Greece needs a Solidarity Pact

1. The Greek Parliament voted for the austerity package that was forced on them by the EU the IMF and the ECB. This vote offers a few more weeks to politicians to find sustainable solutions for the future of Greece, but it will not bring Greece back to recovery.
2. If not handled with the necessary vision, the situation could degenerate in an economic and social catastrophe not only for Greece but for the EU as a whole. The European Finance Ministers on 3 July and subsequently must not simply endorse the same failing policies.

3. The people and workers of Greece are being made to pay for the mismanagement of politicians and speculators – in particular the previous Government and the banks that advised them while betting on their failure. Popular unrest is deep. The tremendous efforts required are not spread to make the rich and comfortable assume their responsibilities. Strikes called by Greek trade unions reflect the workers’ anger at being governed by the markets and their oligopolistic and self-serving rating agencies that impose decisions over democratically elected governments. The major expansion of privatisation programmes under direct EU control, the undermining of labour market institutions, represent clear and questionable interventions in Greek national autonomy.
4. EU leaders must now show leadership. Another course of action is necessary. It should be based on a more generous offer for Greece and other distressed countries - a new Marshall Plan. Such a plan would insist on tax collection, taxes on the rich and comfortable in the distressed countries, taxes on financial services and transactions, use of structural funds available for investments, Eurobonds, project bonds, growth and innovation initiatives in line with the Europe 2020 strategy, less pressure on wages, welfare and public services and on the poorer section of society. Finding a pan-European solution should be considered with regard to the debt of the distressed countries as ETUC has proposed.
5. The road to recovery must come from an EU solidarity pact, with the active involvement of trade unions in Greece over the use of the funding made available, and a medium and long term investment programme for the creation of jobs and capable of bringing the country back to a sustainable economic development. Trade unions must be involved at all levels in drawing up plans for growth and innovation, as well as for debt reduction.
6. The European Trade Union Confederation expresses its solidarity with its affiliates GSEE and ADEDY dealing with anger and despair of workers and citizens, striving to avoid social chaos and to restore fairness and decent treatment for Greek people.
Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary ETUC.

General Strike in Greece

On December 15 has been declared by the GSEE-ADEDY 24-hour strike. In Rethymno will be gathering at the Labour Centre at 10:00 am. Invited all Workers, Unemployed, Pensioners, Youth, Students to take part. Our Association is also involved in the strike.

We Assert and Demand,
Preservation and protection of public and social goods are not applying the anti-labor policies of the Government as reflected in the draft budget is subjected to the requirements of the Memorandum and extortion of creditors and the Troika The dynamics over the memorandum to accelerate the country's exit from recession with a very different policy mix that will enhance investment, development, supervisory and regulatory role of the state, the redistribution of tax burden, strengthening the purchasing power of workers, increasing employment, strengthening social security. Employers should bear the cost of social participation in economic crisis should not be loaded on the backs of workers. To reject the prescriptions of austerity, cutting labor and economic rights of our insurance. To be equitable distribution and redistribution of wealth in favor of socially disadvantaged, to avoid damaging the welfare state.
We Ρeact and Σtrike,
why this should be the target of the government rather than wages, the welfare state and workers.
The Council

The following is a list of hotels that are either under a boycott, on strike or at risk of a dispute.

On Strike

Congress Plaza Hotel - ON STRIKE
520 S. Michigan
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-212-8192

Boycott These Properties

Anchorage Hilton
500 West Third Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907-272-7411

Courtyard by Marriott Northwest
1900 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-332-9300

Crowne Plaza Hotel Rochester
70 State St
Rochester, NY 14604
Phone: 1-585-5463450

Crowne Plaza LaGuardia
104-04 Ditmars Blvd
East Elmhurst, NY 11369
Phone: 718-457-6300


Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport
9000 Bartram Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19153
Phone: 1-215-365-4500

Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Chelsea Hotel
160 W 25th St.
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212-627-1888

Grand Hyatt San Francisco
345 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 415-398-1234

Handlery Hotel and Resort
950 Hotel Circle North
San Diego, CA 92108
Phone: 1-800-843-4343

Hilton Crystal City At National Airport
2399 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: (703) 418-6800

Hilton Long Beach
701 W. Ocean Bl.
Long Beach, CA 90831
Phone: 562.983.3400

Hilton Sacramento Arden West
2200 Harvard St.
Sacramento, CA 95815
Phone: 916-922-4700

Hilton San Francisco Union Square
333 O'Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-771-1400

Holiday Inn Concord
1050 Burnett Avenue
Concord, CA 94520
Phone: 1-925-6875500

Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf
555 North Point Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: 415 563 1234

Hyatt Harborside at Logan International Airport
101 Harborside Dr
Boston, MA 02128
Phone: 617 568 1234

Hyatt Regency Boston
1 Avenue De Lafayette
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: 617 912 1234

Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Overlooking Boston
575 Memorial Dr
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617 492 1234

Hyatt Regency Sacramento
1209 L St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916 443 1234

Jurys Normandy Inn
2118 Wyoming Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-483-1350

Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens
120 South Los Angeles St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213-629-1200

Le Meridien San Francisco
333 Battery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415-392-1234

Los Angeles Airport Hilton and Towers
5711 W. Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: (310) 410-6199 ‎

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
One Market Place
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619 232 1234

Mandarin Oriental Boston
800 Boylston Street
Boston, MA

Monterey Bay Travelodge (Fairgrounds)
2030 N. Fremont
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 373-3381

Palace Hotel
Two New Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415-512-1111

Sheraton Anchorage
401 E. Sixth Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907-276-8700

Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel
101 West Fayette St
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-752-1100

Sheraton Crystal City
1800 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: 703-486-1111

The Dupont Hotel
1500 New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036

W San Francisco
181 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 777-5300

Westin Chicago Northwest
400 Park Blvd
Itasca, IL 60143
Phone: 630-773-4000

Westin Providence
One West Exchange St
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-598-8000

Westin San Diego at Emerald Plaza
400 West Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 239-4500

Westin St. Francis
335 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-397-7000

Westin Washington DC
1400 M St NW
Washington, DC 20005

Wilshire Plaza
3515 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone: (213) 381-7411

Woodfin Suites Hotel Emeryville
5800 Shellmound St.
Emeryville, CA 94608

Wyndham Suites Chicago
633 N. St Clair
Chicago, IL 60611

Risk of Dispute

Affinia Chicago
166 E. Superior
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 787-6000

Andaz West Hollywood
8401 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: 323 656 1234

Clift Hotel
495 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-775-4700

Courtyard San Francisco Downtown
299 Second Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-947-0700

Drake Hotel
140 E. Walton
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 787-2200

Essex Inn
800 S. Michigan
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 939-2800

Fairmont San Francisco
950 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 866-540-4491

Four Seasons San Francisco
757 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 633-3000

Hilton Chicago
720 S. Michigan
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 922-4400

Hilton Fisherman's Wharf
2620 Jones Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 885-4700

Hilton Garden Inn Monterey
1000 Aguajito Rd
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 373-6141

Hilton O'Hare
P.O. Box 66414
Chicago, IL 60666
Phone: 773) 686-8000

Hilton San Francisco Financial District
750 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 415-433-6600

Holiday Inn Express (FW)
550 NORTH POINT ST
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 409-4600

Holiday Inn Fisherman's Wharf
1300 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: 415-771-9000

Holiday Inn Golden Gateway
1500 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: 415-441-4000

Holiday Inn San Francisco - Civic Center
50 Eighth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 415-626-6103

Hotel Kabuki
1625 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: 415.413.4709

Hotel Vitale
8 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415.413.4716

Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa
1075 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: (415) 474-5400

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: 310 228 1234

Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 E. Wacker
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312 565 1234

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
2233 S. MLK Blvd
Chicago, IL 60616-9985
Phone: 312 567 1234

Hyatt Regency O'Hare
9300 W. Bryn Mawr
Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone: 847 696 1234

Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415-788-1234

Hyatt Rosemont
6350 N. River Rd.
Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone: 847 518 1234

Inn of Chicago
162 E. Ohio
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 787-3100

InterContinental Moscone
888 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA

Kona Kai Resort and Spa
1551 Shelter Island Dr
San Diego, CA 92106
Phone: (619) 222-1191

Mark Hopkins InterContinental
Number One Nob Hill
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 415-392-3434

Marriott Fisherman's Wharf
1250 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 775-7555

Omni San Francisco Hotel
500 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415-677-9494

Palmer House Hilton
17 E. Monroe
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (312) 726-7500

Parc 55 Hotel
55 Cyril Magnin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 800-595-0507

Park Hyatt Chicago
800 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312 335 1234

Quail Lodge
8205 Valley Greens Dr
Carmel Valley, CA 93923
Phone: (831) 624-1581

Radisson Fisherman's Wharf Hotel
250 Beach Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 392-6700

Renaissance Stanford Court
905 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 415-989-3500

San Francisco Marriott Marquis
55 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 415-896-1600

San Francisco Marriott Union Square
480 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: 415-398-8900

Sheraton at Fisherman's Wharf
2500 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: 415-362-5500

Sheraton Chicago
301 E. North Water
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 464-1000

Sir Francis Drake
450 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 800-795-7129

St. Regis Hotel & Residences San Francisco
125 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-284-4000

The Blackstone - Renaissance
636 S. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-447-0955

The Sofia (formerly Pickwick Hotel)
132 W Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 234-9200

The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago
909 N. Michigan
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 943-7200

Travelodge Hotel Downtown
65 E. Harrison
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 427-8000

Tremont Hotel
100 E. Chestnut
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 751-1900

W City Center
172 W. Adams
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (312) 332-1200

W Lake Shore Dr.
644 N. Lakeshore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 943-9200

Westin Market Street
50 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 415-974-6400

Info

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The European Left in solidarity with the Greek workers.

The European Left salutes the unprecedented general strike and worker's mobilisations all over Greece, that have been the biggest in the country in the last years.

In many cities across Europe, the member parties of the European Left participated in demonstrations and organized actions of solidarity to
the Greek people.

From Brussels, Lothar Bisky, the president of the Party of the European Left, said: "The recently approved package cannot deliver stability for Greek citizens but would aim to create incentives for the quickest possible return to international financial markets at risky prices. Countries and Europe in general should not persist with the failed Stability and Growth pact, but must find a common solution. This is not a Greek, Portuguese, Irish or Spanish crisis. This is a European crisis".

The European Left rejects the EU-IMF "Support Mechanism", which allows the IMF to intrude the Eurozone and determine the future of the Greek society. The EL calls for the formation of a unitarian European front of social and political actors, which will fight for an alternative pathway for Europe, for radically different and alternative mechanisms of solidarity.

At the same time, the EL condemns the unacceptable act of violence that lead to the tragic death of three bank employees in the center of Athens.

Solidarity for Greece.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)Executive Committee members attending the meeting of 9 & 10 March 2010, express their solidarity with the President of the Greek Confederation of Labour, GSEE, Yannis Panagopoulos, who was brutally attacked by perpetrators alien to the trade union movement. They note with concern that such condemnable actions inevitably bring to mind the rise of fascism and hope that the democratically elected Greek Government will swiftly bring the culprits to justice.
The ETUC expresses its full solidarity with Greek workers in their struggle against job cuts, wage freezes, wage and pension cuts. Europe’s message to the Greek people should be one of stability and social progress and not one of economic stagnation and social dumping.
European trade unions are monitoring with the greatest concern the situation in Greece and in particular the pressure by the Commission, the Eurozone Ministers and the ECB on the Greek government for even harsher austerity measures that will mainly
and irreversibly affect the working people and the most vulnerable segments of society and upset the social fabric in Greece.
The austerity packages announced so far comprise radical cuts in wages and pensions, extensive tax increases, lay-offs, large scale privatisation of public companies and cutbacks in welfare. Far from containing the crisis, such measures will aggravate it since they will fuel unemployment, demolish welfare, kill domestic demand and strangle economic activity.
We wholly support Greek unions in opposing this short-termist project and ask for
realistic, well balanced and socially acceptable plans that are negotiated with the trade unions. We join our Greek colleagues in demanding a drastically different policy mix to support investment, growth and employment, safeguard incomes, provide fair and effective taxation, upgrade the State’s regulatory role and sustain social cohesion and the environment.
The burden cannot fall unevenly on the working people of Greece who have already seen the gradual erosion of their rights, pensions and income. We cannot allow financial market speculation to shape economic and social development in Europe and to impose its agenda on society despite the near collapse of 2008 and the ensuing dramatic recession.
Europe needs to be present for its Greek citizens in a spirit of solidarity and cohesion and to shield people and countries from the lethal impact of casino capitalism. Europe needs to address the problems by shifting away from the blinkered belief in the supremacy of the markets over society and move ahead with a new architecture that puts people, solidarity and the real economy first.