- Title: GREECE: Greek state workers walk out over ban on teachers' strike
- Date: 14th May 2013
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (MAY 14, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CLOSED HIGH SCHOOL BALCONY OF HIGH SCHOOL EMPTY EXTERIOR OF ANOTHER CLOSED HIGH SCHOOL GATES OF HIGH SCHOOL CLOSED CHAIN ACROSS GATE OF HIGH SCHOOL CHAIN ACROSS GATE OF HIGH SCHOOL EXTERIOR OF HOSPITAL, AMBULANCE PROTEST BANNER HANGING ON ENTRANCE OF HOSPITAL READING (Greek): "The government, IMF, EU and troika are damagi
- Embargoed: 29th May 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Economy,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA8SASM4BZN0LLEGCV5QIMER5WT
- Story Text: Greek state workers walk off the job to protest a plan by the government to use a mobilisation order against a planned strike by high-school teachers.
Greek public sector workers staged a 24-hour-strike on Tuesday (May 14) in support of high school teachers who have been banned by the government from striking.
The high school teachers are planning to strike during university entrance exams on Friday, which would disrupt and delay the process for students.
The government plans to invoke emergency legislation that forces strikers back to work or face arrest if they disobey the order.
Police have already begun issuing the decree - called a mobilisation order - to teachers.
Public hospital nurse Manolis Patavakis was among those taking part in the strike in reaction to the move.
"It is activating the dogma of law and order in order to beat down any workers sector that shows opposition to this unpopular policy, in order to terrify all workers," Patavakis said during a protest rally in support of teachers in central Athens.
Also protesting was retired public bank employee Vassilis Pappavassiliou.
"This is unconstitutional and unacceptable, this should not happen, people must react, they must fight together to oppose this. It's in our hands if we will it, otherwise if there is no other solution. We are talking about a new junta, just like the one between 1967 and 1974," Pappavassiliou said, referring to the military dictatorship that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974.
Various state sector workers such as from the civil service and hospitals held protest rallies.
Only a few hundred participated in the action however.
The high school teachers union chose not to officially participate in the strike. Despite this some elementary and high schools remained shut however while classes were disrupted at others as teachers stayed away.
Staff shortages were expected at public services and hospitals, although serious disruptions were not reported.
The mobilisation order has already been used twice by the 11-month old coalition government, headed by Antonis Samaras and his New Democracy party: on striking public transport and ferry boat workers.
The legislation is rarely used but the administration has said it will adopt a zero tolerance attitude towards disruptive strikes as it tackles to improve the dire economic situation and prove to international lenders it is serious about reforming.
The high school teachers are protesting plans by the government to extend their working week by two hours and to transfer 4,000 teachers to other parts of Greece to fill vacant positions.
High school teachers say they already work overtime, and transfers will split families. Their union says transfers are a plan to cut jobs.
This is the latest in a string of anti-austerity strikes since the country adopted severe budget and wage cuts as part of its international bailout in 2010.
But fewer and fewer workers have been heeding trade union calls because the strikes have failed to stop the government from implementing austerity measures and increasingly impoverished Greeks cannot afford to lose more wages. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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