Avgi and Kokkino are still operating thanks to the professional conscientiousness of the workers. Delays in their wages are a permanent phenomenon and the -intermittent- strike mobilizations are the pressure measure that is activated for the payment of the many months’ accrued wages.
Sokratis Famellos addressed both the secretary of SYRIZA, Rania Svigou, and the entire Political Secretariat and in a letter proposed the organization of a financial campaign that will exclusively concern the two media and will “run” parallel to the elections for the nomination of the president.
The candidate president, after distinguishing that the problems were “magnified by the careless and frivolous manipulations of the previous president”, quoted as a first fundraising initiative the voluntary payment of two extra euros to any members or friends of SYRIZA who vote in the December 24 elections.
Sokr. Famellos clarified that this assistance will not be accompanied by obligation and that the amount is of course indicative. “This will be the first step of the many that must be done to save the two Media” he said, considering that it will be perceived as “a message to society about how crises are dealt with collectively”.
The letter of Socrates Famellos
“We are all aware of the serious operational and financing problem of Avgi and Kokkinos and the long delay in the payment of accrued wages to the employees, as well as the other obligations of the party media.
These problems, which were magnified by the careless and frivolous handling of the previous president, have led to justified strike actions, and the party is led to the election of a new president without the functioning of the party media and with a serious problem of the survival of the workers.
In order to temporarily deal with the serious problems, I propose the activation of the collective tools that the Left and the friends and members of the SYRIZA PS know very well: The organization of a nationwide economic drive, in parallel with the holding of elections in all electoral divisions for Avgi and the Red one.
In particular, I suggest that the PG take the decision for a financial campaign that will give one more, positive, element to the process of electing the president and that the payment of an additional 2 euros from each member who votes, or even more if the wishes.
It is obvious that the inability to pay this aid will not create any problem in the participation of comrades and comrades in the elections. But I am sure that SYRIZA PS members will express their love and support to our party Media and their workers with more financial support.
All of us are witnesses of the universal request of the members of the SYRIZA PS for the continuation of the operation of Kokkinos and Avgi and the support of their workers. And we all agree that workers’ rights are also non-negotiable.
Let this march be a collective response of all our members for the restart of the SYRIZA PS but also a message to society about how crises are dealt with collectively.
Presidential candidates can also contribute to this campaign by promoting the economic boom.
Obviously, this will be the first step of the many that must be done to save the two Media, but also for the dignified living of their employees.
For all the above reasons, I recommend that the above proposal be approved.”
Faradouris: I have a plan for Avgi and Kokkino
The issue naturally also concerns Nikolas Faradouris. One of the SYRIZA presidential candidates had met last Tuesday with representatives of the workers in the two Media and had discussed with them extensively about the major problems they are facing.
“The immediate payment of accruals and a serious plan for the next day is urgent,” he had said of the workers after the meeting held at the newspaper’s offices.
In fact, in a video posted on his personal account on X, the MEP talked about “two emblematic Media”, for which he submitted “rescue and financing proposals”.
At the end, Nikolas Farandouris said that “I have a plan for the next day for two media that we must support and strengthen without hesitation”.
🤝 I met today with the employees of the newspaper “I Avgi” and Sto Kokkino 105.5.
I was informed about the problems and the situation in these two emblematic Media of the area.
❗Employees remain unpaid. Immediate payment of accruals is urgent and a… pic.twitter.com/NAnMyZOVtW
— Nikolas Farantouris (@NFarantouris) November 12, 2024
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