GREECE: Greek state workers strike over forced transfers and layoffs

Record ID: 341199

  • Title: GREECE: Greek state workers strike over forced transfers and layoffs
  • Date: 18th September 2013
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 18 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PLACARD ANNOUNCING THE 48 HOUR STRIKE CALLED BY THE CONFEDERATION OF CIVIL SERVANTS (ADEDY) / GREEK PARLIAMENT IN BACKGROUND. PLACARD READS (GREEK) "ADEDY, 48 HOUR STRIKE, SEPTEMBER 18 AND 19" (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) ATHENS RESIDENT, SAYING: "It is a good thing to have some kind of reaction so that the reforms that are a
  • Embargoed: 3rd October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: General,Economy,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5ASKTB8YPGCMEQ2MADMGHLY41
  • Story Text: : Greek workers shut schools and forced hospitals to work on emergency staff on Wednesday (September 18) at the start of a 48-hour strike against the government's latest plans to fire thousands of public sector staff.
    Efforts to rein in the 600,000-strong civil service, long seen as spendthrift and corrupt, have been met with resistance from labour unions who say the scheme will only worsen the plight of Greeks enduring a sixth year of recession.
    Called by the public sector umbrella union ADEDY, the latest action comes days before the "troika" of European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund lenders visits Athens to check what progress it has made on promised reforms.
    One Athens resident agreed with the action, saying that it could temper the scale of cuts: "It is a good thing to have some kind of reaction so that the reforms that are about to take place are more mild," he said.
    Another resident was less optimistic, saying that recent strikes seem to have had little effect in stopping the country's hard hitting lay-offs.
    "I don't think that strikes have anything to offer anymore. I think that the unionists are trying to show that they are doing something. Have you seen any strike succeeding in its goal," asked Michalis, a pensioner.
    Athens must put a total of 25,000 workers in a so-called "mobility scheme" by the end of the year, to be either transferred to other government jobs or dismissed. It must also meet a target of 15,000 mandatory job cuts in 2013-2014.
    Officials say the move will save taxpayers millions of euros.
    But workers, despite being angered by the layoffs, fear that the transfers will also result in layoffs after gaps are filled and evaluations take place. Hospitals are also being merged which may result in layoffs.
    The transfers and layoffs will affect government and municipal employees, teachers, doctors, university and hospital staff.
    "We will stay stay here and fight until the end. They will not win, it will be us who will be victorious," said Dimitra Manoli, who works at a government ministry in housekeeping, as she and a group of house cleaners staged the first protest of the day in front of the economy ministry.
    The troika has bailed out Greece to the tune of 240 billion euros ($320 billion) but has warned that it will stop paying out the money unless Athens pushes forward with reforming a corruption-prone state apparatus where hiring is often driven by political patronage.
    Journalists, lawyers, municipal employees and staff at tax and customs offices are among those joining the walkout.
    Several marches are expected to culminate in rallies before parliament in the main Syntagma Square, a focal point of anti-austerity protests. However, turnout is expected to be more muted than in the past due to the growing sense of resignation among Greeks inured to years of anti-austerity strikes.
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