GREEK TRADE UNION CONGRESS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14637, 5 April 1948, Page 3

GREEK TRADE UNION CONGRESS

COLLAPSE THOUGHT PROBABLE Warning From _ American Organisation Threat Of Withdrawal Of Support London, April 4. The Greek Trade Union Congress was due today to elect a new executive, hut the withdrawal of both of the minority groups left the majority group, led by a right-wing deputy, without the necessary quorum. The election will now take place tomorrow, ,but in the words of a Balkan correspondent the total collapse of the Congress now seems probable. The second minority group to withdraw* was that led by a former Minister .of Labour during the regime of the Greek dictator, General Metaxas. He said that he and his 280 supporters are boycotting the elections because the majority group, who had complained against their rivals, were themselves printing forged credentials.

Splinter groups, as the correspondent calls them, are meeting to try and make it possible for a new executive to be elected tomorrow before the congress breaks up. Representatives in Athens of two American Trade Unions have encouraged attempts at conciliation, but have refused to act as mediators. They have also given a warning that if the leader of the majority party is brought back into power, the Greek Trade Union movement will lose the support of organised labour in the United States.