Two million Greek workers on strike

[malaise]

over government's austerity measures. Bravo workers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8533240.stm

<snip>
The government has pledged to cut this to 8.7% this year, and also reduce the 300bn-euro ($419bn; £259bn) national debt, by freezing public sector salaries, raising the average retirement age to 63 by 2015, and increasing taxes on petrol, alcohol and tobacco.

It also wants to crack down on tax avoidance. Greece's black economy is estimated at 30% of official gross domestic product
------------------
Two million was said on BBC international news.

[blindpig]

1. k&r n/t

[AllentownJake]

2. The owners have a problem here

If the people of Greece are successful this will spread to the rest of Europe.

The European banks will implode one by one if Greece Defaults. The EU governments want to demand these austerity measures to prevent further deterioration of their currency.

Reading the new data on CDS and now a big America connection with AIG, Wall Street has a huge problem here as well, as it appears Americans were involved in the insurance of the bonds.

We got a giant Prisoner Dilemma here.

[Greyhound]

10. What a clusterfuck...

I suppose that it's inevitable that The People somewhere take and exercise their power, but when that happens the mask will come off and it will get ugly. Greece is not well suited to fight that battle.

[babyblonde]

3. I AM GREEK

TODAY
and stand in solidarity:toast: :nuke: :kick: :thumbsup:

[AllentownJake]

4. SOLIDARITY AGAINST THE CRIMINAL BANKERS!

:toast:

[leftstreet]

5. K&R (pics)

Reuters Pictures 1 hour ago A general view of an anti-government march in Athens February 24, 2010. Tens of thousands of strikers marched through Athens on Wednesday to protest against austerity plans aimed at wrenching Greece out of a debt crisis that has shaken the euro zone.




Getty Images 2 hours ago ATHENS , GREECE - FEBRUARY 24: Demonstrators stage their protest with banners and placards in the streets during a 24-hour general strike on February 24, 2010 in Athens, Greece. Greece ground to a halt and flights were grounded as unions staged a one-day general strike in protest against the Government's austerity measures designed to contain the massive public deficit.




Getty Images 2 hours ago ATHENS , GREECE - FEBRUARY 24 : Riot police push back demonstrators during a 24-hour general strike on February 24, 2010 in Athens, Greece. Greece ground to a halt and flights were grounded as unions staged a one-day general strike in protest against the Government's austerity measures designed to contain the massive public deficit.

[malaise]

9. Thanks for the pics

Bravo workers :yourock:

[kudzu22]

11. Hmm, what do you call a Greek teabagger

A greebagger?

[Stevenmarc]

13. Zorbagger the Greek

[Echo In Light]

6. K&R

[Better Believe It]

7. Mass Protests In Spain against threat to raise social security retirement age to 67

Spain engulfed by pension protests
February 23, 2010

Spain's debt-laden Socialist government has witnessed the first mass protests by unions in its six years in power as anger over a plan to raise the retirement age spilled onto the streets.

The UGT and the CCOO, the country's two largest unions, called for Tuesday's demonstrations against the reform in several major cities, including Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.

Further demonstrations are planned in the rest of the country up until March 6 against the plan, announced last month, to raise the legal retirement age from 65 to 67.

The government says the pension reform, which is to be introduced in stages over several years, aims to ensure that the social security system remains viable amid a rapidly aging population.

But a recent opinion poll published in the newspaper El Pais showed that about 84 per cent of people are opposed to the move.

Speaking on Tuesday, Angel Gurria, the secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), backed Zapatero's measures.

Gurria said that the reforms, in particular the retirement measure, were essential if Spain is to reassure nervous financial markets that it is committed to reviving the economy and slashing the public deficit.




The mass protests are the first ever organised by trade unions against Zapatero's government

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/02/2010223185433201595.html

See a video of the demonstrations at the following link:

http://www.euronews.net/nocomment/2010/02/24/demonstration-in-spain-against-retirement-age/

[leftstreet]

8. Thanks for posting those links

:thumbsup:

[malaise]

12. Imagine working your entire life looking forward to

retirement, watching your pension disappear, your currency devalue, the cost of living rise while those who ripped you off are bailed out by government after government.

People across the globe are slowly waking up and they can't kill all of us. There will be changes. There will be a new paradigm. This fucking neo-liberal shit has failed big time.

[Vidar]

14. Greeks have never been afraid to fight for their rights.