Greece: teachers strike as students camp out in Syntagma Square
Primary school teachers are staging a 24-hour strike today, joined by doctors and civil servants. The main rally in Athens is at noon at the Propylaea.
Archive image · Photo: Tomisti / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Europe's wave of protests has reached Greece: the primary teachers' federation DOE has called a 24-hour strike for Wednesday and the secondary teachers' federation OLME a work stoppage from 11am to 2pm. Hospital doctors (OENGE) are also on strike nationwide, and the public sector union confederation ADEDY is stopping work from 11am. The main education rally in Athens starts at noon at the Propylaea, with others planned in cities including Thessaloniki and Patras. Students had already pitched tents in Syntagma Square on Tuesday evening.
Teachers are demanding higher pay, the restoration of two additional annual salary payments, permanent posts and smaller classes. According to the union, almost half of teachers earn no more than 1,000 euros a month. Pupils and students want more education funding, affordable housing and safer school buildings; ceiling material had fallen at schools in Korydallos, Lamia and Thessaloniki. "From Greece to France, we fight for public and free education," the student organisers said.
Greek police are on full alert, with security measures in place since Tuesday evening, according to Parapolitika. According to To Vima, authorities considered closing central metro stations in Athens. Schools and public transport are expected to be affected; parents are advised to check with schools whether classes will take place. Hospital doctors, whose demands include pay rises and permanent hiring, planned to gather at noon outside the finance ministry. Pensioners' organisations called a gathering at Kotzia Square followed by a march to the health ministry.