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Flights in Greece halted for 4 hours as unions hold work stoppages against government

The Canadian PressMay 16, 2013 11:45
ATHENS, Greece - Flights in Greece were halted for four hours Thursday as the country's two largest labour unions staged work stoppages to protest austerity measures and a government decision to cancel a teachers' strike. Flights resumed after being grounded between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. (0900-1300 GMT), when air traffic controllers joined the protest called by labour unions GSEE and ADEDY.

Greece in new emergency action against striking teachers

Agence France-PresseMay 13, 2013 14:17
Greece on Monday took emergency action -- the third this year -- to ward off a strike by secondary school teachers timed to coincide with university entry exams. The emergency order to work follows similar steps taken against metro workers in January and seamen in February as the conservative-led coalition government fights to minimise labour unrest. "Strikes during exams are unacceptable. Society deems them repulsive," Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on the issue in an address to Greek industrialists.

Greek unions call general strike on May Day

Agencia EFEMay 1, 2013 11:00
Athens, May 1 (EFE).- Greek unions called for a general strike on Wednesday to protest the government's decision to move the May Day holiday to next week and demand that the upcoming round of austerity measures be cancelled. Reports are that compliance with the general strike has been uneven across Greece. There has been "really good" support for the strike among government, bank, shipping, railroad and industrial workers, but support among retail workers has been tepid, a spokesman for the GSEE, Greece's largest labor union, told Efe.

Labor leaders call for national pact to get Spain out of recession

Agencia EFEMay 1, 2013 10:01
Madrid, May 1 (EFE).- CCOO labor federation secretary-general Ignacio Fernandez Toxo and UGT labor federation secretary-general Candido Mendez called on Wednesday for a grand national social, economic and political pact to get Spain out of its recession. A "grand national accord" is needed to change Spain's economic model, promote job creation and protect the people, "who are the priority," Toxo said in a press conference held before the traditional May Day march.

Greeks protest austerity on May Day

Agence France-PresseMay 1, 2013 04:45
A strike stopped ferry services to the Greek islands and disrupted public transport in the capital Athens ahead of May Day protests Wednesday against Greece's prolonged economic austerity policies. Ferry services were expected to be halted the entire day as the Panhellenic Seamens' Union took part in the general strike called for by the country's two main unions. Public transport in the capital returned to normal around 9 am (0600 GMT) after early work stoppages in the metro and bus services.

Greek unions call protest ahead of job-cut vote

Agence France-PresseApril 28, 2013 09:15
Greek trade unions planned a protest Sunday ahead of a parliament vote on a bill that would spur unprecedented public sector job cuts to meet conditions set by Athens' creditors for billions in bailout loans. Parliament began debating the legislation -- which provides for the dismissal of 15,000 civil servants by 2014, including 4,000 this year -- in the morning and a vote was due at midnight (2100 GMT).

Italy's temporary layoff scheme runs out of cash, sparks protests

April 16, 2013 11:00
By Francesca Piscioneri and Gabriele Pileri ROME (Reuters) - Thousands of idled Italian workers staged a sit-in in front of parliament on Tuesday and trade unions threatened strikes unless the government steps in to back a temporary jobless scheme which is running out of funds. Italy's often divided union confederations united to call on Mario Monti's caretaker government to find around 1.5 billion euros to guarantee payments due to some 700,000 workers sent home on reduced pay under the "cassa integrazione" scheme.

Trade union leader warns Italy in 'dramatic' crisis

April 11, 2013 12:29
Italy is suffering a "dramatic" social and economic crisis without precedent since the post-war period, trade union leader Susanna Camusso said on Thursday as the deadlock on forming a new government drags on. The leader of the CGIL union, Italy's biggest, said the eurozone's third largest economy was in "a perfect storm" with an economic recession in full swing and politicians as deeply divided as ever since a general election in February.

DOLE averts strike at largest industrial paper manufacturing company

April 5, 2013 16:46
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has averted what could have been debilitating strike at the United Pulp and Paper Company Inc.

Spain earmarks $4.67 bn for job creation

February 26, 2013 11:20
Madrid, Feb 14 (EFE).- Spain will devote 3.5 billion euros ($4.67 billion) over the next four years toward efforts to expand economic opportunities for young people and encourage self-employment, the government said Thursday. The investment, which will be co-financed by the European Social Fund, is part of the 2013-2016 Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment Strategy.
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