Wave of Industrial Action hits Greece

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Widespread industrial action took place on 17 March 2005, in which the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) and the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY) took part. The strikes were directed against the government’s incomes policy and its proposals for changes in industrial relations and the social insurance system.

On 17 March 2005, widespread industrial action by workers in all branches of the public and private sectors took place in Greece, culminating in a four-hour nationwide work stoppage (from 12pm to 4pm) and demonstrations throughout the country.

The Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) announced the industrial action on 9 March 2005 and organised three days of industrial action culminating in a four-hour work stoppage in Attica and a rally and march in the centre of Athens on 17 March. GSEE’s main demands and protests centre around the government’s proposals and announcements of changes to employment and insurance matters, as well as its announced economic austerity policy. In particular, the GSEE is demanding:

• Real wage and salary increases to offset inflation and higher productivity

• Measures to deal with reindustrialisation, company closures and moves to low-cost countries

• Immediate increase in unemployment benefits

• Drastic reduction in flexible forms of employment

• Measures to address unemployment in the building and construction industry

• Gradual convergence of wages with EU member country averages.

At the same time, GSEE has expressed strong opposition to government proposals to abolish Law 3.029/2002, which regulates insurance rights. GSEE is also opposed to government plans to transfer the deficits and obligations of the banks and public utilities and services (DEKO) to the Social Insurance Foundation (IKA).

Taking part in the strike action were the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY), which called a four-hour work stoppage in the public sector and local authorities, and employees of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE), Public Power Corporation (DEI), Hellenic Posts (ELTA) and banks, who along with shop employees held a 24-hour strike on the same day. In particular, DEKO employees were calling for a stop to the deregulation of labour rights being attempted in the public services and utilities, and bank employees were demanding a solution to the problems of the insurance system. Shop employees were striking in strong protest over the introduction of a national system of shop opening times and longer opening hours.

This information is made available through the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO), as a service to users of the EIROnline database. EIRO is a project of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. However, this information has been neither edited nor approved by the Foundation, which means that it is not responsible for its content and accuracy. This is the responsibility of the EIRO national centre that originated/provided the information. For details see the "About this record" information in this record.