Greek Government Cuts Power to Worker-Run Factory in Midst of Pandemic
[en español] Thessaloniki, Greece – Under the cover of darkness at 6:30 a.m. on Monday morning, two vehicles of riot police along with the Public Power Corporation cut the power to the occupied worker-run factory of Vio.Me.
“Everyone to VioMe! They cut the power!” was posted on Vio.Me.’s Facebook page.
At a time when the coronavirus pandemic is devastating Greece’s neighbor Italy and the country’s healthcare system is in dire need of basic supplies, the right-wing Greek government has prioritized suppressing a factory that is producing eco-friendly cleaning products and soaps.
In 2016, the government attempted to cut off the power at 9 a.m. but were thwarted by the workers and supporters who quickly showed up.
This time, Greece’s New Democracy government used the country’s pandemic lockdown to their advantage. Greeks are required to inform authorities if they leave their home, and are only permitted to do so for essential activities. This has cut off Vio.Me. from acts of physical solidarity from the broader community, leaving them vulnerable to the actions of the government.
Though the factory is technically not legal, the workers who are operating inside of the three buildings have made consistent efforts to legally obtain the space. They are currently in the process with the Ministry of Labor for full legalization.
Seven years ago, Vio.Me. workers seized the means of production after their bosses stopped paying them. They occupied several buildings of the large factory and have since built a solidarity movement that sustains their self-managed cooperative.
The workers also initiated the Workers’ Healthcare Center, which opened in January 2016. The center provides a radical new approach to healthcare. Equal relations between specialists and patients are reclaimed and the center provides free holistic healthcare services to the broader community in Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki.
After their power was cut, the workers of Vio.Me. are now seeking generators from the community. They published the following statement:
“The vampires of power acting in the dark found the “right” moment to cut off the power of the self-managed factory of Vio.Me. at 6:30 in the morning 30/3/20. They had the crane ready and with the support of 2 SWAT squads, which means a political command, they functioned like the Greek governments of the 50s who executed the fighters in the dark so that the people would not react. We also denounce the PPC “colleagues” who collaborated as executors in the same act.
We demand the immediate reconnection of the power supply.
And all this while we are in the process with the Ministry of Labor for the full legalization of self-managed factory of Vio.Me.
And while they know that we produce personal and home hygiene products, which are of primary importance to society.
In solidarity.
— Vio.Me Workers”
[UPDATE – April 13, 2020] On April 9, VioMe posted a video showing the production of lavender liquid soap. With the support of the community, a generator allows the workers to continue production.
Last year we brought you inside the worker-run Vio.Me. facility in our three-part video series. We spoke with five of the workers, took a tour of the factory, gained a deeper perspective and history of Vio.Me. from the workers, and a had sit-down with Dimitra, a psychologist in Vio.Me.’s autonomous and open-to-the-public Workers Healthcare Center.
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Gobierno Griego corta energía eléctrica a fábrica gestionada de los trabajadores en medio de la pandemia
Tesalónica, Grecia- Actuando en la oscuridad, a las 6:30am el lunes de la mañana, dos vehículos de policía antidisturbios, junto con la Compañía Pública de Energía, cortaron la energía eléctrica de la fábrica autogestionada de Vio.Me que fue ocupada con trabajadores.
“Todos de VioMe! Nos cortaron la energía! ” fue publicado en la página de facebook de Vio.Me.
En un momento en el que la pandemia del coronavirus está devastando al país vecino de Grecia, Italia, y el sistema de salud griego necesita urgentemente suministros básicos, el gobierno de derecha ha decidido dar prioridad a la represión de una fábrica que elabora productos de limpieza y jabones amigables con el medio ambiente.
En el 2016, el gobierno intentó cortar la energía eléctrica a las 9am pero fueron interceptados por los trabajadores y gente solidaria, quienes llegaron rápidamente a la fábrica.
Esta vez, el gobierno griego del partido Nueva Democracia utilizó el confinamiento por la pandemia para su beneficio. Los griegos tienen que avisar a las autoridades si salen de su hogar y sólo pueden salir para actividades esenciales. Esto ha dejado a Vio.Me sin los actos físicos de solidaridad de la comunidad, poniendo a los trabajadores en una situación de vulnerabilidad ante las acciones del gobierno.
A pesar de que técnicamente la fábrica no es legal, los trabajadores que operan dentro de los tres edificios han llevado a cabo esfuerzos constantes para obtener legalmente el espacio. Actualmente están en proceso de obtener la legalización completa con el Ministerio del Trabajo.
Hace siete años, los trabajadores de Vio.Me tomaron los medios de producción después de que sus patrones les dejaron de pagar. Ocuparon varios edificios de la gran fábrica y desde entonces, construyeron un movimiento de solidaridad que sostiene la cooperativa autogestionada.
Los trabajadores también comenzaron el Centro de Salud de los Trabajadores, que abrió en enero del 2016. El centro tiene un enfoque nuevo y radical de cuidado de la salud. Se reivindican relaciones horizontales entre especialistas y pacientes y el centro proporciona cuidado gratuito y holístico de la salud para la comunidad en general, en la segunda ciudad más grande de Grecia, Tesalónica.
Después del corte de energía eléctrica, lxs trabajadorxs se encuentran en busca de generadores eléctricos entre la comunidad. Publicaron la siguiente declaración:
“Los vampiros del poder, actuando en la oscuridad, encontraron el momento “correcto” para cortar la energía eléctrica de la fábrica autogestionada Vio.Me. a las 6:30 de la mañana 30/3/20. Tenían la grúa lista y con el apoyo de 2 escuadrones “SWAT” (un comando político) funcionaron como los gobiernos griegos de los 50s, que ejecutaban a los combatientes en la oscuridad para que la gente no reaccionara. También denunciamos a los “colegas” del PPC que colaboraron como ejecutores en el mismo acto.
Demandamos la inmediata reconexión de la fuente de alimentación.
Todo esto ocurre mientras estamos en proceso con el Ministerio del Trabajo para la legalización completa de la fábrica autogestionada Vio.Me.
Y mientras saben que fabricamos productos de limpieza personal y del hogar, que son de
importancia primordial para la sociedad.En solidaridad.
— Trabajadorxs de Vio.Me”
[ACTUALIZACIÓN – 13 de abril de 2020] El 9 de abril, VioMe publicó un video que muestra la producción de jabón líquido de lavanda. Con el apoyo de la comunidad, un generador permite a los trabajadores continuar con la producción.
El año pasado lxs llevamos dentro de las instalaciones de la autogestionada Vio.Me. en nuestra serie de tres videos. Platicamos con cinco de los trabajadores, tomamos un tour de la fábrica, adquirimos una perspectiva más profunda de Vio.Me y de su historia y nos sentamos a platicar con Dimitra, psicóloga en el Centro de Salud de Trabajadores de Vio.Me, centro autónomo y abierto al público.
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