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Greece in the grip of another general strike

02 December 2015 / 19:12:08  GRReporter
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Just two months after being re-elected, Greece’s ruling coalition of the radical left SYRIZA and the Independent Greeks party that gravitates towards the far right is recording the second consecutive general strike against the policy applied by the cabinet.

The new strike wave began today with the lack of information flow, due to the 24-hour strike of media workers. From 06:00 today am to 06:00 am on Thursday there will be no television and radio news broadcasts.

Several dozens of media representatives gathered outside the Journalist's Union in Athens to protest against the abolition of the 'angeliosimo' tax, which is a percentage of advertising expenditure on all products that is deducted in favour of their retirement funds.

The protest manifesto issued by the federations of media workers states that they are "addressing to all parties the decision to strengthen their front against the destructive action that is coordinated by creditors, governments and employers and that is directed against every labour and social security right that has survived to this day."

After the rally in front of the Journalist's Union, the strikers held a protest march.

However, the actual strike announced by the two major Greek unions, ADEDY of public sector workers and GSEE of private sector workers is scheduled for tomorrow. It will involve all employees in the state administration and municipalities, doctors and staff at public hospitals, employees in the state railways OSE, port workers and lawyers.

Therefore, sea trips on all routes will be suspended the following day. Train trips across the country have been cancelled as well and the suburban train in Athens will not run either.

Buses, trolleys, the subway, the electric train and trams in Athens will only run between 09:00 am and 09:00 pm. The subway will not run the route to Athens airport (from Doukisis Plakentias Station to the airport) throughout the day.

Civil aviation dispatchers will carry out a four-hour work stoppage from 12:00 to 04:00 pm, when no regular flights will take place to and from Greek airports.

It is noteworthy that workers in all transport means have established a common front that will launch a series of strikes in the first half of December and will hold a symbolic occupation of the offices of the Privatisation Fund on 15 December, when it is expected to accept the biding bids for the privatisation of Piraeus port.

Tomorrow's strike rally of trade unions will take place in Klafthmonos Square at 11:00 am and a procession to parliament will follow afterwards. The protest rally of the union of the Communist Party of Greece PAME will start in Omonia Square at 10:00 am.

It is worth noting that the Labour Policy Department of SYRIZA has again called for mass participation in the strike announced by the trade unions. In its official message it even condemns "the memoranda policy of previous governments."

"We must respond to the everyday extortion by employers and the neoliberal political and economic centres in and outside of Greece," SYRIZA states, adding, "We are fighting for a new security system that will ensure the redistributive and social nature of the system, not involving cuts in all pensions and allowances but providing a decent pension for all workers."

Tags: SocietyGeneral strikeTrade uinionsSYRIZA
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