KMU shows support for Greek protestors, pickets embassy in Makati

In time for the big protests today in Greece, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno picketed the Greek Embassy in Makati City to show support for protestors in the country, saying the Greek government’s austerity measures are anti-worker and anti-people and similar to the policies of the Aquino government.

Hundreds of thousands joined mass actions in Greece on the first week of June to protest the George Papandreou government’s plan to reduce budget deficit by cutting spending on social services and raising taxes again – on top of the dramatic rise in unemployment caused by similar measures earlier.

The said austerity measures are being dictated by the US-led International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank in exchange for a new bailout plan.

“We are here to show our solidarity with the workers and people of Greece who are protesting their government’s patently anti-worker and anti-people austerity measures. We are one with them in chanting ‘We will not stop until this government is gone and the IMF-EU-ECB troika is thrown away!’” said Tess Dioquino, KMU vice-chairperson for international affairs.

“We condemn governments like Papandreou’s which follow the dictates of authoritarian and right-wing institutions which are out to make the workers’ and peoples’ lives more miserable, instead of helping out their workers and people amidst the global depression. Faced with growing poverty and unemployment, the Greek workers and people have every right to protest!” Dioquino added.

Like the policies of the Aquino government

“The policies being protested by the Greek workers and people are very similar to those already being implemented by the Aquino government – with a huge chunk of our national budget going to debt payments, with budget cuts in education and other social services, and with onerous taxes. Because of the economic depression, Greece is sliding to Philippine levels while the Philippines is sliding to a deeper level of poverty and suffering,” said Roger Soluta, KMU secretary-generral.

“The Greek workers and people’s protest against their government’s unsound, anti-worker and anti-people policies are graduating into calls for the ouster of the Papandreou government. The Aquino government, which has been implementing Greek-type austerity measures, should heed the warning of the Greek workers and peoples,” he added.