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2 May, 2001Hundreds of thousands of workers and their trade unions succeed in forcing the government to withdraw its proposals for pension reform.
GREECE: Much of Greece came to an abrupt standstill on April 26 during the 24-hour Panhellenic strike called by the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE). The IMF-affiliated Panhellenic Metalworkers' Federation (POEM) and Federation of Electrotechnicians of Greece (FEG), who were among participants in the general strike, said the action was a strong protest against proposals made by the Socialist government of Costas Simitis to reform the social security system.
The strike closed down most of the industrial sector, all public offices, schools, hospitals, public transportation and the media. General participation in the metal branch was remarkably high and without precedent, and reached 100 per cent in the larger companies.
As a result of this massive pressure on the government, it was forced to put a freeze on its plans and is now asking its social partners to start a dialogue from scratch. Originally, the government wanted to raise the minimum retirement age for both men and women from 55 to 65, reduce pensions, abandon special categories of insured workers such as those who perform hazardous or especially hard work, and ignore certain categories of uninsured workers - all of which the unions reject.
Among measures being called for by the trade unions are the tripartite financing of the social security system, the strict enforcement of fiscal and social security dues for employers, reduction by at least half of the present 13 per cent unemployment level, and the incorporation of migrant workers (estimated at 800,000 in Greece) into the social security system.
The GSEE is organising a new Panhellenic strike on May 17.
The strike closed down most of the industrial sector, all public offices, schools, hospitals, public transportation and the media. General participation in the metal branch was remarkably high and without precedent, and reached 100 per cent in the larger companies.
As a result of this massive pressure on the government, it was forced to put a freeze on its plans and is now asking its social partners to start a dialogue from scratch. Originally, the government wanted to raise the minimum retirement age for both men and women from 55 to 65, reduce pensions, abandon special categories of insured workers such as those who perform hazardous or especially hard work, and ignore certain categories of uninsured workers - all of which the unions reject.
Among measures being called for by the trade unions are the tripartite financing of the social security system, the strict enforcement of fiscal and social security dues for employers, reduction by at least half of the present 13 per cent unemployment level, and the incorporation of migrant workers (estimated at 800,000 in Greece) into the social security system.
The GSEE is organising a new Panhellenic strike on May 17.