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Greece braces for nationwide strike over pension reforms

Wednesday, 06 April 2016 3:09 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 06 April 2016 3:08 PM ]

Greek pensioners march in central Athens during a rally against the pension reform on March 10, 2016. (AFP photo)

Mass walkouts have been called in Greece against plans to overhaul the pension system as the government is planning to hold crucial talks with bailout negotiators.

The strike, called by workers' unions for Thursday, is set to ground most flights, halt television news programs, close state schools, and leave public hospitals accepting emergency cases only.

The action comes as negotiators from European Union institutions and the International Monetary Fund are to hold talks with Greek officials later in the day to finalize changes in the pension system.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who accepted last year reforms in Greece’s economy in return for a multi-billion-dollar assistance package by international creditors, is resisting pressure by lenders to impose a new round of deep cuts for pensioners. His left-wing government has instead opted to increase social security contributions paid by employers, farmers and self-employed professionals. Some professional groups have protested the plans, with groups like lawyers abstaining from court duty for weeks.

Greece's biggest public sector union, ADEDY, has called on teachers, doctors, air-traffic controllers and pensioners to join the 24-hour, nationwide walkout.

Some striking workers have also planned a rally in central Athens for early Thursday with banners readied for the protest reading, "We can stop them … We won't allow these unpopular policies."

Representatives from Greece’s lenders, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, European Stability Mechanism and the International Monetary Fund, arrived this week in Greece to review progress the country has made on reforms. However, disagreements remain prior to their meeting with Greece’s Labor Minister Giorgos Katrougalos over the extent of fiscal consolidation Athens must pursue and how much debt relief Greece may need.

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