Definitive Report - Report No 142, 1974

1. 59. The complaints of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the World Confederation of Labour, and the World Federation of Trade Unions are contained in communications dated 21, 22 and 23 November 1973 respectively.
2. 60. The texts of the above-mentioned communications were transmitted to the Government, which forwarded its observations in a letter dated 10 January 1974.
3. 61. Greece has ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. A. The complainants' allegations

1. 62. The ICFTU alleges that numerous democratic trade unionists have been detained by the Greek authorities, and asks the ILO urgently to intervene for their release.
2. 63. The WCL states that it denounces Greek government repression against hundreds of workers and union leaders, and requests urgent action by the ILO to obtain the release of those arrested, a halt to repression, and a restoration of trade union and civil liberties.
3. 64. The WFTU alleges that the Greek authorities launched a violent repression against workers, students and democrats generally in the wake of demonstrations for better living conditions, a more democratic educational system, and the restoration of trade union and democratic rights and freedoms. This repression, the WFTU claims, constitutes blatant violation of human rights and elementary human freedoms. Furthermore, many of the thirteen dead officially admitted were workers. Amongst the trade unionists arrested were Messrs. Papageorgiou, Papaioannou, Vittoris, Karakitsos and Kyriakopoulos, all five of them well known trade union leaders. Numerous workers had been sentenced by special courts.
4. 65. In its comments on these allegations, the Government states that on the occasion of the demonstrations on 19 November 1973 certain people, amongst them those mentioned by the WFTU, were arrested on suspicion of anarchy and subversion directed against the security of the State. None of these persons, says the Government, is at present an active trade union leader. N. Papageorgiou is no longer an active unionist, since he is Director of Personnel of EVGA (dairy products industry). N. Vittoris is a lawyer. A. Kyriakopoulos, C. Papaioannou and C. Karakitsos have retired and are therefore no longer active trade unionists. All these people were released on 26 November 1973.

B. B. The Committee's conclusions

1. 66. The Committee takes note of the Government's explanations. It feels, however, that generally it might be useful to recall the view expressed on previous occasions, according to which the detention by the authorities of trade unionists concerning whom no grounds for conviction are subsequently found is liable to involve restrictions of trade union rights. Governments should take steps to ensure that the authorities concerned have appropriate instructions to eliminate the danger of detention for trade union activities. Again, the Committee has always emphasised the importance which it has attached to the principle of prompt and fair trial by an independent and impartial judiciary in all cases, including cases in which trade unionists are charged with political or criminal offences which the government considers have no relation to their trade union functions.