Workers Revolutionary Party - POLICE ATTACK GREEK TEACHERS

The News Line: News Wednesday, 4 October 2006 POLICE ATTACK GREEK TEACHERS

Greek public sector workers rally in Salonika in support of striking teachers

POLICE brutally attacked the large teachers’ rallies which were held in all major Greek cities on Monday, as the primary schools teachers entered the third week of their national strike.

Secondary school teachers joined them in a 48-hour national strike on Monday and yesterday after an overwhelming vote last Saturday.

Over 3,000 teachers held a militant rally on Monday outside the Ministry for Education building in central Athens.

Dimitris Bradis, the President of DOE (nursery and primary school teachers’ federation), stated to tremendous applause that ‘the teachers will celebrate the annual Teacher’s Day this Thursday on the streets’.

He demanded that Greece’s trade unions call a 24-hour general strike for Thursday.

After the rally the teachers moved on to the Vouli (Greek parliament building) where they were brutally attacked with tear gas by the armed riot police units who were blocking the road.

They then marched through the centre of Athens applauded by passers by.

Greek television stations showed a policeman attacking the demonstrating teachers wearing an iron clump over his fist.

There were many protests against this by the teachers’ union forcing the government to order an inquiry.

Last night, teachers organised a concert in the streets of Athens with some top Greek singers and musicians performing.

Tomorrow, ‘national teacher’s day,’ teachers are holding a rally pressing for active strike support from the whole trade union movement.

The two main demands of the teachers are 1,400 euros minimum monthly salary (about £930) up from the present 950 euros, and that five per cent of the GNP should be spent on Education.