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October 18, 2011

Greece: Two Main Unions Prepare to Launch 48-Hour General Strike 
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Greece’s two main unions are preparing to launch a 48-hour general
strike on Wednesday to protest a planned vote on a deeply unpopular
package of austerity measures demanded by international lenders.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Greek police officers and firefighters staged a
protest on Monday against a reduction in wages, jobs and benefits.
Dimitris Georgatzis is the president of the Hellenic Police Association.

Dimitris Georgatzis, Hellenic Police Association president: "We are
forced to come out to the streets to protect our dignity. Services are
not operating as they should be, because there is a cut-back in funding
with the result that people are blaming police officers of who are not
to blame."

Thamolakos Tzanetos, the president of a Greek firemen association also
spoke at the protest rally.

Thamolakos Tzanetos, Firemen Association of Laconia Region President:
"We have financial problem, there had been cutbacks and the budgets of
each fireman family are no longer enough. We wanted to protest to say
workers are not to blame, neither are pensioners for the situation. The
people who are to blame have not suffered any cutbacks yet."



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