Speaking on his return from Greece, where he has been meeting with ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation)-affiliated trade unions including the Pan-Hellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO), the ITF general secretary Steve Cotton, said: “I’ve visited Greece many times but I have never before witnessed the level of insecurity people have over the nation’s future.
“Workers and pensioners are deeply concerned about their jobs, their pensions and their future, especially as they have already had to pay the price of an irresponsible economic monetary system. The referendum vote makes clear that they decisively reject the dead end of austerity.”
He concluded: “The ITF stands by its affiliated unions and their members in this grave and precarious time. Like both the Greek Confederation of Workers (GSEE) and the German Confederation of Workers (DGB), we urge an extension of the Greek bailout package, a deferral of debt repayments to the IMF and the resumption of negotiations between Greece and the creditor institutions – in order to find a solution based on an investment plan for growth that avoids once again shifting all of the burden of this crisis onto workers and pensioners.”