Greek Unions Take to the Streets [View All]

[TBF]

Reports vary currently from 50-70K in downtown Athens. Solidarity, workers of Greece, thank you for showing us how it's done.


Greek unions have begun a 48-hour general strike, as parliament prepares to vote on new austerity measures designed to avoid a default that could trigger a crisis in the eurozone. The biggest protest in years has shut government departments, businesses, public services and even providers of everyday staples, such as shops and bakeries.

The strike will culminate in mass demonstrations outside parliament, which was the scene of violent clashes in June. Greece has faced three years of recession and its economy will contract by a further 5% this year. Public debt stands at 162% of gross domestic product and youth unemployment has hit 42%...

More here: http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1019/greece.html

KKE Comments:

In a press conference on Monday 17th October the General Secretary of the CC of KKE, Aleka Papariga, called on the people to militant activity for the rejection of the barbaric draft law which in fact abolishes the sectoral bargaining agreements in the private sector, dismisses thousands of employees in the public sector through the “labour reserve”, cuts the income of the public sector employees by 40% as well as basic and auxiliary pensions and the already low social benefits. She noted:

“We are addressing an urgent appeal to the Greek people, to the people who struggle and call on them to continue and those who have not yet entered the battle to do so now. Considerable time has been lost, actually from 1992 after the Treaty of Maastricht but also after 2008 when the clouds of the crisis gathered in Greece.

The most barbaric draft law is going to be voted on in the parliament, and if the conditions do not change it will not be the last. It is the most barbaric draft law even compared to the 20th century and the recent years...

More here: http://inter.kke.gr/News/news2011/2011-10-18-apergia1