Editing Dimitrios V. Tsoukalas

[[File:Dimitrios V. Tsoukalas.jpg|200px|thumbnail|left]]

MP Dimitrios V. Tsoukalas was born in Athens in 1948. He was a President of the Greek Federation of Bank Employee Unions and a Member of Parliament for the State at the “SY.RIZ.A.


== Political career ==

He was a Member of Parliament for the State at the “SY.RIZ.A.” party in the elections of 2012. As President of the Greek Federation of Bank Employee Unions (OTOE), he associated his name with the struggles for the social security system and the protection of sectoral collective agreements.  Also he was Vice-President of UNI-Europa and Trade Union Expert for Greece in the European Work Council. He developed projects contributing to relations based on friendship and solidarity between workers in Europe, particularly in Mediterranean countries and the Balkans. As a representative of the Greek workers, he participated in meetings and conferences against war and occupation during difficult and dangerous periods of their history. He actively participated in the European Social Forum and in movements which promote values based on solidarity between people, countering racism, xenophobia, and war. He is a Member of the Regional Council of Attica, supporting the list “Attica Cooperation – AGAINST the Memorandum.” Also, he is a founding member of the “UNITARY FRONT” and a Member of its Coordination Committee.  Additionally, he is involved in parliamentary committees such “Standing Committee on Public Administration”(Member), “Public Order and Justice and “Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad (Vice-President).

== Education ==

He studied Economics and continued his post-graduate studies on Port and Shipping Administration at the University of Wales.  He was active as President of the employees’ union of ABN AMRO before pursuing a political career.

== Notable Work ==

Throughout his professional career, he worked in the private sector, for the Dutch Bank ABN AMRO and for many years he was President of the employees’ union of the bank. As President of OTOE (Greek Federation of Bank Employee Unions), he focused on the struggles for the social security system and the protection of sectorial collective agreements. 
In his international activities, has been Vice President of the European Works Council of ABN AMRO, Vice-President of UNI-Europa (European Trade Union for the services’ sector, representing 8,000,000 members in Europe). He is a trade union expert for Greece and is a member of the European Work Councils. 
He developed action contributing to relations based on friendship and solidarity between workers in Europe and particularly in Mediterranean countries (UNIMED) and the Balkans. 
As representative of the Greek workers he participated in meetings and conferences against war and occupation (Lebanon – Palestine- Serbia – Bosnia – Cyprus) during difficult and dangerous periods of their history. 
He actively participated in the European Social Forum and in movements which promote values based on solidarity between people, far from racism, xenophobia and war. 
He is a member of the Regional Council of Attica. Also, he is a founding member of the Unitary Front, and a member of its Coordination Committee. The Unitary Front is a political group which contributed in allying the forces of the Radical Left and the Socialist arena. 
Parliamentary Committees he has worked on include the Standing Committee on Public Administration, Public Order and Justice and Vice President of Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad.

== External Links ==

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Th8NfMeqg%20 An Interview with Tsoukalas Dimitrios at The Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Berlin, December 17th - 21st, 2013]