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European Federation of Public Service Unions |
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Dear Colleagues,
You will recall that some of our colleagues of GENOP-DEH were arrested last year when they occupied buildings of the Greek power company. They were protesting against the fact that the government was obliging the company to act as tax collector with the ultimate consequence that if people would not pay, the company workers would have to cut off their electricity. EPSU and many others intervened to ensure that they would not have to face trial and it has been postponed several times.
Earlier this week, workers again occupied the building and 18 were arrested,
but later released. It is yet another sign of how the tensions in Greece rise.
26 September saw a general strike and large demonstration, yesterday thousands
came to the streets to use the occasion of the visit of German Chancellor Mrs.
Merkel to underline their opposition to austerity policies. Mrs Merkel is widely
associated with pushing these policies through. The two Greek confederations
ADEDY and GSEE called for a 3h work stoppage today. Large demonstrations near
the Parliament and on the Syntagma square, the traditional place for such
rallies, have been forbidden and close to 7000 policemen have been mobilized to
ensure that Mrs Merkel does not have to see protests.In solidarity,
