GREECE: Doctors at public hospitals and taxi drivers strike over government austerity

Record ID: 338655

  • Title: GREECE: Doctors at public hospitals and taxi drivers strike over government austerity
  • Date: 9th September 2011
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 8 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DOCTORS IN THEIR WHITE GOWNS GATHERED IN FRONT OF HOSPITAL VARIOUS OF DOCTORS GATHERED ON STREET IN FRONT OF HOSPITAL, DOCTOR SPEAKING TO THEM FROM MEGAPHONE, DOCTORS LISTENING, WEARING THEIR WHITE GOWNS (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) DOCTOR AND UNION REPRESENTATIVE ILIAS SIORAS, SAYING: "The health minister is an obedient se
  • Embargoed: 24th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Economy,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACR5JA92PCTAVJQ99RKAWBVTH4
  • Story Text: Taxi drivers went on strike on Thursday (September 8) gathering in central Athens and parking their vehicles in the street in protest, just a month after ending their initial strike that had caused problems with tourists in the summer season.
    The drivers are against plans by the government to open their trade to competition, making it easier to buy a lucrative taxi license. The measures adopted by the government will allow more job creation and put an end to the corruption of controlling and selling licenses.
    Greek taxi drivers had announced in August they would suspend their month long strike for further talks with the government, but drivers did not get the answers they wanted from government officials and staged a new 24 hour walkout on Thursday.
    During their last strike taxi drivers had blocked parts of the city including bridges, highways, ports and airports over several days to demand the government rescind the liberalization law, causing a burden for tourists and receiving criticism from the local media, tourism industry officials and the government for their actions which they said marred the country's image during the tourism season.
    Removing restrictions on so-called "closed professions" is a key condition for Greece to continue receiving bailout funds from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.
    The reforms also include sweeping changes in the health system, another sector deeply riddled with corruption, from insurances, to medicines, to health equipment and products to health care staff.
    It is foreseen that public sector hospitals will be closed and merged and doctors wages cut, while doctors have also come under scrutiny for tax evasion, taking bribes, and exploiting the health insurance system. Doctors also went on strike for 48 hours on Thursday, staging a protest outside an Athens state hospital on Thursday, angered over health system changes and spending cuts they say will harm the quality of the system.
    On Tuesday the government vowed to move faster on implementing reforms after doubts about the will of Greece to push through the austerity demanded by their partners. It has put a new aid payment slated for September from the country's international lenders in danger.
    "The health minister is an obedient servant of the troika and the austerity program, and if these measures are implemented people will suffer, not just us doctors," said doctor and union representative Ilias Sioras, referring to the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank - known as the troika in Greece, who have given Greece a rescue loan in return for the country implementing the package of austerity measures.
    Workers are gearing up for large demonstrations on Saturday in the northern city of Thessaloniki where the prime minister will give an annual speech on the state of the economy at a trade fair.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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