GREECE: Transport and public services shut down in a 24-hour strike against the government's economic austerity measures

Record ID: 339011

  • Title: GREECE: Transport and public services shut down in a 24-hour strike against the government's economic austerity measures
  • Date: 25th February 2010
  • Summary: ELEFTHEROTIPIA NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING "STRIKE-BAROMETRE: THE FIRST UNION REACTIONS TO THE MEASURES
  • Embargoed: 12th March 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD2C0AU7FFLUKUF3GBOZGGZ2S7
  • Story Text: Greece was bracing itself for a 24-hour strike on Wednesday (February 24) as public and private sector unions protest against public sector wage freezes and tax hikes.
    All but emergency flights at airports were cancelled.
    Trains, subway and ships came to a halt, while civil servants stayed away from public offices and public teachers and doctors from schools and hospitals.
    Archaeological sites were also closed as guards were on strike.
    "I didnt know," said Dutch tourist Anna Fronemban, one of only two tourists in the empty Athens airport, "Later I am calling my tour operator and I must go to a hotel and wait to fly back. I don't know, I am alone here." she laughed.
    The 24-hour strike is seen as a major test to the government's austerity plans as it faces EU pressure to embark on further unpopular measures.
    "Strike - Barometre: The First Union Reactions to the Measures" read the headline of the Greek left leaning Eleftherotypia newspaper.
    Thousands are expected to march to parliament in Wednesday's strikes, as EU officials assessing if Greece is on track to slash its double-digit deficit are also in the country.
    Both private and public labour unions, representing half of Greece's five million workforce, have called for the strike against the plan which they say only burdens the poor.
    "These measures were going to be implemented by the government and the European Union anyway, and they are loading them on us now with the excuse of the crisis. The crisis has been created by the plutocrats and they should pay for it," said striking hotel worker Kostas Alexandridis.
    The government's economic program to bring Greece out of a financial crisis and shore up its massive debt includes cuts to supplemental wages of public servants, wage and hiring freezes, tax reforms and hikes.
    "Everyone has a right to strike or protest, but the issue is we are being judged by our behaviour during these difficult moments and the stance we take during the crisis that is plaguing our country," government spokesman George Petalotis said on Tuesday (February 23).
    Customs officials ended their strike on Monday (February 22) after some regions voted to halt the action and a court declared it illegal.
    The strikes have been seen as more largely symbolic, as they lack widespread public support.
    Opinion polls show most Greeks back the government's austerity measures as long as they are fair.
    The poll by Marc for Sunday's Ethnos newspaper showed that 57.6 percent consider the measures are in the right direction.
    The poll also showed that 75.8 percent of Greeks think there should be no strike action until the crisis has passed.
    Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou had a 74 percent approval rating.
    Papandreou has said the government will do whatever is necessary to ensure there is no slippage from the EU-endorsed economic plan which targets to shrink the budget deficit from 12.7 to 8.7 percent of GDP this year, and has not ruled out that more measures may be needed. But unions have said they would continue protests next month.
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