After a recent threat of liquidation of the company, the workers and Solidarity Assembly of VIOME are calling for international solidarity. Below is a request from the workers. Please distribute widely.

Dear all,

the struggle of VIOME is at a crossroads again. After Lafarge, the french company, managed to have VIOME declared bankrupt last summer, the new administrator conspires with the ex owners to liquidate the company. On March 23 there is an important lawsuit for the fture of the VIOME struggle. Of course we are decided to remain in the factory regardless of the judge’s verdict, however this is an important legal battle and we have to mobilize all our forces.

How can you help?

1) Read and forward the following statement (in English and Spanish), and sign it: Name of person or collective, place.

2) Send a brief solidarity message to the workers of VIOME, which will be translated and read during the protests on March 20 and 23.

3) Send a photo of your collective with a solidarity banner, plus the name of your collective and the place. This will be published on our webpage.

You can do one of the above or all three, depending on your available time and energy!

Please send signatures, messages or photos to: [email protected] until Thursday March 19.

in solidarity,

Teo

on behalf of VIOME Solidarity Initiative

The workers of VIOME in Thessaloniki, Greece, have stood up against unemployment and poverty by carrying through a long struggle to self-manage the occupied factory, in very adverse conditions. For two years now, they have been producing and selling ecological cleaning products at the occupied premises, ensuring a modest income for their families. They have been working on terms of equality, deciding collectively through the general assembly. At the same time they have received a big wave of solidarity from Greece and abroad, converting their struggle into an emblematic struggle for human dignity in crisis-stricken Greece.

The ex-owners of the factory, the Fillipou family, have never stopped trying to obstruct the process, posing legal hurdles in every step along the way. Four years ago they abandoned the factory, keeping all the benefits to themselves and leaving hundreds of millions in unpaid wages to the workers, condemning their families to poverty and misery. Today they appear again, conspiring with the state-appointed bankruptcy administrators and the judicial system in order to liquidate the company.

While the ex-owners were convicted to 123 months in jail at first instance for the millions owed to the workers, the court of appeals reduced this sentence to a 43 months suspended sentence, thus in effect absolving the ex-owners from having to ever pay back the workers.

At the same time, on March 23 there is a new trial to evaluate the administrator’s request to liquidate the machinery and the premises. If the court rules in favour, big financial and real estate interests will have the opportunity to gain a foothold in the VIOME premises.

The workers of VIOME and the national and international solidarity movement are determined to resist a possible sell off by any means available. On Friday, March 20 we are carrying out a protest at Thessaloniki’s city centre, including a farmers market and the direct sale of the VIOME products to the public. On Monday, March 23 we gather in front of the court house, to protest against the intention of the administrators and the judges to liquidate and sell off the company and its premises, to condemn the workers and their families to unemployment and misery in order to serve the interests of the powerful.

Furthermore we declare that, regardless of the ruling of the court, we are determined to stand our ground and defend the VIOME factory, a workplace that was kept alive thanks the determination of the workers and the solidarity of the wider community. We refuse to surrender it to the judicial powers, which have repeatedly denied justice to the workers and the underprivileged.

Our destiny is now in our own hands, we manage our work and our lives ourselves. We will not permit anyone to destroy what we have built with so much effort. We declare to the judges, the police, the administrators, the ex-owners and any prospective buyers:

VIOME IS NOT FOR SALE!

VIOME WILL REMAIN IN THE HANDS OF THE WORKERS!

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Los trabajadores de VIOME en Tesalónica, Grecia, han plantado cara al desempleo y la pobreza, llevando a cabo una larga lucha para autogestionar la fábrica ocupada en condiciones muy adversas. Desde hace dos años, han estado produciendo y comercializando productos de limpieza ecológicos en la fábrica ocupada, garantizando un modesto ingreso para sus familias. Han estado trabajando en condiciones de igualdad y decidiendo colectivamente a través de la asamblea. Al mismo tiempo, han recibido una gran ola de solidaridad desde Grecia y el extranjero, convirtiendo su lucha en una lucha emblemática para la dignidad humana en Grecia en pleno crisis.

Los ex propietarios de la fábrica, la familia Fillipou, nunca han dejado de intentar obstruir el proceso, presentando obstáculos legales en cada paso del camino. Hace cuatro años abandonaron la fábrica, apropiándose de todos los beneficios y dejando una deuda de cientos de millones de euros hacia los trabajadores, condenando a sus familias a la pobreza y la miseria. Hoy vuelven a aparecer, conspirando con los síndicos y el sistema judicial con el fin de liquidar la empresa.

Mientras que los ex propietarios fueron condenados a 123 meses de prisión en primera instancia por los millones de euros adeudados a los trabajadores, el tribunal de apelaciones redujo esta condena a 43 meses de sentencia suspendida, absolviendo, en efecto, a los ex propietarios de tener que compensar a los trabajadores.

Al mismo tiempo, el 23 de marzo se celebra un nuevo juicio, donde se evaluará la petición del administrador de liquidar la maquinaria y las instalaciones. Si el tribunal falla a favor, los grandes intereses financieros e inmobiliarios tendrán la oportunidad de poner un pie en la fábrica de VIOME.

Los trabajadores de VIOME y el movimiento de solidaridad nacional e internacional estamos decididos a resistir una posible venta con cualquier medio disponible. El viernes 20 de marzo llevaremos a cabo una protesta en el centro de la ciudad de Tesalónica, con un mercado de agricultores y la venta directa de los productos de VIOME al público. El lunes 23 de marzo nos reunimos frente al Palacio de Justicia, para protestar contra la intención de los administradores y de los jueces de liquidar la empresa y sus instalaciones, condenando así a los trabajadores y sus familias al desempleo y la miseria con, con tanto de servir los intereses de los poderosos.

Además declaramos que, independientemente de la decisión del tribunal, estamos decididos a mantenernos firmes y defender la fábrica de VIOME, un lugar de trabajo que se mantiene vivo gracias a la determinación de los trabajadores y la solidaridad de la comunidad más amplia. Nos negamos entregarla a los poderes judiciales, que se han negado en repetidas ocasiones a impartir justicia para los trabajadores y los más desfavorecidos.

Nuestro destino está en nuestras propias manos, gestionamos nuestro trabajo y nuestra vida nosotros mismos. No vamos a permitir que nadie destruya lo que hemos construido con tanto esfuerzo. Declaramos a los jueces, a la policía, a los síndicos, a los ex propietarios y a aspirantes compradores:

VIOME NO ESTA EN VENTA!

VIOME ES DE LOS TRABAJADORES!