GREECE: Strike for a second day over austerity plans, ahead of parliament vote expected to approve a a deeply unpopular rescue package

Record ID: 340639

  • Title: GREECE: Strike for a second day over austerity plans, ahead of parliament vote expected to approve a a deeply unpopular rescue package
  • Date: 12th February 2012
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (FEBRUARY 11, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT STREET SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PENSIONER, YANNIS KATSAOUGOS, SAYING: "This should not pass. They should not have agreed to this in the first place, to none of these memorandums. They voted on the first agreement without even reading it. They are totally irresponsible. It is a totally irresponsible sta
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADD9Y0PC6GBSQACP2PS3YA2CDU
  • Story Text: Workers staged a second day of strikes on Saturday (February 11), hours after the Greek cabinet approved a draft bill spelling out reforms required for a new financial bailout.
    The cabinet approved the draft bill late on Friday (February 10), paving the way for a new 130-billion euro bailout and a debt-cut plan and to avoid a messy bankruptcy, after several cabinet members resigned over the additional austerity demands by the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
    Health workers, railway workers, judges, bank employees, public servants, The Seamen's Federation and many more Greek from the private and public sector stayed away from work on Saturday, closing banks, ports, public services and causing some hospitals to work on skeleton staff.
    All public transportation was also closed.
    Some Greeks believed the politicians should not be agreeing to the bailout terms.
    "This should not pass. They should not have agreed to this in the first place, to none of these memorandums. They voted on the first agreement without even reading it. They are totally irresponsible. It is a totally irresponsible state. One minister said he had never even read the agreement. How can that be possible?" Said pensioner Yannis Katsaougos.
    Others felt that Greece was already bankrupt and that no recovery programme was being provided by politicians.
    "With the 1.5 million unemployed that we will have in the next 15 or 20 years, which will mean something like 30 percent of the population. Isn't this bankruptcy? Will we save these 1.5 million? Because there is no recovery programme in this agreement," said Dimitris Katsiamanis, who is unemployed.
    Many Greeks, already suffering from five consecutive years of recession, are increasingly angry about the measures, which are unlikely to ease an economy, where one in five is unemployed, shops close one after another and households are tightening their budget.
    The main private sector union General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) and the Confederation of Civil Servants (ADEDY) - representing 2.5 million workers, half the total workforce in Greece - called for the walk out in response to the unpopular reforms.
    According to the new program some 15,000 civil servants are to be cut in 2012. Some 10,000 were already cut in 2011, and by 2015 the government plans to slash 150,000 workers in the public service.
    The unions said several demonstrations would be staged in Athens culminating outside parliament on Sunday (February 12), when the government hopes to pass the bailout agreement.
    EU also wants a further 325 million euros of spending cuts and clear commitments by Greece's main party leaders that the reforms will be implemented before it agrees to release the aid.
    Technocrat Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told his turbulent coalition government earlier on Friday to accept the harsh international financial aid or condemn the nation to catastrophe.
    Greek newspapers led with the political turmoil playing out between parties.
    "Ta Nea" broadsheet led with "Dangerous Games On The Steps Of A Mad House", referring to the late night talks at the parliament.
    "SOS Papademos In The Midst Of A Storm" was the headline in "Kathimerini".
    Outside parliament on Friday (February 10), police fired tear gas at black-masked protesters who threw petrol bombs, stones and bottles at the start of a 48-hour general strike. But the street protests were relatively small compared to last year's mass rallies.
    Riot police were seen on Saturday in Athens' central square getting ready to deal with more protests.
    With Greece probably at its lowest ebb since the junta was overthrown in 1974 and democracy restored, protesters denounced the "troika" of lenders - the European Commission, European Central Bank and IMF.
    The austerity plan includes lowering the minimum wage by 22 percent, axing 150,000 public sector jobs and reducing pensions.
    Greece faces bankruptcy unless it gets the funds from the IMF and EU by March 20 when it has to repay 14.5 billion euros (19 billion U.S. dollars) in maturing bonds.
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