24-hr general strike on Thursday: Who is striking? Where are the rallies?

The country will be gripped by strike action on Thursday due to a 24-hour strike action called by the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) and the Greek Workers Association (ADEDY) in reaction to the Greek budget reforms and the demolition of Greek workers rights.

Mass media

The first employees to strike are journalists whose strike action kicks off at 6 a.m. on Wednesday and runs through to 6 a.m. on Thursday so that they can cover the rallies and other strike action on Thursday. At noon on Wednesday, a gathering will take place outside the offices of the Greek Journalists Union (ESIEA) that will culminate into a rally. For this reason, there will be no newspapers on Thursday, and on Wednesday websites affiliated to media outlets will not publish stories apart from breaking news.

Hospitals

Hospital employees are striking on Wednesday. A protesting gathering has been scheduled outside the Ministry of Health at noon, and they will also take part in the 24-hour general strike on Thursday.

Public transport

There will be disruptions to the public transport system on Thursday. Employees on trolleys, buses, the metro, the electric rail line (green) and trams are to hold stop-work action from the start of their shifts until 9 a.m. and from 9 p.m. until the end of their shifts.

Trains will be immobilized for the entire 24 hours with inter-urban routes canceled. There will be no metro lines from Doukisis Plakentias station to the airport.

Public transport workers in the urban, inter-urban, railway and port sectors have also decided to hold more strike action in the first night of December and will also take part in a symbolic occupation of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund on December 15 – the day in which tenders for the Piraeus Port Authority are due.

Ships will remain bound at ports as a result of the 24-hour strike action by Panhellenic Maritime Federation (PNO) from 00.01 a.m. on Thursday to 23.59 p.m. on the same day.

No lawyers

The Athens Bar Association has also announced stop-work action on Thursday.

Education

Middle-school teachers will join the strike action by the Greek Federation of Secondary Education for State School Teachers (OLME). They are protesting against changes being introduced to their social security rights as well as demands for permanent appointments.

Municipalities

State municipal offices will be understaffed in protest against privatization of cleaning services and demands for the social security system to be maintained. Local authority employees also want the banning of recruitment of permanent personnel at municipalities to be lifted.

RALLIES

Omonoia Square, 10 a.m.

The All-Workers Militant Front (PAME)  and Association of Self-Employed Workers and Tradesman of the Municipality of Athens

Klafthmonos Square, 11 a.m.

GSEE and ADEDY