Civil servants start two-day strike

Public services were disrupted on the 18-19 September 2013 as civil servants protested government plans to put thousands of workers into a mobility scheme while the private sectors’ union also held a four-hour work stoppage in solidarity.

The mobility scheme would place 25,000 civil servants on a reduced salary before being redeployed or dismissed, with 15,000 jobs to go by 2015.

The strike came as Greece's international creditors met in Athens. The job cuts were part of bailout conditions for the next €1bn tranche of Greece's loan set by the so-called lending troika - the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

BBC News, 18.09.13: Greek public sector workers strike over job cuts http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24135114

European Commission: DG Economic and Financial Affairs: Financial assistance in EU Member States: Greece http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/assistance_eu_ms/greek_loan_facility/

ESO: Background information: Talk of new bailout hardens Greek opposition http://www.europeansources.info/record/talk-of-new-bailout-hardens-greek-opposition/

Deutsche Welle, 18.09.13: Greece strikes for 48 hours http://dw.de/p/19jpj

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