Nationwide 24-hour strike brings Greece to a standstill

CGTN Europe

Protesters are demanding wage hikes and the return of collective labor agreements, arguing that salaries haven't kept pace with soaring inflation and housing costs. CGTN's Evangelo Sipsas reports from Athens.   #greece #strike  Read more ⬇️ https://tinyurl.com/5ex37b8s

Transcript

00:00From early Wednesday morning, thousands of workers gathered across Greece,

00:04rallying in city centers and outside key ministries.

00:08In Athens, crowds formed outside the finance minister and in Klathmonos Square,

00:13responding to strike calls by the country's two largest unions.

00:18The protesters are demanding higher pay and the return of sector-wide collective bargaining agreements,

00:24saying salaries have failed to keep up with the soaring inflation and housing costs.

00:30What we want to say to the government, and this can only be achieved if people come together,

00:36united and in large numbers, not through scattered protests,

00:40is that we need a real wage increase, not just the crumbs they're currently offering.

00:46We're talking about fair raises for everyone.

00:49The real issues are housing, public health care and education,

00:54and the need for strong collective labor agreements.

00:56The strike has brought major disruption to transport across the country.

01:03Air traffic controllers joined the walkout, forcing the cancellation of all domestic and international flights.

01:10Ferry services were halted, and the Pan-Hellenic Seaman's Federation joined the strike.

01:16Union representatives say their demands are about more than just money,

01:20pointing to long-standing safety and staffing concerns.

01:23public transport workers are calling for permanent contracts and improved staffing levels.

01:30It's frustrating to see a government that won't invest in public transportation or hospitals,

01:36and I'm saying this as a doctor,

01:38but somehow always manages to find money for harmful policies.

01:42People are really angry.

01:45We saw that on February 28th, and that anger hasn't gone away.

01:48The march towards Parliament remained peaceful,

01:52as thousands took to the streets to voice their frustration

01:55over what unions describe as economic stagnation and the lack of political action.

02:02The government, meanwhile, says recent labor reforms will modernize Greece

02:06and bring it in line with European standards.

02:10But many workers say the reforms don't go far enough,

02:13with inflation pushing up the cost of everyday essentials.

02:17The reality is our pay runs out by the middle of the month.

02:24The raise the government gave us amounts to less than 50 cents a day,

02:27and with the cost of living constantly rising, we just can't get by.

02:31That's why we're speaking out.

02:32This isn't just a protest, it's a signal.

02:40Workers across Greece say they are done with empty promises and rising costs.

02:46Unless the government meets their demand,

02:48they say Wednesday's disruption will just be the beginning.

02:52Evangelos Ipsos for CGTN, Athens.

02:55José Carlos Reyes

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