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When Jail Threats Don't Work: Greek Government Punctuates Case Against Strikers By Firing Tear Gas At Them
As we wrote earlier, Greece is currently paralyzed, literally, due to a wholesale shortage of fuel at gas stations, as drivers of trucks carrying the precious commodity have been striking for several days. As noted previously, the government invoked a war-time mobilization measure forcing the strikers to stop striking or face civil penalties and jail time. Shockingly, this had absolutely no impact ont he angry mob. In order to make its point even more clear, the government accentuated its overturn of labor rights by firing tear gas at protesters, according to the Guardian. And, in an amusing turn of events, the IMF delegation which was rumored to be passing by at just this time to conclude the backroom deal in which US taxpayers would fund a few hundred more billion of failed Greek programs, was subjected to a Greek parliamentary guard wearing the traditional skirty attire, screaming in a bullhorn that the truckers were merely engaged in a modern remixed version of sirtaki and there was absolutely nothing to see there (obviously the guy had just graduated from the CNBC School for People who Want to Fabricate the Truth Good).
More from the Guardian:
With fuel shortages stranding thousands of tourists and disrupting supplies of food and medicines nationwide, prime minister George Papandreou resorted to emergency legislation, more usually used at times of war or great natural disaster, to end the walk-out.
But hopes of a return to normal were quickly dashed when riot police fired tear gas at thousands of truckers gathered outside the transport ministry this morning.
"The order is coming through to [drivers] but I have no idea how they are going to react to it," said Giorgos Stamos, a member of the truck drivers' union. "It is highly unusual that after just three days of going on strike we should be mobilised in this way."
The ruling socialists called for the mobilisation – the fourth time since the collapse of military rule in 1974 that such an order has been issued – as it became clear that Greece was facing a public health crisis because of the strike.
On islands, where fuel supplies have totally run out, tourists could be seen abandoning rented cars by the side of the road while yachts remained docked in harbours or drifted out at sea.
Under the order – which followed a plea by the Greek Tourist Association to stop the strike – authorities were given the go-ahead to requisition vehicles and services, with the owners and drivers of trucks being told they had to resume work or face stiff fines.
"To allow the strike to continue would threaten the normal functioning of health and welfare services and public order," the government announced.
The mayhem began on Monday when some 33,000 licensed truck drivers walked off the job in protest at government plans to open up the freight industry, one of many 'closed–shop' professions blamed for keeping the Greek economy isolated and uncompetitive.
The debt-stricken country is under intense pressure from the EU and IMF to make the changes – a condition of the €110bn (£92bn) of emergency loans it received from eurozone nations and the Washington-based body in May.
With officials from both organisations visiting Athens to prepare a first assessment of the progress made under the €30bn austerity program that the government has also been forced to implement, the Greek finance minister insisted that "every closed profession" would soon be opened up.
In the case of truckers, the first group to be tackled, it will mean that new licences will be issued at lower costs and in greater number. The sector wants the government to delay the introduction of a bill to allow for more talks with the industry.
The truckers have shown this week that such reforms will not be easy.
In a culture where workers' rights are seen as sacred, militant unionists have reacted furiously to the mobilisation.
"The government is aiming to smash every striker's right," Rizospastis, the newspaper of the KKE communist party proclaimed on its front page. "There is nothing but to gather forces and fight."
The strike has further dented tourism – widely seen as the linchpin of the country's economic recovery this summer. With one in five Greeks working in the sector, tourism accounts for almost 20% of GDP.
The trucker's strike "is a huge problem for bookings that our country needs, to cover part of the losses that have occurred in recent months," said Andreas Andreadis who heads the Greek Hotel Federation.
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Greece will burn...
LOL meanwhile the market starts to melt so obama channel ups the obama lies broadcast about the "horrible" affect of AZ boycotts
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/27/arizona-hotels-thriving-despite-boycotts-immigration-law/
Fire all of them and hire new people to drive the trucks. This type of violence is not the answer.
Again, the austerity is just realizing the lie. It doesn't solve the problem
Fair enough. What "type" of violence would you suggest is the answer?
Bad word choice.
It feels like this union is not really protesting anything. The union used the violence of state apparatus to prevent people from entering the workforce and secure benefits. But now that the state can't pay, the violent apparatus turns against them. It's like a protest to continue to be enslaved.
Unions and politicians are legalized mafia.
The taxpaying plebs - you and me - are hostages.
I've been working at an escape plan for years now.. bit by bit helps.
Banks, governments, unions .. they're all leeches imo.
agreed.
My escape plan took 25 years in all, I executed it this week. Well worth the effort and it feels so nice not to give a damn about the thieves as they ain't getting any more of my $$, at least not easily.
Lucky, lucky. Shit, you've been executing your plan for just a smidge longer than I've been alive. I guess I'm that other sucker that's always referred to around here... Thankfully the rest of my generation is still years away from waking up with a motherfucker of a hangover.
I didn't actually start with this exact plan, but was by nature financially conservative and things evolved as I studied austrian economics.
I think it's criminal what my generation has done to yours...I did what I could to speak out and even worked on a few political campaigns, until I became totally disillusioned with politicians.
Not sure how this will all turn out...I'm don't predict apocalypse or anything close, but I do think we've saddled next generations with a massive problem.
I hope you'll make it to where I am today, which is a damn good place to be...I can pretty much go anywhere I want and don't need to work.
No yachts or anything, but enough to be comfortable (I'm 49 and single, which helps a lot in the saving department)
The big problem is how to protect against whatever the fallout is gonna be.
Maybe gold is the answer...but I am not yet convinced.
Whatever it is, it'll be damn interesting.
Fire all of them and hire new people , we should do this with the crooks called CEO`s !!!!!!!!!
Isn't this sort of thing normal for our Mediterranean countries?
[OT]I had to reach for a tissue seeing what Margaret Brennan was wearing today....mmmmmm.[/OT]
when does cnbc hire armed guards? those glass windows outside the fast $/nasdaq studios will have to be boarded up
..as opposed to some thriving parts of the world....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1289194/Marina-Bay-Sands-resort-opens-Singapore.html
TYLER!
S&P sliding below 1100!
Where is the coverage? I might leave ZH if this blog is becoming too bullish!
SLIDE IS STARTING NOW !!!
I bet ZH has crashed, with new servers it's just not as drammatic
"We interrupt this regular CNBC boob fest to announce that Martial Law has been declared. You will soon receive a knock at the door to explain what that means for you. And now back to our show."
In other news: Following this morning's appearance on The View, Barack Obama will be traveling to Martha's Vineyard to attend a bubble bath party with Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Timmy Geithner, and Ben Bernanke where they will discuss the implementation of the recent Financial Reform bill.
Now that is one nasty stew.....eeewwwww stew!
eeewwww!
I will have to bill you for the therapy sessions, that's one terrible scenario there Amos.
Pardon Turk, this market has driven me to liquid lunches and I can not be held responsible for what I type past 10 am! Just send the therapy bill to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave; thats where I send mine.
Bush wanted Martial law if the banks failed !!! fact !!!
Serious positive divergences for the USD. watch out for a snap back rally today.
This market is all over the fucking map again.
Quants chasing yield like strung out junkies chasing the dragon.
look over here..
squirrel!
the commodity risk trade got turned on when market started to slide..
market slides.. GS turns up oil trade, JPM turns up pm's trade.
nothing substantiates this.. just pure manipulation.
when big boys play, the small guys better stand aside and watch.
You, sir, have a knack for the turn of a phrase. Bravo! Now run for office.
chasing the dragon. thats old school !!!
It is the beginning of the new GREEN era in Greece - by cutting off fuel, everyone will walk or pedal or ride a horse, use hand pulled pails to draw water....
The Greek situation it's just the beginning of an end...
Game is over boys!
Jesus, look at the commodities! WTF's goin' on? PM's are going through the roof. Will paper money be useless by the morning?
Baltic Dry has been on a moon shot this week. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=BDIY:IND
Platinum bitches !!
I bet Tyler's off to the Hamptons for the weekend, Marla you around??
Nah, my bet is Chelsea Clintons wedding.
Sitting at the same table as Rahm Emanuel and Bono and enjoying a cigar with Bill.
lizzy,
I would never junk you, but you know Tyler wouldn't be sitting with a table full of thieves like that unless it was in the interests of project mayhem. He'd be "waiting on them" maybe serving them a "special" hollandaise sauce or something.
" while yachts remained docked in harbours or drifted out at sea."
Drifting into international water hopefully,might be able to pick up a cheap yacht.
Drifting into international water hopefully,might be able to pick up a cheap yacht.
Beware the IDF. They shoot first and commit perjury later.
Funny.
First thing I thought too.
A bit of democracy in action cannot hurt anybody. I understand, though, that some brain-washed people in distant lands are not accustomed to things like these. So what, welcome to the real world ;p
If all truck drivers are in jail, who will drive the trucks?
In other news, scientists say drivers injured by tear gas canisters can't drive for one week or more.
DOW daily chart posted at blog, showing two megaphone wedges . . .
http://stockmarket618.wordpress.com
Nothing in the New York times. Nothing in the Washington Post. Nothing on the Huffington post even... Nothing in the Globe and Mail.
A full report in the FT in the world section under one of their smallprint links cause you know... a truckers' strike that has shut down 70 per cent of gas stations and stopped deliveries of fresh produce to wholesale markets and supermarkets is no big deal...
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d9f28e18-9b15-11df-ae58-00144feab49a.html
The burying of this story IMHO is one of the most disturbing developments in current events since the BP oil volcano.... I find it quiet ominous.
TPTB don't want to give Idol Nation too many - ahem - ideas.
Might be, messy.
The truth is that Socialist propaganda tries to accuse all working classes in Greece.
The truck drives did not riot, they strike.
The photo shoot was from the moment the truck drivers attacked journalists that reproduce Socialist Propaganda the last 9 months.
Journalists also accuse truck drivers 24/7 because they are paid by the Gvnt and the Banksters. (A lot of journalists in Greece went to World Cup Games for free and all expenses paid by Banksters).
Vile propaganda is spreading outside Greece, but no one says that Papandreou's Gvnt uses methods against Constitution and Democracy.
I live in Athens and there is no shortage of fuels or any other things.
Don't believe Socialist propaganda. Papandreou is a liar and a thief of Greece's weath.
Legalized mafia.. your tax dollars at work.
They're all the same. Everywhere. Puppets on a string. Time for chop chop on the town square.
Truck drivers beated journalists. There is no riot. The truck drivers strike and journalists attack them in favor of the Gvnt.
The only thing is that Papandreou Socialist Gvnt tries to destroy Democracy and make Greece a Socialist Republic.
Papandreou Gvnt is not legal.
@MacedonianGlory
Throw the bums out and renege on all that corrupt-politician-sourced debt!! Don't enslave yourselves to the bankster's ploys!!! FREEDOM!!!!
You first, you keyboard commando, you...
Just a little insight into WHY the Greek truckers are protesting the opening-up of their profession. The average Greek trucker paid almost 100,000 Euros for the trucking license which money they work hard to recuperate. Of course the Greek Government has not offered to compensate them for the flood of new truckers who no doubt will pay nothing for a license. Sort of like NAFTA.
Something about the blood of tyrants and patriots comes to mind.
Truck drivers just anounced that they continue their LEGAL strike.
Socialist Gvnt of Papandreou tries to use ILLEGAL methods against the Constitution.
in the near future i expect the positive spin for the market to be that america's problems are meaningless in a global market place dominated by china and asia. in other words, america has multinationals that do business all over the world, and profit is profit. so the deficits, u6 et al matter not. my hunch is that talk of the usa will diminish in favor of the global growth story.
BBC has a piece today, but of course they are Greek Lorry drivers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10802239
Beware of grifts baring Greeks
"yachts remained docked in harbours or drifted out at sea"
What will Thurston Howell and Lovey do????
Jesus, don't European cops have drinking buddies? How can the police not get tired of standing in for the banksters?
If the Greek govt. isn't careful, they may be thrown out. And your right, we haven't heard that much or even this incident on CNBC and other US news media. It's because they are being told to make sure their are happy thoughts and happy comments on the economy, including one that is not in the US.
Truckers in America could do the same and get decent wages and not be forced to drive 12+ hours a day to make a decent wage and have to pay companies' safety fines that are the fault of dispatchers and unrealistic driving schedules. Unfortunately most American truck drivers turned into pussies when Reagan broke the unions around 1984.