The Greek labour movement has a friend in the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

This week, the ACTU passed a resolution to show solidarity with the Greek union movement, after the union’s board spoke with Greece’s left wing main opposition party Syriza senior spokesperson, Kostas Isychos.

The conversation led to the ACTU extending a hand to Greece’s labour movement, encouraging affiliates to make contact with them to seek advice over problems Australians have faced before, including the privatisation of public assets.

ACTU president Ged Kearney says Greeks are finding hope under the labour movement.

“The labour movement in Greece is playing a critical role in resisting attacks on jobs, services and the Greek people’s way of life,” she tells Neos Kosmos.

“It is the role of unions to speak up on these issues and passing the resolution on Greece at the ACTU Executive is a way Australian unions can support our colleagues in Greece.”

Mr Isyhos gave the union a first hand view of the crisis in Greece, detailing the rapid rise of the neo-Nazi party and the effect austerity measures are having on everyday Greeks.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions says Greeks need to be backed by a strong labour movement to prevent harsh and unfair measures coming into effect.

“The ACTU is deeply concerned about the impact austerity measures are having on the lives of Greek people, as well as the rise of extreme political parties.”

The ACTU says it is committed to supporting countries in crisis and aims to pass on its knowledge and experience to those facing changes in labour law and conditions.

Greece is in the process of cutting 15,000 civil service jobs, while military personnel have seen a 10 per cent cut to their wages since 2012.

Recently, Greek parliament passed a bill that allowed store owners to operate on Sunday, especially in tourist areas. Public and private sector workers took to the streets campaigning for a 40 hour week.

Since June this year, Greece sits at an unemployment rate of 27.6 per cent, while for the young, unemployment is at 56.3 per cent.