Greece’s largest labor union has called a new general strike for Nov. 6, warning that unemployment has reached “nightmare” levels and that working rights are continually being eroded by austerity measures.
The GSEE union called the 24-hour protest Wednesday in its latest attempt to halt spending cuts imposed as part of Greece’s 240 billion-euro ($325 billion) bailout agreements. The cuts are meant to reduce debt, but have hurt the economy and pushed the jobless rate to nearly 28 percent.
Anticipating the announcement, ferry workers had already called a 24-hour protest for Nov. 6.
The conservative-led government has insisted it will impose no new cuts to pensions and salaries or tax increases to address gaps both in its financing and its fiscal program in the next few years.
Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras said on Wednesday that decisions on the financing shortfall will be taken toward the end of the year by Greece’s creditors.
Read more at the Washington Post.