Saturday, June 04, 2011

Greek Unions Protest

Protesters occupied Greece's Finance Ministry in Athens as ministers announced that negotiations with the EU, European Central Bank and the IMF over austerity measures and public asset sell-offs had been "positive."
Hundreds of activists from the PAME trade union confederation blockaded the entrance to the building before dawn.
Trade unionists draped a huge banner calling for a general strike over five storeys down the front of the building and tore down the EU flag from its roof, replacing it with the PAME flag.
Members were saying that the government's planned economic measures would "turn workers into slaves."
PAME had declared today "a day of nationwide activity" and rallies against the government's "anti-people policy," with actions taking place across the country in the afternoon.
Prime Minister George Papandreou was not in Athens having jetted off to Luxembourg for talks with Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the group of 17 eurozone finance ministers.
"The prime minister will present the mid-term plan to Juncker, which includes speedier privatisations and new measures to cut government spending and raise revenue," a government official said.
Mr Juncker has criticised Mr Papandreou for not cutting fast enough and failing to "reform" the public sector in return for a €110 billion (£98bn) EU-IMF bailout package.
The ruling Socialist Party is attempting to implement its "austerity programme" to placate bond investors who suspect the country could default on its sovereign debt

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