Greece hit by third general strike in a month

[villager]

Source: BBC


Greece hit by third general strike in a month



Public services and transport in Greece have ground to a halt as workers stage a third general strike in protest at the government's austerity measures.

Flights are grounded, and most schools and hospitals closed in the 24-hour walk-out called by the two main unions.

Riot police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters during a large demonstration in the capital, Athens.

The government says it sympathises with public anger over tax rises and wage cuts but is refusing to back down.

The country currently has a spiralling public deficit of 12.7%, more than four times higher than eurozone rules allow.

The government has pledged to cut this to 8.7% this year, and also reduce the 300bn-euro (£275bn; $410bn) national debt, by cutting public sector salaries, raising the average retirement age, and increasing sales taxes.

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Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8561311.stm

[Ozymanithrax]

1. Refreshing to see a country with a citizenry that know how to be engaged.

[bossy22]

2. but is it really helping

I don't know much about the issue but sometimes there are hard choices to be made. I don't want to see people lose jobs are have their wages cut but sometimes that may be the only solution to the issue.

[Doctor_J]

4. The people of Greece are beyond the stage where band-aids will help

They need, and want, a systemic re-orientation, and this is one way that peasants can contribute to that goal.

[Ozymanithrax]

6. In order to join the European Union Greece was encouranged to cook the books...

with big banking firms. Those firms then bet against Greece's ability to pay, which in part precipitated the crises.

From what I read, Greece is just the first. Spain and Ireland will go next.

These people are angry because their government gave in to European preasure to join. They are angry because the same people the precipatated the economic crises here for the sake of profit, did it to them.

Their government has utterly failed in the social contract to act for the benefit and welfare of its citizenry. They are letting it know.

I suspect things will calm down, but if Spain and Ireland fall, we could see another 1848.

[liberation]

11. Greece has been part of the EU for a long time.

Greece has always had systemic corruption in their government. I don't know if you are trying to claim that the EU somehow encouraged Greece to "cook the books" but if that is the case, that is an extremely dishonest claim.


Greece was passing tax breaks to capture business, while at the same time expecting EU common funds to cover up for the missed revenue. In other words, they tried to pull a fast one on the EU and got caught, big time. Spain and Ireland's situations are a tad different from Greece's. Ireland is addressing some of their debt issues, and Spain is a far larger economy than Greece so if it were to fall it would drag down the EU big time. The current government in Spain is way too incompetent and are making matters worse though. Nothing like 1848 is going to come to pass, first off I don't think you have a proper understanding of the context and meaning of the revolutions of 1848 in Europe. But what this is going to be is a clear fire test of the EU policies and wether or not cohesion is going to be achieved. And I think it will be, most citizens in Greece and Spain/Ireland are aware the majority of economic policy problem reside with the mismanagement of their local governments and are more willing to listen to the EU in economic matters at this point, than their own governments.

Also this is a power play from the Germany et al to put Greece on notice that the EU is not going to tolerate EU states going rogue and aligning themselves with the USA in matters which contradict common European interests, while at the same time expecting the EU to pay up their bills. And I can't say I blame the EU for taking such a stand.

[girl gone mad]

13. Spain will be worse than Greece.

It isn't feasible to bail Spain out.

[WriteDown]

3. But to what end though?

The money just isn't there. Apart from establishing their own currency (The Greeko or Greekle?), I am not sure where they go from here.

[Ozymanithrax]

7. Greece could withdarw from the EU, hang the bankers and elected officials...

that cause the problem, and set about rebuilding their country.

But with Spain and Ireland in the same boat, from all I've read, it could become another 1848.

[WriteDown]

8. That would still require a new currency...

It would be like the confederacy for sure.

[liberation]

12. Except that Greece is in no position of doing that...

... and I pretty much doubt there is a popular movement to leave the EU at all.

And to be frank, general strikes are nothing new in the EU. In fact, I think it is great they have populations who are engaged enough to put the pressure on their governments when they fuck up. Funny how the attitudes of American and European citizens have literally inverted in regards to keeping their governments in check.

[nxylas]

9. What's wrong with drachma?

As a name, it has form.

[Psephos]

16. They could call it the "Grease"...

It would fit right in as a national symbol of how Greek government works. ;)

[HeresyLives]

5. They are just racking up more debt for the country.

[Flaneur]

10. Yeah, Greek workers should just suck it up.

They seem to disagree with your analysis.

[troubledamerican]

14. Imagine a General Strike in the U.S. -- ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hah ah ah ahahah ah ha hah ha ha ha hah aha ha hah hahahahahahahaha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hah a ha ha ha hah a hah ah ah

[Vidar]

15. The Greeks have been passionately fighting for their rights since 500 BC.

We are misguided toddlers in comparison.

[Rapier09]

17. There is no money

That is the bottom line.

These people want their country to keep borrowing at a raised rate?