The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-03-01

sides industry and transport are the building
trades.
In the two largest towns, Athens and Pr
aeus there are no less than $1,000 unemployed.
The unemployment season for 10000 tobacco
workers was very protracted this year. In
fact, nothing like it had been seen at any time
in the past. The crisis in this industry is due
mainly to naturalization and the lack of
markets
With the exception of the tobacco workers,
none of the unemployed are covered by any in
surance benefits. But even the insurance
scheme introduced for the tobacco workers,
which was won after many bloody battles, has
to be subscribed to by all workers in employ
ment to the amount of 6 per cent of their
wages. As matter of fact, the socalled To-
bacco Benefit Funds, controlled for the most
part by government and capitalist representa-
tives, are simply fraud since these insurance
departments never spend any of the money
paid in in relief. Another exploiters' agency
is the so-called "Seamen's House" where only
members of three years standing can expect
to get few pence in relief.
On the other hand, in a memorandum sub
mitted by the Employers Association to the
government on January 16, 1880, in connec-
ton with the crisis, we read the following:
"In view of the present situation, a 10-hour
day must now be introduced in our industries.
The Greek Employers Association has been
compelled to reject completely the Social In
surance Scheme contemplated by the Minister
of National Economy. Far from extending the
existing insurance scheme to other localities,
the adjustment of the present system of in
surance benefits must be included in the pro-
gram of the government"
And so we find that even in the few enter
prises where the 8-hour day has been intro
duced, it is to be abrogated, while even the
present ridiculous insurance scheme, made
quate as it is, since only few thousand work
ers are covered, is to be abolished. Such is
capitals reply to the unemployed who are
starving today.
In view of the specific character of unem-
ployment today, find the unemployed work
ers adopting new forms of struggle. The work
ers are now using methods of struggle never
used before. For example, on the Passo Is
land the unemployed seized some of the ships
in the harbor and sailed to Kavala, the nearest
center, where they were met with machine
guns. Barricades were thrown up in Agrinio,
which were subsequently captured by the
authorities.
Mass demonstrations of unemployed build
ing workers, tobacco workers, food workers,
and others, took place in Athens, Piraeus, Sal
onika, Kavala and other working class CEN
tiers during December and January.
The chief demands of the unemployed work.
ers were: full unemployment insurance, sub
sidized by the state and the employers to be
under workers control and to guarantee three
fourths of former wages received, which must
be paid out by the municipal boards; provi-
sion of work, tobacco workers insurance funds
to be run by the workers
The unemployed workers also protested
against the persecution of the revolutionary
TU organizations and condemned the present
war preparations against the USSR Large
numbers of the unemployed workers were ar
rested and vctimized by the authorities.
The instructions of the government call for
the immediate suppression of all workers
movements and should there be any signs of
resistance Ito shoot to kill" In fact, this was
the curt statement made by the governor of
Kavaa when he addressed the Unemployed
Workers Delegation who had-submitted pro-
test against the continued terror. Hundreds
of unemployed workers were arrested AMI
beaten up during the demonstrations and many
of them have now been sentenced to long
terms Of Imprisonment on the charge Of in
fringing the Anti Communist Law.
Still, the unemployed workers got a few