On Wednesday 17 April, thousands of striking workers from dozens of sectors and workplaces, pensioners and youth, participated in the mass strike rally of the trade unions in Athens and in dozens of other cities across Greece.

The labour unions participated in the strike rallies with their banners and flags, demanding the signing of sectoral and enterprise-based collective agreements, wage increases and stable work with rights. They reiterated their decision to strengthen the organization in every workplace, to strengthen the struggle for their needs, to turn the strike mobilization into a springboard for the next, even more decisive steps.

The strike of 17 April was an important element in the escalation of the workers’ struggle ahead of the May Day strike, against the government and its attempt to impede the continuation of the strike struggle by postponing the May Day rally under the pretext of the Orthodox Easter. May Day is a strike, not a holiday, and will be commemorated as usual on 1 May.

The GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, who attended the strike rally and concert in Larymna organized in support of the struggle of the workers of the LARCO factory, stated the following:

"We will not retreat unless the workers of LARCO and their families are vindicated, unless the factory opens again and all workers return to their posts with full rights.No struggle is in vain.We will succeed."