Greek cleaners celebrate a year of struggle

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Women cleaners at their ‘Centre of Struggle’ camp outside the Greek Finance Ministry in Athens on Wednesday
Women cleaners at their ‘Centre of Struggle’ camp outside the Greek Finance Ministry in Athens on Wednesday

THE 595 women cleaners of the Greek Finance Ministry, sacked en masse on 17 September 2013 on the direct orders of the EC-IMF-ECB overlords, completed last Wednesday a year of relentless struggle on the streets to get their jobs back.

Since last May, they have set up camp outside a Finance Ministry building in central Athens and they have campaigned throughout the working class, in factories and offices, as well as in universities, for workers’ and youths’ support.

Last Wednesday, a group of women cleaners spoke to the News Line at their camp in Athens.

Maria said that ‘This is a strange period. We are confident that some victory will be achieved, because this fight was worth it; it was the most sacred thing we’ve done.’

She said all the women were proud of being a cleaner, keeping things clean and healthy.

Aleka said that ‘We ain’t retreating; we will now fight even more for justice.’

Maria intervened to say that ‘All women here are optimistic; we will organise ourselves even more dynamically. We will decide on targets, we have faith in our struggle.’

Over the last two days, a group of 20 women cleaners had travelled to the European Parliament in Strasbourg to speak at meetings organised by the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) Euro deputies.