Greece’s two biggest trade union has called a new nationwide strike for next week to protest proposed reforms to Greece’s pension and labor market regulations.
The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) which represents private sector workers and Conferedation of Civil Service Unions (ADEDY )which represents Greek public servants announced on Thursday that it had timed the walkout to coincide with a vote in parliament on the new reforms, on July 8.
That would make it Greece’s sixth general strike this year.
In response to the Greek debt crisis the Papandreou government undertook painful cuts and tax hikes, and proposed legislation that would raise retirement ages and reduce many pensions, saying the country’s pension system would otherwise collapse.
The draft legislation would also make it cheaper for companies to sack employees.
GSEE said it completely rejected the proposed reforms and “will not accept any changes that lead to new unfair and unbearable measures that hurt workers and pensioners.”
The two unions held their last general strike on Tuesday, when some 16,000 people took part in a central Athens protest that was marred by street violence. Police arrested six suspected rioters, and seven officers were injured in the clashes.
Previous protests have also been violent. On May 5, three workers died in a bank torched by rioters. The deaths shocked Greek society, and later protests were much more muted.