Greek civil servants plan new strikes next week

[As the Greek people’s resistance continues to grow, the Papandreau government will find more difficulty in serving international finance capital.  As the saying goes, no matter how hard you squeeze, “you can’t get blood out of a turnip.”  New forms and levels of people’s resistance will undoubtedly be seen in the months ahead.  — Frontlines ed.]

Oct 21, 2011

By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Greek unions on Friday threatened further strikes next week, a day after parliament approved new harsh cutbacks to secure international loans despite protests and riots that left one man dead and nearly 200 injured.

The new austerity measures include further pension and state salary cuts, civil service staff cuts, a reduction in the tax-free threshold and a watering-down of workers’ collective bargaining rights. Their approval by the governing Socialist majority was expected to pave the way for a vital euro8 billion ($11 billion) payout from international creditors within weeks so Greece can stay solvent.

Ilias Iliopoulos, secretary-general of the Adedy civil servant union, insisted the new law “will not be implemented,” and accused the Socialists of turning a blind eye to the toll these measures will take on workers.

“This government has ignored the popular uprising by approving this terrible law,” Iliopoulos told The Associated Press. “Our answer is: get out as fast as you can, there is no place for you in Greece any longer.”