in the factory. We have received a letter from the leadership of the Union that thanks all the comrades that took part in this excellent international solidarity campaign. Below you will find the translation of this letter.

“Comrade Theodoros Chalvatzis is opposing both the “moderate” tactics of the Paske wing of the Union that has the majority in the leadership [this is the PASOK faction in the union] and the very sectarian tactics of PAME [the KKE faction] that is the second force within the Union.

“We are building up the campaign and today February 8 an open rally is to take place in the main meeting room of the Greek TUC headquarters in Athens, under the name of the Solidarity Committee. The speakers include the chairman of the union of the Athens Coca-Cola workers, Synaspismos and KKE Union leaders and comrades of the Solidarity Committee. We will provide an update shortly.

“Dear comrades, your support has played a key role in developing our solidarity campaign and I would like to underline that all the Greek supporters of Marxistsiki Foni thank you very much for the tremendous response to the campaign.

“Long live workers’ internationalism!

Comradely,
Stamatis Karagiannopoulos
for the Editorial Board of Marxistiki Foni,
Athens, February 8, 2006

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From the Athens Coca-Cola workers

To all colleagues and friends who have supported our struggle throughout the world

“The General Council of the Union of the workers at the “Coca-Cola 3E” Athens factory would like to thank you for your support for our just struggle.

The workers of “Coca-Cola 3 E” are struggling to block the plans the company has to close the factory and lay off 150 workers. The real aim of the company is to change the working conditions and remove all the gains the workers have made in the past. Coca-Cola cannot have the workers as mere consumers but not as employees.

Giorgos Georgopoulos, President of the Union of the workers in “Coca-Cola 3E”

Lampros Athanasiou, General Secretary of the Union of the workers in “Coca-Cola 3E”

Athens, January 27, 2006”