General strike for wage increase in Greece, traffic paralyzed

(CLO) A general strike grounded ships and disrupted rail and bus services across Greece on Wednesday, as thousands of workers marched in Athens to demand higher wages and improved living standards.

Doctors, teachers, construction workers and transport workers from Greece's largest private and public unions have joined a strike over rising living costs.

“Every time we go to the supermarket and every time the electricity bill comes, we have a little heart attack,” said Stratis Dounias, a court employee who took part in the march in Athens. “We want real action against rising prices.”

Protests over rising consumer prices and housing costs in Athens, Greece on November 20, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Protesters gathered in Syntagma Square in central Athens chanting "Workers' rights are the law" and waving banners reading "General strike against high prices".

The Greek economy has recovered since the debt crisis, but wages remain below the European average, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is among the lowest in the European Union, while the cost of goods has soared.

Many Greeks have seen their wages and pensions slashed in exchange for a 280 billion euro ($297 billion) bailout during the debt crisis, which slashed Greece's economic output by a quarter and nearly pushed the country out of the eurozone.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government has raised the minimum wage since coming to power in 2019, to 830 euros, and pledged to raise it to 950 euros by 2027. The government has also increased pensions.

But Greeks say the increase is not enough because the cost of energy, food and housing continues to rise faster than wages and pensions.

"Today we are asking the government to return what they and previous governments have taken from us over the past decade. Our purchasing power has dropped by 50%, inflation affects everything," said pensioner Giorgos Skiadiotis.

GSEE, Greece's largest private union representing some 2.5 million workers, has blamed "monopolies" for collusive actions that have driven up prices of basic goods.

Bui Huy (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-dinh-cong-doi-tang-luong-o-hy-lap-nhieu-hoat-dong-te-liet-post322191.html