Greece Finally Begins to Layoff Public Employees
- Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:40pm by
Becket Adams
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Greece’s coalition government has finally agreed to cut civil service jobs, announcing 15,000 positions would go this year, amid mounting international pressure to agree on austerity measures needed to secure major new debt agreements.
The announcement Monday signals a shift in Greece’s policy, as state jobs have so far been protected during the country’s acute financial crisis, which started about two years ago. Public Sector Reform Minister Dimitris Reppas said the job cuts would be carried out under a new law that allows such firings.
Naturally, this hasn’t gone over well with the unions.
Unions have called a 24-hour general strike for Tuesday, in response to the new austerity measures, while about 4,000 protesters joined protest rallies organized in central Athens by left-wing opposition parties.
Greece is racing to push through the tough reforms – which have yet to be agreed to by Greece’s coalition partners – to clinch a €130 billion ($170 billion) bailout deal from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and avoid a March default on its bond repayments.
Creditors involved in the bailout negotiations have demanded spending cuts in defense, health and social security, a cut in the minimum wage, as well as the civil service layoffs.
The government has promised to reduce the 750,000-strong broader public sector by 150,000 by the end of 2015, but has so far insisted it could reach that target through staff attrition.
“We are opposed to indiscriminate firings,” Reppas said. “The work force reduction is strictly connected with the restructuring of services and organizations at each ministry.”
Officials at the Public Sector Reform Ministry gave no details of the new plan, nor would they say how many of the job cuts would be compulsory.
European Commission spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said Greece is already “beyond the deadline” to end the talks.
After talks in Paris with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there can be no bailout deal unless Athens implements creditors’ proposals.
“(The proposals) are on the table,” she said. “And time is pressing. Therefore something has to happen quickly.”
“Time is pressing and for the entire eurozone much is at stake,” Merkel added.
In Athens, talks between the government and debt inspectors from the EU, IMF and the European Central Bank – known as the troika – dragged into early Tuesday.
“The negotiations with the troika are ongoing for the new loan program. It is clear that there is a lot of pressure being put on the country. A lot of pressure is being placed on the Greek people,” Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said during a break in the talks.
He called on coalition parties to end the bickering and work more closely together.
“No one is as strong as Hercules on his own to face the Lernaean Hydra,” a swamp monster in Greek mythology, he said. “We must all, together, fight this battle, without petty party motives and slick moves.”
Greece is in its fifth year of recession, while unemployment has hit record highs of about 19 percent – following a spate of austerity measures in return for the rescue loans, that included significant cuts in pensions and salaries coupled with repeated tax hikes and an increase in retirement ages.
“The current policy of austerity … is turning workers into pariahs, jobless people and pensioners into paupers and deprives our youth of any hope,” a statement from the main civil servants’ union ADEDY said. “This policy has already pushed Greeks beyond their limits and must be stopped at any cost.”
Yiannis Panagopoulos, leader of Greece’s largest union, the GSEE, said the creditors’ demands were certain to lead to more hardship.
“What is going on is not a negotiation,” he said. “It’s blunt, cynical blackmail targeting an entire people.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Comments (55)
steveh931
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:36pmI can’t even imagine the pain the United States will go through. Took another look at the U.S. Debt Clock last night, turns my stomach thinking about the pain and anguish this nation is headed into. Some Numbers:
National Debt:
Report Post »15,325,000,000,000
Debt Per Citizen:
48,963
Debt Per Taxpayer:
135,615
Present U.S. Federal Budget Deficit|:
1,273,103,000,000
Population:
312,978,698
Taxpayers
113,001,869
Official Unemployed:
13,002,028
Actual Unemployed:
23,002,078
Food Stamps Recipients:
47,175,780
Bankruptcies 2012:
1,421,012
Foreclosures 2012:
868,723
Don’t even look at the U.S. Unfunded Liabilities, here:
117,500,700,000,000
Some numbers rounded up due to speed of clock, probably underestimated by now.
Walkabout
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 11:18amGo ahead throw the IMF out. Maybe their advice is bad. But don’t take any money like a leech.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 10:48amWe feed the EU Central Banks & IMF with $…. that we do not have, but the Fed COUNTERFEITS!
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 11:32amThe fed could make a mistake & print to much money. You have to gather statistics to see the size of the economy & statistics are prone to some error to some degree regardless of diligence.
In this case printing too much money was not an error in estimates of fiat money needed but a deliberate policy to help banks de-leverage & give them a soft landing.
We should never have done TARP. It reinforced the so called “too big too fail” institutions & kept the top bank management rolling in the money. It rewarded college educated bankers, who were supposed to understand economics & finances, for their avarice & stupidity.
As an aside Michelle Bachmann came out against TARP. OWS is against bank bailouts (TARP). so are OWS for Bachmann. He!! NO! They are too stupid to be consistent & principled.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 11:46amWALKABOUT….OWS is against bank bailouts because of who it is that got bailed out, not because money was spent in such a way. Have you heard of them protesting GM’s bailout? Have you seen them outside GE‘s offices protesting against GE’s tax shennanigans and outsourced jobs? Come on..stop giving OWS any credit, they don’t deserve anything but contempt.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:42pmAvengerK
Good point. I see OWS as consisting of many stupid people and/or tools of the left.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 10:24amMogadishu, the Athens Edition
Report Post »Bum thrower
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 8:58amHmmm; if Russia and Syria decided to attach Turkey from (in) the rear, would ‘Grease’ help? LOL
Report Post »CROCK-HANDLER
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 8:42amThis is gonna git ”greecey”;;……..
Report Post »schlepnier
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 7:55amHey greece hows that marxist socialism working for ya?
Report Post »i think we got some people in our parks that would just love to come and join you.
florida123
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 6:59amHey Union, what part of your damn country is absolutely broke dont you get……….I say EU pull out and leave Greece to their own, they have such grand ideas………….NOT
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 6:27amShhhh… Dont tell Obama that there’s 15,500 available worthless Government Slugs on the market, he’ll hire all of them by next Monday……thats his idea of job creation….
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 5:46amSome people in this country tink we are immune from this happening to us. The real problem is that MOST people are totally unaware of what is coming. When we are broke and cannot send out checks to the Government teat suckers or have to lay off Government workers in droves, we will see the big cities burn to the ground.
Report Post »The only answer is to return to the Constitution, take our lumps and save the republic if it is not too later. Freedom and Liberty will survive. It may be locked in prison by the Socialist for a while, but it will always be on my lips.
Ron Paul 2012
WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges08
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 4:21amLOL !
Report Post »They’re all Socialists now.
Isn’t it great?
:D
Mikev5
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:11pmOne thing that I see that blows my mind is these Idiots cant see that rioting and trashing everything in thier path is only trashing thier own pocket book rioting will not fix anything.
Talk about spoiled brats wow
Its like my brother he knows the union he is in is bad and he hates them but as long as he gets his high pay he just keeps quiet and pretends the union is good to them… as long as he keeps getting paid he looks the other way .
Report Post »SFsuper49er
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:11amThat’s exactly it… It pays good so look the other way but it crushes the company in the long run sometimes bringing it down.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 5:30amMIKE5, Sounds like your brother might be in for a surprise because this will happen here as well. It has to. The states can not survive with these benefit programs draining them. So all the fuss and violence will have been in vain. All that was asked of them is to pay a percentage of their health care and retirement but they refused regardless of the fact that their states can not support it. Where will the money come from? The story will unfold and they will end up with nothing but a socialist country to live in. Wow they are gong to have to share their wealth. Tsk tsk…. They need to be careful what they ask for.
Report Post »Bum thrower
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 9:03amThat’s what needs to happen in the USA; to ‘ease’ the transition from ‘worthless bureaucrat’ to ‘worthless citizen on unemployment’, governmet pay needs to be cut 15% per year for three years, then RIF (reduce in force) 55% of the federal work force abolishe the EPA, DOE, DOC,DOEd,….I’m sure I left out some, so I’ll drop out of the Presidental race………….LOL
Report Post »CaliDreaming
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:07pmWatch this news story to the end to see what the Unions were up to today in Temecula, CA. I think normal people who have supported unions will start to see them for what they are with actions like this, all thugs http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/02/06/temecula-residents-face-off-with-union-workers-over-proposed-strip-mining-project/
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:24pmI’m not sure what you are saying any new jobs created will be a good thing I lived in Orange County for 30 years and know business that may and I do say MAY be noisy or dusty or just MAY impact the environment in even the slightest way gets the AX and harassed out of existence and scared away.
I know that area I used to drive through that City when it was known as the one Horse Town with a population of maybe 300 people if that, even then it was an ugly place and was only known as an avocado orchard.
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:32pmCalifornia has its head up its ass in so many ways
They want jobs but only jobs that meet what they want in their pristine head up the ass way they want clean quiet green jobs no smoke no noise it must meet 200 requirements and be high paying jobs.
The environment takes president over everything in California even if it kills them.
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:59pmThis sounds sooooo much like our government most anyone working for the government is protected from getting fired or laid off why BIG FAT UNIONS some like the post office are broke and still get guaranteed wage increases and guaranteed hours if this was a private company would you see this crap going on NO they would of collapsed years ago.
Common sense and accountability doesn’t exist in our government anymore they get paid 20% higher than the private sector with big benefits and a big pension also in a short amount of time then there is all this double dipping going on that’s insane.
Has anyone looked into the Military pensions and all the double dipping going on with them?
That’s a secret hidden problem you bet.
Report Post »D-Fence
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 7:32amMikeV5 Learn how to write.
Report Post »JustMel71
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:07pmAnd so it begins. Anti-American Govt roundups? You decide. (hope you don’t dislike our govt..you’re in for a real treat folks)
FBI warns of threat from anti-government extremists
Report Post »http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/07/us-usa-fbi-extremists-idUSTRE81600V20120207
MCDAVE
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:30pmThey just defined our founding fathers..Expressing a negative opinion about the government is about to make us criminals to the FBI…
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:35pmEveryone needs to click on this one and read
Report Post »P C BE DAMNED
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:52pmI have lived a long time and have watched my country die a little each day and now we have finally arrived where we have been going a long time. Well for me I am happy to be here as a slow death is a horrible thing. I look forward to a taste of reality and see how many can handle what they have dished out.
Report Post »If we don;t retake our country in the election we will fall back on the second amendment. we will not so quietly into that good night. I relish a chance of burning out rather than rusting. I will take out a lot of communist before it is over.
Just kidding in case the government is listing as truth would be wasted on them anyway.
Deuteronomy22
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:54pmWow shooting cops for simply being pulled over on a public roadway. I have no problem with them not paying taxes and being sovereign but if they want to be so independent of goverment they should stay off of public roads, burn their trash, use well water, septic tanks, etc. I don’t want to be subsidizing there sovereign butts.
Report Post »P C BE DAMNED
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:57pmIt took me a while to realize that when I called a government agency to get information I needed that the reason I was not being helped was not just poor work skills but the sound of my voice and accent. I finally figured it out also that there seemed to be a plan of a certain type of people working to enslave another type people. Check the amount they take for doing nothing productive.
Report Post »It is about to end and then if you don‘t work honest you won’t eat. Looking forward to it.
MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 7:31am@JUST
I think you would agree that the federal government has truly become the enemy of the American people. If my enemy comes to my door with the intention of arresting me, or causing physical harm to me, then there is gonna be a fight and I won’t expect to live through it. I’m just saying that I would be proud to die fighting against those who would destroy our country. God Bless America …
Report Post »andrewkboyle
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:07pmI would think that an easier reform would be to reduce the number of monthly paychecks issued per year back to 12 monthly from the current pace of 14 monthly checks. This bold action taken today should, however, reduce the cycle of German bailouts from weekly to bi-weekly. This action is barely scratching the surface, and yet it sparks endless riots. This is a society in the advanced stages of collapse, it will get much worse.
Report Post »Netsurfer2
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:55pmThat’s right, it’s all about entitlements! People in this world believe that the government should take care of them while giving up their freedoms! It is so ridiculous! I’d rather live without anything then have a government dictating my every move in life! So many people gave up their houses, lost jobs, got unemployment, quit jobs because of the lack of decent treatment while working in the labor force! Now I am sure they are going to sock it to us in one way or another to pay for all those peoples who were not responsible!
You can bet on that even if Mitt gets in, he will carry on Obamacare, high taxes, high gas prices, high food prices and of course the high cost of living! Not like anyone really has a choice to begin with??? Just another wolf in sheep’s clothing that is dictated by the “New World Order”! It’s called bought and sold down the river without a free lunch!
Report Post »skitrees
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:04am@Netsurfer2
I agree…with on addition…It really doesn’t matter WHO wins – all the main players are the EXACT SAME PERSON underneath the various skins – they are all progressive. As for the non-main-players: Santorum will only be effective enough so that the progressives will have someone to point blame at in 4 years (he’s not really a good Constitutional guy – not strict). Paul – well, I’ll stop there, because just by mentioning his name and HINTING that there is anything wrong with him will bring the ire of the hatemongers.
Thus – this fighting over who we should vote for seems silly to me – the only power we have left, and the only chance we have left for the future is to focus on SEVERELY changing the congress, and holding those people accountable. The only other option is a state-instigated constitutional convention – and that is a scary wild card.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:53pmGreece is America in 5 years.
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:17pmMaybe this year
Report Post »neverending
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:26pm@mcdave – I tend to agree with you. Much closer then we want to believe.
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:42pmI fear our currency is very close to collapse…we are in much deeper debt than Greece…And the government can’t print worthless money forever…
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:50pmWisconsin unions using the Greek model
Report Post »Coming soon to an Occupy camp near you.
Susie
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:45pmI feel like we’re in a very bad horror movie. You know, the kind where the music plays in the background while the lone heroine goes down those dark basement stairs.
Report Post »I just can’t look.
MCDAVE
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:56pmIts called the Obamination of America And what makes it so scary is its real
Report Post »TexBork
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:36pmThe pre-show warm up is complete. The fuse is lit. The real game is now afoot…
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:35pmCan we layoff a few million here is the US please?
Report Post »ARealCharliesAngel
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:30pmPrepare for impact…this is going to get ugly! Please save the videos of US Union Thugs supporting the violence that will follow.
Report Post »skitrees
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:06amWhat good is video if we will soon have no electricity?
Report Post »USACommoner
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:48pm@Skit: Have you seen Soylent Green? We’ll all be pedaling stationary bicycles in shifts to charge up our generators.
Report Post »The Jewish Avenger
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:23pmWatch careful and follow whoever bails Greece out this time, follow the money and prepare to either be shocked or say “ I told you so” Just saying…
Report Post »tharpdevenport
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:22pmUntil they change the very “-ism” they work under and understand why it all failed, they’ll only be in this same mess ten or more years from now, again.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:05pmAnd that’s just the start. They are going to have to do much, much more to make any dent in their problem. Watch closely–their riots are what are Occupy idiots are modeling theirs after. “Someone still has money, therefore, steal it from THEM and give it to us.”
Report Post »