http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/9/53059
and.....
http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/8/53058
| Unions plan strike against austerity | |||
| |||
 Greece's two major labour unions plan a 24-hour strike on Tuesday against austerity measures and reforms demanded by international lenders in exchange for a new bailout package, union officials said on Sunday. "We are planning a one-day strike on Tuesday," Elias Iliopoulos, secretary general of public sector union ADEDY, told Reuters. "Despite our sacrifices and despite admitting that the policy mix is wrong, they still ask for more austerity." ADEDY and its private sector sister union GSEE represent about two million workers or roughly half the country's workforce. They have staged repeated strikes since the country first resorted to bailouts from foreign lenders in 2010. A GSEE official said the two unions would on Monday finalize plans to strike. (Reuters) | |||
and.....
http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/8/53058
| Coalition party meetings; talks to resume Monday | |||
| |||
 Pasok's Political Council held an emergency meeting late on Sunday night to discuss the proposals of the EU/IMF troika concerning a new economic programme, which Greece's creditors consider a prerequisite for further bailout loans. Pasok spokesman Panos Beglitis said the members of the Council were briefed on the discussion held between Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and the leaders of the three political parties supporting the government by Pasok leader George Papandreou. Beglitis said that Papandreou had reservations concerning two of the troika's demands: those on labour relations and the method by which Greek banks will be recapitalised. He repeated Pasok's positions in favour of assisting banks via the issue of common shares and the party's opposition to scrapping the 13th and 14th wages or reducing the minimum wage in the private sector. Beglitis said an effort will be made to convene Pasok's Parliamentary group on Monday but warned that this seemed difficult to arrange at this time. Main opposition New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras pledged to fight to prevent measures that will further deepen the recession in Greece. According to sources, Samaras laid out his negotiating framework during the meeting and was fighting against measures he considered recessionary. "Samaras is fighting for the 13th and 14th wage, he is also waging a battle to prevent an increase in tax-assessed property values and is not agreeing with most of what they are asking for supplementary pensions, while he is discussing the issue of the minimum wage," the ND leader's aides said. There followed a meeting at ND's headquarters between Samaras and his closest aides, during which he summarised the results of the meeting chaired by Papademos. Among those present were members of the party's economic team and National Defence Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, ND's vice-president. Popular Orthodox Rally (Laos) party leader George Karatzaferis on Sunday called an emergency party meeting of his closest aides and the members of his party in the government. According to a source occupying a senior position within Laos, Karatzaferis refused "carte-blanche" agreement on the proposals during the meeting and demanded a reshuffle after PSI was concluded, calling the current cabinet "a failed Pasok government". The same source claimed the prime minister was authorised to proceed with a reshuffle to create a new government with the participation of technocrats. (AMNA) Samaras made no statements as he left the meeting but indicated the deadlock reached during the meeting during a brief statement to television cameras when he returned to ND's headquarters. "For the first time, a negotiation is taking place. The country cannot stand more recession. I am fighting with every means to prevent this," he said, confirming that the meeting between Papademos and the party leaders will continue on Monday. | |||
No comments:
Post a Comment