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Greece Has Solved Its Unemployment Problem: Slavery

Tyler Durden's picture




 

On the heels of today's dreadful, and very un-hockey-stick-like recovery, data on the Greek economy, it appears the government has found a solution to the various problems of joblessness and poor education. As KeepTalkingGreece reports, the Greek Education Ministry seek fill 1,100 job vacancies with teachers who will gladly and proudly work on "voluntary basis." As far as we remember, working for nothing is, err, slavery; but that's not it at all... as Education Minister Andreas Loverdos, the slave teachers will be rewarded with "bonus points" that will help them improve their hiring options in the future. Ironic that this should be happening as fast-food workers in America demand a higher minimum wage (maybe unemployed Greek teachers would be willing to flip burgers for money rather than teach young greeks for nothing).

 

Via KeepTalkingGreece,

Greek Education Ministry seek fill 1,100 job vacancies with teachers who would be gladly and proudly work on “voluntary basis”, that is without payment! According to daily TA NEA, Education Minister Andreas Loverdos considers to seek teachers who would work on voluntary basis in order to fill up vacancies in schools with teachers’ shortage.

 

The volunteers will be rewarded with “bonus points” that will help them improve their hiring options, should these be possible on day in the near or -most likely – far future.

 

As the loan agreement with the Troika ‘freezes’ replacement of retired personnel, the shortage of teachers in schools is impossible to be overcome.

 

“I cannot achieve the goal of hiring 1,100 teachers because I have no funds,” Minister Loverdos told TA NEA (via zougla.gr)

 

If the state ‘hires’ personnel on volunteer basis, you can imagine what happens in the private sector of the crisis- and recession-hit country.

 

I am not sure whether Minister Loverdos, a neo-liberal from “socialist” PASOK,  seeks to create an example for new neoliberal labor conditions, but certainly this is the “LOL of the Day”!

 

+++++++

 

BTW Education Minister Andreas Loverdos recently ordered an internal inquiry to find who was responsible that he did not attend the National Day religious mass on October 28th 2014. A week later, he officially admitted, it was the fault of his office, therefore “his own fault.” He promised to attend TWO religious masses on next national day, on March 25th.

 

PS I suppose, Samaras’ success story, primary surplus and successful return to markets has not reached the Education Ministry yet.

*  *  *

Sadly this should not be a surprise since 10 months ago a high level research paper for the EU commission appeared to suggest 'slavery' as an option...

Centre of planning and Economic Research in Greece has proposed a controversial measure in order to deal with the problem of increasing unemployment in the country.

 

The measure includes unpaid work for the young and unemployed up to 24 years old, so that companies would have a strong motive to hire young employees. Practically, what is proposed is the abolition of the basic salary for a year. At the same time the “export” of young unemployed persons was also proposed to other countries abroad, as Greek businesses do not appear able to hire new personnel.

 

According to the National Confederation of Hellenic Commerce, unemployment especially hits the ages between 15-24. The unemployment rate in Greece stands at 24.6% while 57.2% of young people are without a job. The majority of the unemployed (71%) have had no work for 12 months or more, while 23.3 % of the total have never worked. There were 3,635,905 people employed and 1,345,387 unemployed.

Whether it’s Europe in the 1930’s or the US during the same period (conflicts between strikers, the National Guard and armed militias), unemployment can create a powerful cocktail of unrest.

But turning your nation's young into slaves does not seem like a good solution to us...

 

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Mon, 11/10/2014 - 20:54 | 5434718 Kaiser Sousa
Kaiser Sousa's picture

hey it works here,,why not greece...
fucking idiotic debt serfs..
WHATS IT GONNA TAKE FOR BANKERS TO GET MURDERED!!!!!

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:03 | 5434738 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

Other Bankers

Tidying up 'loose ends' usually...

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:00 | 5435161 Freddie
Freddie's picture

More nail guns?

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 20:56 | 5434725 WTFUD
WTFUD's picture

What an' 'ave all 'em Golden Dawn Re EDUMAKATION CAMPS.

Go EEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUUU to HELL

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 20:59 | 5434740 Choomwagon Roof Hits
Choomwagon Roof Hits's picture

Freedom is Slavery

War is Peace

Ignorance is Strength

 

Now drink your Victory Ouzo and get in line!

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:00 | 5434748 silverserfer
silverserfer's picture

well if you get paid in debit notes here in the US, you are working in a slave system as well. Don't think so, see what happens when you ask to be paid in gold.  

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:24 | 5434813 p00k1e
p00k1e's picture

Seems unemployment is high in Greece.  Their gold is coming in off the sidelines.       

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:03 | 5434754 Kreditanstalt
Kreditanstalt's picture

Why not cut the pay of the salaried teachers by 30% and hire many more teachers on the same budget?  REALITY.  We should be doing that here too.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:55 | 5434909 BringOnTheAsteroid
BringOnTheAsteroid's picture

Feather meet nest.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:12 | 5435196 Freddie
Freddie's picture

Greece is so bad now that it is getting down to the more protected classes aka govt workers.   These people need to leave the Euro and EU. 

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:53 | 5435372 sun tzu
sun tzu's picture

The same goes for the rest of the PIIGS and France too

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 03:49 | 5435709 Global Observer
Global Observer's picture

Staying in the EU and Euro doesn't limit their options. There is no reason for them to conduct all their transactions in Euros or wait for the government to issue a new currency. Some enterprising and socially minded people can start a cryptocurrency and start distributing it to all those willing to work on a voluntary basis. Since it won't be a currency, the exchange cannot be deemed commercial and hence not taxable. In the worst case, there is no change and in the best case the cryptocurrency gains some value and may be able to buy the holders something.

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 04:57 | 5435749 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

I'd go further: staying in the EU and Eurozone does not limit their options, period

Then the alternative is printing doubtful IOUs that would get discounted. Devaluation has a price, and it's high

Do you really think the Rouble down 17% has improved people's conditions in Russia? Or those of the Russian Federation? How about Argentina?

Greece is a sovereign country. A small one, though. Facing lots of hard choices. Yet calling those Greek volunteers "slaves"... is a tad too much, imho. This neo-liberal practice comes from the US, btw, it's called "internship"

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:03 | 5434757 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Loyd Blankfein is going to make them work for free and then what's he going to do with them?

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:05 | 5434761 ListenToTISM
ListenToTISM's picture

I feel more sorry for the children than for the teachers, regardless of wage/slavery.

Why do these poor little kids have to listen to some idiot up front of the room spouting government-approved propaganda?

They would literally learn more if you left them there in a room by themselves to build stuff and play.

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 07:12 | 5435856 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

Butts in seats is probably the revenue driver for government schools everywhere. 

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:05 | 5434767 EemieMeanieMinieMoe
EemieMeanieMinieMoe's picture

Has anuone consulted with Al Sharpton regarding this issue....slavery? Can't believe he'd buy in.....unless, of course, the slaves are caucasian...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsL6mKxtOlQ

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:18 | 5434797 p00k1e
p00k1e's picture

This is an excellent example of why the U.S. EBT crowd should work for that food allotment.     

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:22 | 5434804 Evil Bugeyes
Evil Bugeyes's picture

Actually slaves usually get food and lodging.

Why not ask the Greek government officials who created the debt problem to work for free?

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:23 | 5434809 Soul Glow
Soul Glow's picture

Because that would upset the status quo!

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:35 | 5434845 FeralSerf
FeralSerf's picture

Why not ask Goldman Sachs who REALLY created the debt problem to work for free?

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 07:16 | 5435858 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

Did Goldman create Greece's demographic implosion?   Naw, that was the Greeks themselves.  That sucker was and is going down.   They are a decade ahead of some bigger European nation states in their slide, but time will catch up to them all, on a long enough timeline. 

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 12:31 | 5436688 FeralSerf
FeralSerf's picture

How is Greece's demographic implosion different from the Netherlands or most of the rest of Europe? Greece's too expensive bureaucracy was not that much different either.

Everything's at the margin and Goldman swindled a large portion of Greece's small asset safety margin. When you're living hand to mouth and someone chops off and/or cons you out of your hand, it's nearly impossible to feed that mouth anymore.

Greece's political oligarchy was bribed by Goldman. Goldman got away with the Greece's assets except for the bribes they paid. Goldman and the Greek crooked politicians got away with the loot. The unsuspecting Greek proles are suffering for these crimes.

This is just another example of the Zioligarchy stealing everything that isn't tied down and much of what is tied down. It's becoming easier to understand the German mindset on the 1920s and 30s. Unfortunately it wasn't the 1% oligarchy that suffered for that oligarchy's crimes in Germany. It was the 99 percenters instead.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:22 | 5434805 Soul Glow
Soul Glow's picture

Slavery is surely market bullish.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:59 | 5434919 BringOnTheAsteroid
BringOnTheAsteroid's picture

I don't think a slave has that much money to spend at Walmart and Amazon.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:06 | 5434947 Soul Glow
Soul Glow's picture

Does anyone have money to spend at Wallmart?

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:14 | 5435205 Freddie
Freddie's picture

If Wal Mart was not living off Uncle Scholomo with WIC and EBT cards then WMT would be losing money.   It is a welfare-soup line store for the poor FSA and illegals.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:23 | 5434808 gwar5
gwar5's picture

We'll have our version. It'll be called something like "Student Loan Alternative Vision Employment".  S.L.A.V.E. = Work or go to debtors prison

 

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 00:45 | 5435508 rejected
rejected's picture

That's good!

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:23 | 5434810 surf0766
surf0766's picture

Forward progressives. USA USA USA

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:27 | 5434822 Bennie Noakes
Bennie Noakes's picture

How about creating something called the "Greece Corps"?

"ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country"

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:41 | 5434859 robnume
robnume's picture

Work for "points" for an entire calendar year which give you the "possibility" but not the guarantee, of being hired for actual pay? Fuck the EU, is right!!

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:50 | 5434887 RafterManFMJ
RafterManFMJ's picture

Let's be honest here, if you're dumb enough to sign up for this program, then you really deseve no pity. At all.

Naturally, I'd sign up, but only for  the golden opportunity to loot and steal everything in the school that wasn't bolted down some long weekend after I'd disabled the locks/security. 

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:51 | 5435122 p00k1e
p00k1e's picture

You just wrote a movie premise.  You’re rich if you can monetize the idea. 

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 06:45 | 5435839 Perfecthedge
Perfecthedge's picture

I would up vote you a thousand times!

Love your way of thinking.  Fuck the system.  They brought it on the people, so these folks should sabotage the system, instead of feeding it and cooperating like docile sheep. 

Would join you on that rampage!

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:40 | 5434860 red1chief
red1chief's picture

Here we don't call it slavery, we call it an "internship".

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 04:04 | 5435717 JamesBond
JamesBond's picture

Been there and done it:

 

1 practicum (3 months) & 1 Internship (6 months) Undergraduate:  No salary

1 practicum (3 months) & 1 Internship (6 months) Masters:  No salary

1 practicum ( 3 months) & 1 internship (1 year) Doctorate:  $7,500 stipend

 

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:59 | 5434891 Dre4dwolf
Dre4dwolf's picture

This is what happens when you let a foreign NAZI central bank plunder and loot your economy.

 

All plundering and looting should be done by a domestic criminal central bank, its just better that way.

 

Come on, do I have to do all the work?

Step 1

Issue Notes on Bond Paper with anti-counterfeiting strips

Step 2

Legally back the notes with the ability to use them to discharge tax debts

Step 3

Circulate said notes and use them to hire people/pay for services like school teachers

Step 4

Legally make the notes equal to a Euro in denomination.

Step 5

Mail a bunch of notes to the EU ECB as settlement in full for the debt and leave the Euro system, you can even attach a nice "F*(&( YOU" letter with them.

 

DONE

RECOVERY

PROSPERITY

WIN

 

These brain dead fraudulent politicians with no spine give me a headache, If I was in charge of Greece, it would be raining champagne and hookers from the sky.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 21:59 | 5434925 Catullus
Catullus's picture

Slavery is when you can't quit your job

Not accepting pay for work makes you a loser.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:01 | 5434931 MedicalQuack
MedicalQuack's picture

Watch your marketing too, as big old United Healthcare wants young millenials to write free code "for the good" as they call it.  It's not for the good, it's "for the good money" United's not the developers.  On top of that, what they want are more apps that gather data on people 50 plus so they can score and sell more data.

I just sit and wonder how much longer people are going to soak this up. Why would a starving developer or any developer write free code to make a big wealthy company who has real ethics problems richer?  AARP wants free code in this deal too as they and United are buds. 

http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/10/aarp-and-united-healthcare-form.html

I tell young developers be aware and don't let them soak you for your code and time with offereing little or nothing in return. Oh also United wants rent checks now too with their 5th low income housing investment and of course you would have to give up all your data and then some to live there as they need to sell that stuff to make those billions.  If you are not aware, United Healthcare is about the 2nd or 3rd largest in healthcare making money selling data.

http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/11/united-healthcare-makes-another.html

We are slaves to the corporations and if you want look at the UK and United, they are scared to death of them and even did a documentary to say so.  The NHS meets and they have an agreement amonst all of them to not give out any names of anyone there who shared ideas.  They are sad to see their NHS ruined by the American Companies. Be aware this is not a good company and they would like to have slaves too maybe if they could. 

http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-take-over-and-sell-off-of-nhsby.html

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:08 | 5434959 Amerikan Patriot
Amerikan Patriot's picture

"As far as we remember, working for nothing is, err, slavery."

No.  Slavery isn't working voluntarily, but involuntarily.

Zero Hedge can't even get the basic facts right.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:32 | 5435048 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

Work for free! It is a free choice to work for free. Thus when you work for nothing you are still a free fucking man. Just keep telling yourself how fucking free you are, working the bosses hours and doing the bosses bidding and getting zero pay.

Man, you are too much! I'm not a critic of what others post, but you really knocked this one out of the fucking ball park! Splitting hairs or what?

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:34 | 5435283 Fuku Ben
Fuku Ben's picture

moved

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:43 | 5435325 Bemused Observer
Bemused Observer's picture

It's not volunteering when you are forced into something you wouldn't choose to do if you weren't desperate. You sound like a lawyer, looking for the technicality of interpretation that lets you slip through. I could see Scalia writing a multi-page opinion in favor of abolishing the anti-slavery laws using just that approach..."It's not slavery if they aren't being forced at gunpoint" blah, blah, blah..".

It should trouble you that the unemployed are being taken advantage of in this way. It doesn't bode well for YOU, or any other working person, if we allow indentured servitude to re-enter our society through the back door, by painting it as "volunteering" when in fact those folks are desperate and have no other options. That's what led many people way back then to sell themselves into indenture. We judged that to be WRONG, and outlawed it.

Let's not go back there, even though it is made to sound so reasonable. The iron fist always comes in a velvet glove.

 

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:10 | 5434963 Escapedgoat
Escapedgoat's picture

I am sure that Fuck of A Minister Loverdos, will among the FIRST in the queue when their Heads will start Rolling, in the Constitution Square.

I will be there watching and Cheering.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:26 | 5435021 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

This is a growing trend. Ask young people to work for nothing for varying periods of time, and employers promise to give you valuable points and references when you seek paid work. This system is active in Britain. Well off parents even PAY firms to take on their kids for no pay and give them experience and references to help them later find payed work. You heard me, PAY THE EMPLOYER, to take on the Kids at ZERO WAGE. All in the hopes that those who get free labor will put in a kind word for you. This idea is set to explode across Europe and the USA. I hear it all the time from certain types of people. "Well if their are no jobs, offer to work for free, when they see how good you are, they will create a job for you". I hear that fucking bullshit come out of the mouths of people with well paid corporate jobs, telling others to suck it up, "work for free".

Stay tuned, the "work for free movement is growing every day". Someday it will be accepted that youth work for businesses free for a 2 year trail period before any corporation will add them to the list of acceptable job applicants. I bet you money the next president will make a sppech in which he advocates such joint worker employer deals. It will be called "Part of the Educational Experience" to work 2 years for nothing. Then government and business will certify you as employable. If you refuse free labor, they will fucking black ball you! Just you watch, it is coming soon!

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:26 | 5435255 Bemused Observer
Bemused Observer's picture

LOL! I just cannot summon any pity for someone so stupid as to go for this! I'm just shaking my head in amazement here...

Good luck to any poor bastard trying to force me to work for free. I may not be strong physically, but I can easily find any of a hundred ways to fuck up royally while appearing to be 'trying real hard', and to do so in a way designed to maximize losses.  I can be obtuse in a way that will drive you batshit insane, and suck up your time and energy in a thousand small passive-aggressive ways daily. Instead of being outwardly resistant,  I will drain you over time like a fucking battery, and in the end you will have gotten nothing of value out of me...

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 04:03 | 5435716 Gold Eyed Cat
Gold Eyed Cat's picture

Plus, I'd probably steal all the pens.

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 04:03 | 5435715 Gold Eyed Cat
Gold Eyed Cat's picture

Two years of work-for-nothing internships?  I remember the good ol' days (in the early 90's) when after graduation, all nice young girls like me had to do was show a little tit during the interview and appear enthusiastic.  Good times.

Just an interesting side story.  My grandfather was 14 when his father packed up all his clothes and sent him away with a traveling cooper-smith.  By 16 he was doing welding work on ships in Norfolk. And not too many months later he fibbed about his age and enlisted to fight in WW2.  It may have been a tough start, but he always got paid a wage.

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 04:18 | 5435728 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

Jack: is it only social & work behavior that are in the Criteria?

- If you drink alcohol?
- If you are pagan curious?
- Of you get in trouble when you drink?

Well Where does it end?? You intern and someone says you smoked pot? Kissed someone of the opposite sex or appeared too feminine in demeanor for a man... or too masculine for a woman?

- What if you look tired and have a rumor of drinking alcohol
- What if you are single and have a rumor of visiting strip bars in the USA? Wow. That is a big one.
- What if you are rumored to be non-christian, non-mormon? Wow.
- If you are single, and have sleep over guests, well then you are clearly a drug user, alcoholic, security risk, maybe LGBT supporter... Criminal

- You intern for US Corporation, submit to US Spy background checks, you can be labeled as an Alcoholic or worse for the rest of your life with no compensation
- These days your whole life is spied upon, your history is taken, researched by government & businesses, you can try free speech only to discover you can't clean-up the internet, clean up your USA Reputation, and be branded a Criminal, an Alcoholic, a Drug User, a Gay, an Anti-war activist, an anti-Wall Street Activist, an anti-Congress Activist, an anti-Statist activist, or an anti-government activist

Wow.

Living in the USA and being an Intern or Activist gives you a record, makes you a target for both the state and private corporations which make a profit from RUINING YOU REPUTATION FOR LIFE.... SOUNDS LIKE THE USSR, STASI, YES YOU ARE CORRECT.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 22:35 | 5435057 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

Ukraine has passed a law allowing the state to draft you for labor. If you get called up you better show up. The Rada just passed it under the emergency powers act of the Kiev Junta.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:46 | 5435334 tarabel
tarabel's picture

 

 

Come on, Okhrana dude.

I give them a pass-- there is an enemy at the gates. They ARE ALLOWED to fight back.

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:05 | 5435174 Bemused Observer
Bemused Observer's picture

Do any of these people have debts? Will those debt payments be forgiven while they're 'working'?

Nah, I didn't think so. God almighty, fuck these people. Fuck them up the ass...Well, anyone STUPID enough to go for this deserves everything they get. I'll try to follow this one...it ought to be good. This is the second leader I've heard suggesting this...a trend?

Oh boy...TPTB just keep pushing those buttons, don't they? You'd think at least ONE would have a moment of clarity and see how bloody awful this shit sounds to people battered by debt and years of economic stagnation...

Mon, 11/10/2014 - 23:34 | 5435285 Fuku Ben
Fuku Ben's picture

Slaveville

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 00:24 | 5435458 Otto Zitte
Otto Zitte's picture

FUCK the UN

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 01:08 | 5435553 Otto Zitte
Otto Zitte's picture

Somewhere close by David Rockefeller has been having strokes over this piracy. For decades.

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 02:21 | 5435650 EscapingProgress
EscapingProgress's picture

Coming to an America near you!

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 03:17 | 5435685 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

I know a great many Greeks that willingly work for free as  elected politicians so as to rid the country of the scumbags and treasonous opportunists that run the country down.

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 03:19 | 5435688 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

wow. Movie there. Untold story.

Capitalism has no movie in 2014, Hollywood is dead????

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 04:53 | 5435747 sandhillexit
sandhillexit's picture

Print.  Teacher-geld.  Accept it for payment of taxes.  Merchants will accept it, to the extent they actually pay taxes too.  Teacher-geld domestic money removes teachers from the pool of labor that supports the EUR-denominated bonds, but tough. Brussels will hate it, but so what?   I think they would be suprprised how quickly the whole economy improves if they just add a little money to the domestic economy.  I can't believe the Greek people are still allowing this to go on and on.   

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 05:12 | 5435759 Debugas
Debugas's picture

Greek teachers would indeed be willing to flip burgers

the obstacles are the relocation and accomodation costs

once you add accomodation costs to the burger-flipping job it suddenly becomes more expensive than $15 an hour

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 06:35 | 5435831 Freewheelin Franklin
Freewheelin Franklin's picture

Voluntaryism......yer doin' it wrong.

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 07:02 | 5435849 Panic Mode
Panic Mode's picture

LOL, bonus points!!! Does it mean soon we can trade F**kbook Likes?

Only the stupid book worms will endorse this crap .....

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 07:19 | 5435859 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

"Work" for points.  

Tue, 11/11/2014 - 14:13 | 5437126 Cheduba
Cheduba's picture

Exporting young unemployed people = War

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