On 18 October the second general strike within two weeks took place in protest against a new round of austerity cuts aimed to unlock another instalment of financial aid. The strike mobilised over 70,000 people; public services, schools, hospitals and shops were closed and flights were grounded. While the number of injuries remained limited, the atmosphere of the general strikes is turning grimmer at each demonstration. Protesters threw petrol bombs, rocks and bottles, police responded with teargas and stun grenades. The protestors got some support from the Council of Europe, who ruled in a non-binding judgement that it considers some of the reforms illegal, as these violate workers’ rights.
English: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2012/10/12/greeces-labor-unions-call-oct-18-strike/
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/greece-20th-general-strike-in-two-1386143
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/world/europe/greek-workers-hold-national-strike …
http://www.cnbc.com/id/49472444
For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the communications officer at the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. For previous issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit http://www.etui.org/E-Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net.