Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-03-12

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Work stoppage on Wed.

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Work stoppage on Wed.

Workers in the public and private sectors will be staging a three-hour work stoppage on Wednesday, from noon to 3:00 p.m., that has been called by the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) and the Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY), the country's two main umbrella labour organisations for the private and public sectors, demanding the withdrawal of the government's draft law for social security reform, discussion of which begins in a parliamentary committee that same day.

GSEE and ADEDY are also staging a rally outside parliament at 1:00 p.m.

The stoppage, which will be observed by several Labour Centers, will cripple mass transports during the designated three hours, as no forms of public transport will be running, while the Federation of Civil Aviation Unions (OSPA) has also declared participation in the work stoppage, forcing the cancellation and rescheduling of flights.

Commuters in the capital will face another difficult day on Thursday when the two main rail services in Athens - the Athens Metro and the electric railway ISAP - go on a 24-hour strike. Together, these carry an estimated million-plus passengers every day.

Banks will also be taking part in the work stoppage, from 12:15-15:15, with transactions with the public closing at 11:30 a.m., while OTOE, the federation of bank employees' unions, has also declared a 48-hour strike on Thursday and Friday.

The umbrella unions will have a meeting with President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on Thursday.

A nationwide strike has also been called for March 19.

Caption: ANA-MPA view of a nationwide strike in Athens

[02] Athens Newspaper Headlines

A strike barrage and the large labour unions' reactions against the social security draft law, the prospect of the government requisitioning strikers in 'sensitive' sectors such as sanitation workers (garbage collectors), and the spiralling inflation, which has reached 4.4 percent due to revalutiations in fuel and foods dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The strikes bring a mess in citizens lives - Dialogue over social security reforms commences in parliament".

APOGEVMATINI: "9,300 new hirings in public sector".

AVGHI: "Government besieged by strikes - Public response to social security reforms"

AVRIANI: "Poll results show that the difference between New Democracy and main opposition PASOK reached 6.5 percent - PASOK shocked by the poll results".

CHORA: "Bomb against peace and the economy - The unstoppable oil price race reaches 110 US dollars (per barrel)".

ELEFTHERI ORA : "As long as the social security issue remains unsolved, the state will be paralysed - Government-labour unions head-on collision over social security reforms generates problems to all public sectors".

ELEFTHEROS " Anti-establishmenterians set an ambush for police officers - Farce for clash in Athens".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "New Democracy MPs pull the switch - Seven MPs did not attend the party's meeting although they were in the parliament".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Head-on collision - Parliament: Draft law's withdrawal demanded by all parties - Three demonstrations on Wednesday in Athens".

ESTIA: "Inflation is spiralling out of control - It reached 4.4 percent in February".

ETHNOS: "A hole in the social security reforms chaos - Large labour union (GSEE) x-rays the draft law and reveals its traps" .

KATHIMERINI: "Imported worries over the economy - Inflation reaches 4.4 percent due to price increases in oil and foods".

LOGOS: "Streets in darkness and piled up with garbage - Government toughens stance towards strikers - Strike mobilisations escalate".

NIKI: "Authoritarianism - Government splits society and threatens the workers - Government uses devious ways to stop the strikes 'tsunami' ".

TA NEA: "Massive robbery in income tax - OECD releases shocking facts".

TO VIMA: "Mass reaction over the social security reforms - The dialogue for the social security reforms begins in parliament".

RIZOSPASTIS: "All together in the streets for whole and universal social security rights".

VRADYNI: "Double shock to our pockets - Oil price reaches 109.59 $ ,inflation 4.4 %".

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