General strike in Greece Photo: Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP
Greece could come to a standstill on Wednesday as public and private sector workers went on general strike to protest rising living costs that have become a serious challenge for the country’s population. Under pressure from the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which often supports business-oriented policies, unions are demanding higher “decent wages” amid high inflation and growing wealth inequality, The Guardian reports.
Protests are planned in various cities across Greece, and the general strike aims to paralyse the country for 24 hours. The protesters say they will not stop until the government makes a serious commitment to tackle the economic crisis that has made life unbearable for many people. The strike is expected to disrupt government offices, schools, hospitals, and public transport, including rail and sea services.
One of the main reasons for the protests is the lack of sufficient measures taken by the government to fight inflation and improve social standards. According to Yannis Panagopoulos, leader of the main private sector union GSEE, “the cost of living is through the roof and our salaries are at a minimum, while high housing costs have put young people in a tragic situation”. According to Panagopoulos, the government is refusing to take real steps to ensure decent living conditions for workers.
In Greece, where the minimum wage is less than €900 per month, it is becoming increasingly difficult for low-wage workers to make ends meet, especially in a country where food, energy and telecommunications prices are among the highest in Europe.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis recently pledged to raise the minimum wage to €950, but economists predict that this is clearly not enough to cover the rising cost of housing, which has become particularly expensive in the face of economic uncertainty.
The general strike, amidst the country’s economic growth, calls into question the government’s ability to deal with the social consequences of the years-long economic crisis that almost led to Greece’s exit from the eurozone. Although Greece has made significant progress, such as reducing unemployment to 8.3% and forecasting economic growth of 2.1% in 2024, this does not bring relief to ordinary citizens.
As political analyst Yannis Koutsomatis notes, “the success story cannot be translated into real benefits for ordinary people on the street. Many people feel anxious because they are struggling to make ends meet. And this is reflected in the polls, where there is a growing feeling that this government does not understand the seriousness of the situation.”
