GFTU BGCM 2017

understanding that people are different but that they are all human even if they have differing views (which is the meaning behind the title of the project). It isn’t a charity but a movement of solidarity, a movement of love and respect. Some people need the food and others need the companionship but everyone wants to make their everyday life better and this can be done collectively via this project. It’s based on the idea that people get involved in the actions. Everything in the house is from peoples donations that come into the centre including paying the rent and buying a car. Costas wanted to make it very clear to us that he wasn’t operating an NGO (non- governmental organisation which is funded by the government) and the issues he has with NGOs. Such as the reasons behind why people get involved with them and the government having control over it. He doesn’t want to answer to anyone but do the work for people, to help people – not to be self-serving which he believes NGOs are. He gave us an example of the difference between an NGO and the project; if john comes in for 2 packs of pasta an NGO would have to document everything who gives what to who and how much! Costas can give John 2 packs of pasta and not have to account for it to anyone. He told us lots of NGO’s in Greece are corrupt and fronts for money laundering of which he wants no part of. Incidentally a perfect NGO is designed to work to cease existence but in reality most create the reoccurrence of the issue as it is their paid job and they don’t want to lose it! Unlike Solidarity Pireaus Costas does not get donations from supermarkets and is very choosey who he accepts donations from. For example Coca Cola offered 1 million Euros to help Costas continue his good work and even offered a car to be able to travel to different cities. But everything had to have Coca Cola on it to go on their promotional videos for them to use. So he not so very politely refused. Some companies come to him and if they donate with no conditions he says yes but no in cases like Coca Cola. They need to be involved and join in not just treat it like a charity.

Costas can help everyone from anywhere including refugees and economic ones. NGOs have to see papers and will on ly help those who are allowed to be helped in that particular area. Whilst we were sat in the home of Costas doubled up as a open house to those who need to use it a number of people came in to use the shower, wash their clothes and collect ‘new’ ones. They also provide a job search facility and give children lessons. We then visited one of the cooking stations, similar to the one we saw in Pireaus where a team meet up with a huge cooking pot, gas burner, ingredients and utensils and make a huge pasta dish to give out to those who need it. They do this daily in different areas of Athens and serve anything from 20-200+ people at different times. Again these aren’t just refugees and homeless people but also working people on low wages who may be surviving on that one cooked meal per day. Dr Christina Theochari On our final day we met with Dr Christina Theochari is the Head of Environment and International Relations Department at the Athens Labour Unions Organization. She explained to us about her involvement with the GFTU and being involved in Active Aging work a couple of years ago. She gave us an overview of what the trade union movement was like in Greece at the moment how the structure works. She firstly reported that 50% of young people are unemployed and as more and more people are becoming unemployed so the membership declines further, although they have seen an increase in part time and precarious workers coming into the union and being active. Trade Union Structure There are three levels to the private sector Greek Trade Union Structure Company level – members of the same profession or workplace usually production/services or small businesses. As few as 20 employees can become a union in their own right! Sectoral Federations – These are different areas of work for example energy/oil Labour centres - these are on the same level as sectoral federations and are based in centres of regions such as the one in Athens and is an organisation of the unions in that area General Federation – The sectoral federations and labour centres belong to these At all levels every three years there are elections for leaders of the unions president, general secretary etc and also for delegates to the next level ups congress which again has election for leaders In the public sector there are also three levels

Photo courtesy of Bindu Paul and Sarah Woolley

Unions in ministries Sectoral in ministries Public servants

Report on the Study Visit to Greece | Page 39