Greek unions to keep protesting pension law

By George Hatzidakis

ATHENS, March 21 (Reuters) – Greek labour unions on Friday said they would continue strikes and protests against the conservative government’s pension reform law, passed by parliament late on Thursday.

Greece’s parliament approved the bill overhauling the country’s pension system, which experts say could collapse in 15 years if not changed, after weeks of protests and strikes by labour unions.

“The battle has just begun,” said Efstathios Anestis press secretary of Greece‘s umbrella union GSEE, which represent about 2 million private sector workers. “Next week GSEE will meet to decide on further action. We will continue to oppose the law.”

The bill passed in the 300-seat house with 151 votes in favour, from conservative MPs and one independent, and 13 MPs from the Leftist Coalition against. All other parties, including the main socialist opposition, abstained.

“The nation demands that we proceed with the necessary changes, that we are not held hostage to the past but assert our future with courage and self confidence,” Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis told parliament on Friday.

Several hundred protesters remained outside parliament throughout much of the evening vote. Some clashed with police. On Wednesday, millions walked off the job, grounding flights and closing ancient sites, schools and banks.

Bank workers, teachers and lawyers remained on strike on Friday, while workers at state power company PPC, on strike for more than two weeks, said they will meet later to decide how to continue their action.

Opposition parties called for a referendum to repeal the legislation. Under Greece‘s constitution, it takes 180 deputies to call a referendum. Opposition parties do not have that many but have enough to demand a special session to discuss it.

However, parliament ruled to hold the discussion on the referendum next week, a decision that allowed the vote to go ahead and the bill to be approved.

“We have already started gathering signatures for a referendum to repeal the law,” said Spyros Papaspyros, president of Greece‘s public sector umbrella union ADEDY. “The bill shrinks social welfare, is completely counter to what workers demand and we will do everything possible to block these laws.”

The bill affects mostly women and especially working mothers. It merges scores of pension funds into 13 and cuts several special pensions.

One of several European Union countries facing a pension crisis due to a low birthrate, Greece has been told by Brussels to reform its fragmented and mismanaged welfare system.