Greece

Contributed by Thanos Angelopoulos

The Greek trade union movement is organized mainly in two third level trade union bodies for the employees in the private and the public sector respectively. In regard of the private sector, the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) represents 153 second level trade union bodies, i.e. 72 national federations and 81 local labour centers. In regard of the public sector, the Civil Servants’ Confederation (ADEDY) represents 47 national federations. Last but not least, the communist-led All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) operates in both private and public sectors, representing 15 federations, 20 local labour centers and 506 trade unions in total.

The first initiative for the gathering and the classification of the archives of GSEE was initiated in 1996. In 1998, several festivities took place for the anniversary of 80 years from the establishment of GSEE, which were accompanied by a historical exhibition and the publication of an album regarding the history of the Confederation. In 2018, the festivities for the centenary of GSEE were accompanied by a new attempt to classify the archives of the Confederation, by an anniversary collection of postal stamps and by the publication of historical brochures and books. The Labour Institute of GSEE, which was established in 1990, occasionally publishes essays on the history of the Greek trade union movement, too. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) publishes regularly journal articles, brochures, books and albums on the history of the labour movement, while on the site of PAME one can find the archive of its posters, beginning in 1999. At last, KKE, various labour centers and specific unions organize commemorative events regarding significant strikes in local level or even publications of historical albums etc.