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Australian unions slam Greek austerity measures

Some of the largest unions in Australia are calling on the federal government to condemn the austerity measures in Greece

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Australian unions slam Greek austerity measures

Protest held outside the Greek consulate in Melbourne.

2 Apr 2012

Some of the largest unions in Australia are calling on the federal government to condemn the austerity measures in Greece.
In a statement, the unions slam the measures aimed at dragging the European country out of its economic crisis.

"The people of Greece today deserve no less assistance than the global banks and financial investment houses received during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008," it says.
"The continuing economic crisis in Greece is not an isolated phenomenon peculiar to one country.

"It is symptomatic of a broader systemic economic failure in the global economy."

The statement has been sponsored by ACTU president Ged Kearney, secretary of Unions NSW Mark Lennon, CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan and president of the Australian Education Union Angelo Gavrielatos.
It calls upon the Greek government, European Union and the global financial institutions to abandon the fiscal austerity program and adopt an expansionary investment program.
"We further call on the Australian government to support this position and to communicate it to the Greek government and the European Union," it says.
Members of the Greek community and trade unions held protest last week outside Greek consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
"We have to expose the myth that the Greek financial crisis was caused by the people of Greece living lives of luxury and extravagance," said secretary of the South Coast Labour Council in NSW, Arthur Rorris.

In exchange for billions of dollars from eurozone countries, Greece is imposing harsh austerity measures during a fifth year of recession, slashing the minimum wage, pensions and benefits - including deep cuts in the health service.

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