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Victoria Mindova

The two-day strike in Greece promises to block not only the traffic in major cities in Greece, but also the flights in and out of the country. The protest of the trade union of the employees in the public sector (ADEDY) and the trade union of the employees in the private sector (GSEE) includes companies that manage the public transport, the subway, the electric train in Athens, the railways in the country and the media will start four-hour strikes at 10 am. United against the adoption of the mid-term recovery plan, but also separately fighting for their different demands, employees from almost all sectors of the economy will not go to work but will protest against the irretrievable changes the Greek economy is experiencing.

The association of air traffic controllers of the largest airport in Greece Elevteros Venizelos in the area of Spata joined the nationwide protests. Their active strike will hamper the schedule of the aircraft at the beginning of the tourist season, which seriously disturbs both the travel agents and the tourists themselves. There will be no flights between 8 am and 12 o’clock at noon on Tuesday, due to the strike of traffic controllers, as well as between 6 pm and 10 pm. On Wednesday, the morning strike will start an hour earlier and in the evening, it will also be held between 6 pm and 10 pm.

GRReporter contacted the Secretary of the Association of air traffic controllers George Kalomiris to explain to us what the reasons for the mobilization of the employees in the sector in the Greek general strike are. "We are civil servants and it is our right and even duty to protect our rights as all members of ADEDY," said Kalomiris. He was adamant that the adoption of the mid-term recovery plan would be fatal to ordinary civil servants.

We asked the trade unionist to tell us more about the problems in the sector and the air traffic controllers’ decision to block the airspace of Greece for a total of 16 hours. We asked the chief secretary of the association, "What are you afraid most of all to strike this time? Are you afraid of dismissals?" George Kalomiris refused to answer at first. Then he clarified: "We are civil servants and it is very difficult to be replaced. So, we are not afraid of layoffs. One traffic controller needs 4-5 years of training to start working effectively," he said calmly. According to him, their main demands are related to the cuts in wages, the working conditions and the reduction of additional payments.

The position of civil servants in other sectors of the economy is similar. Nobody answered the phones of the trade unions of the employees in the electric train, the Athens water supply, the urban transport and the port workers since Monday morning although the 48-hour strike begins on Tuesday. The web site of the union of the employees in the public sector (ADEDY) says that the employees will not allow the selling-off of state property.

"The electricity, water, telecommunications, ports, transport, the State Lottery, Post Bank and other companies will be sold for charity, and the consequences for the society and the national economy will be disastrous," says the notice. According to them, the plan to reduce the debt through privatization of part of the state property is a plan of conspiracy and they completely oppose the merger of state agencies and public organizations. Trade unions in Greece believe that the public sector and its employees are not the cause for the dramatic situation of local finances.

The employed in Hellenic Petroleum will also take part in the two-day strike by supporting the demands of GSEE and ADEDY not to adopt the second Memorandum and to stop the mid-term recovery plan that will bring economic restrictions by 2015, but will ensure the second aid package of over 100 billion euros. "In addition to the familiar demands, we insist on the renewal of the collective agreement for the employees in the energy sector and in our company, which is another reason to protest," said a representative of the employees of one of the largest refineries in the country for GRReporter. Nevertheless, there will be no lack of supplies of fuel in the country because the strike will end by Thursday.