European dockers to strike against war

Workers are ‘calling for an end to war, austerity and to threats to trade union freedoms’

By Frankie Murden

Wednesday 28 October 2026

Issue 3029

Dockers strike comes as revolts spread across Europe (Photo: sicobas.lavoratoriautorganizzati.9/Facebook)

Ports across the Mediterranean will shut down this Friday as workers at over 100 in 17 countries go on strike.

For years, military cargo used to ravage Palestine has gone through civilian ports across the world.

These workers are uniting their demands over pay and conditions with the fightback against war and genocide.

Giorgos Gogos, president of the Dockworkers’ Union of Piraeus Port Authority in Greece, spoke to Socialist Worker about the action.

He said, “We have called a global day of action against the militarisation of ports and war. We are calling for an end to austerity and to threats to trade unions’ freedoms.

“Across the world, armed conflicts are increasing instability and insecurity,” he said. “People are bleeding for the profits of imperialists and capitalists.

“Plans for militarisation like the European Union’s ReArm Europe project affect all European ports, states, societies and citizens,” he said.

“There is international dialogue between dockers in the European Dockworkers Council and many others.

“Dockworkers have a tradition of international cooperation. We have struggled and won together many times.”

The strike comes as revolts are spreading across Europe. In Italy a general strike has been called for the same day.

Giorgos said, “We think that every struggle from below has to link with others and in unity for social rights and trade union rights.

“Many social struggles are spreading with shared demands. Our action is following the young people and students in France, Albania, Belgium, Spain.

“We want to connect with them because we face similar problems. People are fed up with decisions from elites.

“Our militant answer to these attacks is going to be more effective if they are coordinated across Europe.

“We are asking British workers to support us practically and participate in the struggle for peace and prosperity. We are demanding welfare not warfare.”

• 30 October, International day of action in support of dock and port workers. Go to stopwar.org.uk