Vol. 72/No. 14      April 7, 2008

An estimated 150,000 striking workers took to the streets in Athens. Electrical workers, dock workers, and garbage collectors had the most militant and largest contingents in the demonstration. Similar marches and rallies were held in major cities across the country.

The strike shut down all public services, with hospitals only treating emergency cases. Industrial production and transportation were crippled. Striking transportation workers ran the trains during the time of the labor march free of charge to help workers participate.

New Democracy, the ruling capitalist party, was reelected on assurances that pension rights would not be curbed. But Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis has proposed a plan in which some pensions would be capped and over 100 pension funds will be unified with the aim of limiting available health and social services.

The plan would end early retirement options for working mothers, those employed in “hazardous” jobs, and workers who have completed 35 years of work but have not yet reached 60 years of age. Under the bill, thousands of immigrants and young workers, as well as seasonal or part-time workers, will no longer have health-care coverage.

Parliament adopted the pension bill the day after the strike with the governing party’s two-vote majority. All other parties voted against it.

The unions are planning further protests while calling for a constitutional referendum to recall the bill.

—Sami Monastiriotis-Ghneim

Teachers union rallies against
budget cuts in N.Y.
NEW YORK—The United Federation of Teachers and community groups organized a rally outside City Hall here March 19 to protest massive budget cuts in education. Thousands of teachers, students, parents, and administrators chanted “Keep the promises!” and “Sí se puede!” (Yes we can!) in the rain.

Some $180 million was cut from the Department of Education’s funding this year without warning. Close to $600 million is proposed to be cut from next year’s budget.

Many at the rally explained that after school and extracurricular programs were the first to go with this year’s budget cuts.

The slogan “Keep the promises” refers to a state government pledge made last year. The state agreed to give New York City schools an extra $3.2 billion over a four-year period as a result of a lawsuit.

On January 24 New York mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that because of the national economic slowdown, $1.5 billion would be cut from the city’s budget over the next two years.

—Willie Cotton

Health care workers rally
in support of N.Y. strike
BRONX, New York—Some 1,500 members of Service Employees International Union 1199 rallied March 15 in solidarity with 220 striking workers at the Kingsbridge Heights Rehabilitation Center here. The strikers are demanding that the owner, Helen Sieger, pay health-care benefits and negotiate a new contract.

Local 1199 organized its members and supporters to attend the rally from Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and throughout New York State.

“This strike was the only option left for us after Helen Sieger refused to pay for our health benefits. It’s been three long weeks and she has shown no consideration for how this strike is affecting the nursing home residents or the community,” said striker Jacqueline Simono. “All we want to do is go back to work taking care of our patients, but we have to stand up for our rights,” she said.

—Willie Cotton  
 
 
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