The greek state, after leading EU energy and gas prices, has “won”the first place of Europe in grocery/basic good prices. The politicians present the cost of living crisis as a temporary issue, an unavoidable problem caused by “Putin’s War”. They are asking us to be patient and consent to the national austerity measures.
However, the people responsible for the unaffordable prices in super markets are not in Russia but within this country: Bosses and the state
The resposibiliy is on businessmen of the foods industry who ensure that we are the only ones to carry the weight of the cost increases caused by the global capotalist crisis, which worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. They use the war in Ukraine as an excuse to further increase prices in all basic goods. The are out of control and are profiting off our basic needs.
The responsibility is on the state, which is a major supporter of high prices. They are calling weekly deals that were already common in super market chains “measures against inflation”. While they are asking us to make ends meet with less and less money, they are leaving bosses’ profits intact. After facing the rage of the working class which gained very little from the existing measures, the state brought about the so called ‘food pass’, giving us again meager support in the form of a monthly 20 Euro benefit. The state is benefitting against us from this measure as well. Maintaining high prices means higher taxes on goods, which means more profits for the state and the rich.
A chronic plunder
Foodstuffs and basic goods have always been expensive. Either with war in Europe or without, either wtih a leftist or a conservative government, a large proportion of our salary ends up in the food and basic goods’ market. Although the cost of living increased since last February, many decades now the value of these mass consumption goods has been too high for our wages. This value was increased during the 2008 crisis, despite the cuts in our wages, indirectly increasing their cost to us even more. The rich have targeted our whole social life. Our needs, our desires and our expectations.
“Economic Growth” means further exploitation
We can’t forget that just during the 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, supermarket chains have increased their profits massively, by about 2 billion Euros.
We can’t forget that during lockdown, the bosses harshly expoited workers. The people who fill the shelves, cut the meat and cheese, those who put the price tags and mop the corridors were working long hours and getting payed undervalued wages.
Two years have passed and super market chain profits remain at record heights while workers remain with low salaries and long working hours. They are working 2-3 posts simultaneously because bosses make staff cuts and don’t replace workers who leave or retire. They are working on national holidays at 25% of the usual wage instead of 75% over it. They are often doing overwork for more than an hour more, while managers tell them to say they signed off at the legal time so that bosses don’t have to pay overwork wages. In the example of this sector we can see that capitalist “growth”is contrary to our needs and desires.
Prices are not going to drop on their own
The cost of living crisis can’t be solved with individual solutions. We need to think and act collectively. We are not expecting anything from any government. Our power can only be seen when we fight for the specific needs of our class. When we are striking and we demand better wages and retirement funds respective of our needs. When we organise mass opposition against the state and money collection, using our common experiences from struggles fought in the last decade: From the mass denial of fees in pubic hospitals, toll booths and public transport to the blocking of evicitons and power disconnections.
Against rising prices, movements for (self)reduction of prices in every neighbourhood
Neither coupons, deals or tiny benefits. What we need are wage and retirement fund increases in order to breathe.
There is no other way out
Movements for Class Autonomy (KTA)
December 2022