Greek protest against European Union austerity

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Greek PAME condemns EU ‘fraud’

Friday 27 January 2012

Greek trade unionists staged a noisy protest on Wednesday morning outside the Athens hotel where officials from the European Union, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund are staying.

The All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) activists blocked the entrance, burnt an EU flag and denounced the “social dialogue” on austerity involving the Greek coalition government and what PAME branded “the compromised leaderships” of some of the country‘s largest unions.

A two-year wage freeze, restrictions on seasonal bonuses, and a reduction in the minimum wage are reportedly under discussion.

The PAME leadership released a statement denouncing the dialogue as a “fraud,” predicting that it would result in “the further deterioration of labour relations” by abolishing collective bargaining agreements.

It called for a general strike in the first week of February and “for the escalation of the struggle against the plundering of our income.”

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