Greece’s Labor Unions Call Oct. 18 Strike

Following a massive protest and general strike last month against more austerity measures being readied by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ uneasy coalition government, Greece’s two largest unions have called another strike for Oct. 18, the day of a European Union summit in Greece that could decide whether more international aid is released to prop up the country’s economy.

The two main unions, ADEDY and GSEE, representing public and private workers, are furious over more pay cuts, tax hikes and slashed pensions that Samaras is set to impose on the orders of the Troika of the European Union-International Monetary Fund-European Central Bank (EU-IMF-ECB) that is putting up $325 billion in two bailouts.

The unions called on members to shut down their stores and participate in the walkout. ‘The drastic reduction of incomes, the high and irrational taxation and significant decrease in demand is destroying companies and jobs,” they said in a statement.

(source: ANSA)