Mayday in Greece marked amidst worries over rising prices

by Teacher Dude | May 1, 2008 at 05:36 am
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Mayday in Greece marked amidst worries over rising prices

Mayday in Greece marked amidst worries over rising prices

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Amidst worries that the Greek economy is entering a period of recession and spiralling prices of basic goods, many Greeks took to the streets to mark Mayday.  According to the government figures the official inflation rate has reached 4.4%, way above the EU average. However, the Kathimerini newspaper reported that average household costs rose by 10% making life even more difficult for the 13% of Greek households living below the poverty line.

In Athens and other Greek cities the trade union congress, GSEE, along with other opposition parties and political groups organised rallies attended by tens of thousands. Many representatives attacked the government's inability to curtail prices which are widely believed to be the result of monopolistic practices in many areas of the economy. In addition recent pension reforms drew the ire of many speakers.

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Rob Walker
Rob Walker
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 06:00 on May 1st, 2008

Teacher Dude, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Jordan Yerman
Jordan Yerman
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 06:25 on May 1st, 2008

Nice work, 'Dude.

everchanging
everchanging
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 09:23 on May 1st, 2008

Teacher Dude, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Here some more info regarding May 1st in Greece.

Greec​e - Publi​c trans​port servi​ces,​ and ships​ and fligh​ts by the state​ carri​er Olymp​ic Airli​nes were paral​ysed acros​s the count​ry as union​s plann​ed demon​strat​ions in the capit​al Athen​s to coinc​ide with Labou​r Day. Thous​ands of touri​sts were left stran​ded as Athen​stram​,​ troll​eys and all buses​,​ inclu​ding those​ to and from Athen​s Inter​natio​nal Airpo​rt,​ stopp​ed runni​ng while​ worke​rs at the city'​s metro​ said they would​ hold work stopp​ages.​ Dozen​s of domes​tic and inter​natio​nal fligh​ts on Olymp​ic Airli​nes were cance​lled as were all ferry​ servi​ces to and from the Greek​ islan​ds.​ Greec​e'​s labou​r union​s are anger​ed by the conse​rvati​ve gover​nment​'​s attem​pts to refor​m pensi​ons.​ 

 

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1402992.php/Angry_May_Day_protests_go_ahead_in_Ankara_Moscow_Paris

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