GREECE: Uniformed police and firemen stage demonstration in Athens during day of strikes and protests over government labour bill

Record ID: 212777

  • Title: GREECE: Uniformed police and firemen stage demonstration in Athens during day of strikes and protests over government labour bill
  • Date: 15th December 2010
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (DECEMBER 14 2010) (REUTERS) POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREMEN HOLDING DEMONSTRATION, MUSIC PLAYING POLICE HOLDING BANNERS
  • Embargoed: 30th December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABL7Y2RMRTIZIQU3YJ03BWGSE0
  • Story Text: It was the turn of the local police officers and firemen on Tuesday (December 14) to express their opposition to the bill being debated in parliament which foresees a cut in public servants wages.
    The uniformed workers said any further cuts to wages were detrimental to professions that constantly faced dangers as were spending cutbacks, in forces that were already understaffed.
    "We are protesting against the cutbacks in spending for our organizations, and also this policy of austerity that includes wage cuts which are going to diminish our standard of living," said police union representative Panagiotis Lazos during the gathering at a central square in Athens near parliament.
    Earlier, trade union workers walked off the job for three hours in the capital, and transport workers struck for the whole day, shutting down transport in Athens, over the bill.
    Parliament was voting on the bill on Tuesday (December 14) that will reduce civil servants wages at state-run firms, and relax labour bargaining contracts in the private sector, both key elements in a 110-billion euro bailout agreement with the EU and the IMF. Workers in the public sector have already had three annual wage supplements cut, as part of the government austerity program. Opposition parties said they will vote against some parts or all of the bill.
    The cash-strapped government announced the bill as part of additional budget cuts it pledged in the 2011 budget.
    Protests will peak on Wednesday, when the largest trade unions have called a general nationwide 24-hour strike Cutting public sector waste and making labour contracts more flexible is a key demand of Greece's lenders to boost competitiveness and growth the country needs to repay its debts and avoid a sovereign default. State owned firms are suffering from large debts and staff costs. The government is planning a restructuring and privatization of the public companies, saying the taxpayer can no longer carry their debt burden. Greece's 11 biggest loss-making firms, mainly public transport companies, have piled up more than 13 billion euros of deficits over the last five years.
    But the measures have enraged labour unions, saying reforms are causing rising unemployment and deepening a two year recession.
    The first round of measures to affect workers - which began in March - included the cutting of wage benefits for civil servants and freezing wage rises and hirings, increasing taxes, and not renewing temporary public service workers contracts. They are coupled with measures to reduce tax evasion, clean up wasteful state spending, end corruption, and create more efficient state services.
    Despite the protests, the ruling Socialists still enjoy the most public support, according to a weekend newspaper poll. The "Public Issue" poll for the Sunday Kathimerini Newspaper showed the governing PASOK party with 39 percent of the vote against 30 percent for the opposition if elections were held. But 60 percent said neither party was best capable of dealing with the country's problems. Prime Minister George Papandreou's approval ratings were at 42 percent compared to the opposition leader's ratings at 20 percent. But a majority of Greeks said they were unhappy with their lives and unsure about the future.
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