A large pan-educational rally is currently underway in central Athens, while protests are scheduled in Thessaloniki and other major cities across the country. Thousands of high school and college students, teachers, and workers are out on the streets today, with vigorous demonstrations planned in 50 cities across Greece.
With a French flavor—slogans linking the Greek and French protests and fueled by the broader unrest sweeping Europe—the demands center on the high cost of living, the upgrading of school infrastructure, the strengthening of public education, and pay raises for teachers. For their part, students are placing the issue of rising rents and the overall cost of living high on their agenda.
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READ ALSO: Greece at a Standstill: High school and college students take to the streets; strikes in healthcare and the public sector | AlphaNews
“To study or to survive” written in French, “You count profits and losses; we count human lives,” “From Greece to France, we want public and free education”—these are the slogans that stand out from the massive rally.
“Today we took to the streets, picking up the torch from the protests in France, against a series of anti-education laws… the cost of living has skyrocketed; we’re paying 800 euros in rent… we’re also protesting the deplorable infrastructure at our universities,” a student from the School of Political Science and Law told CNN Greece.
According to the latest estimate by the Hellenic Police, approximately 10,000 people are participating in the demonstration in Athens, while the organizations participating in the protest claim there are 30,000 people.
At the same time, security measures have been stepped up in central Athens, where 3,000 police officers have been deployed to monitor the gatherings. According to information available so far, 21 people have been taken into custody as a precaution, and police checks are very intensive.
“The protests across Europe have given us courage,” a student told CNN Greece, and describing the difficulties young people face, he explained: “We’re struggling to earn a degree under adverse conditions—a degree that, in reality, isn’t valued in the job market—just to find a job that won’t even ensure our survival; we’re already seeing this as students due to the skyrocketing cost of housing,”
Thanasis Pafilis, parliamentary spokesperson for the KKE, earlier made a telephone statement to Michalis Chrysochoidis, Minister of Citizen Protection, denouncing the unacceptable climate of police repression with mass checks of protesters ahead of today’s rally.
With a rally at the Propylaea and local gatherings throughout Greece, the teachers’ federations DOE and OLME are participating in today’s work stoppage called by ADEDY.
Teachers are demanding, among other things, the immediate filling of teaching vacancies in schools, a reduction in class sizes, the abolition of the Question Bank and the Minimum Admission Threshold, an increase in state funding for education to 5% of GDP, improved school facilities, wage increases and the reinstatement of the 13th and 14th monthly salaries.
“On October 21, WE ARE GOING ON STRIKE to ensure modern, safe schools with all the necessary staff, teachers who can live with dignity, and free public education that meets the modern educational needs of all children,” states OLME in a related announcement.
As the statement notably points out, “the situation in schools can’t go on like this,” citing 15,000 unfilled teaching positions, insufficient school funding, the inability to make a decent living on a teacher’s salary, the categorization of schools into “Model” and Onasia, and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs—all of which are presented as solutions to the “real problems of schools” and reinforcing the exam-oriented nature of schools through the proposed changes to high school and the higher education admissions system.
For its part, the DOE states in its relevant announcement that teachers and preschool educators are participating in the protests: “for substantial increases in our salaries, for meaningful support for our educational work so that we can work with dignity, for safe schools, to meet the educational needs of our children, and for public and free education in opposition to the commercialization and categorization of schools —of students and teachers—through both the evaluation system being implemented by the New Democracy government and the outsourcing of parts of the system to the private sector.”
The 24-hour nationwide teachers’ strike is supported by ADEDY, which has called for a work stoppage. At the same time, labor unions and sectoral associations are planning separate rallies, focusing on issues of wages, working conditions, and public education.
Downtown Athens on high alert; Hellenic Police on high alert
At the same time, heightened security measures are expected to be implemented in Athens ahead of the rally. According to ERT, there will be a reinforced police presence in Athens ahead of the pan-educational rally, with authorities implementing a special operational plan to monitor the demonstration and prevent potential incidents. According to reports, approximately 3,000 police officers from various departments are expected to be deployed at key locations throughout the capital.
The Hellenic Police’s plan includes preventive checks of individuals deemed suspicious, as well as the deployment of police forces at locations of heightened importance, such as ministries and embassies. Police forces are also expected to be stationed at the beginning of Ermou Street, in Syntagma Square, to protect businesses in the area.
At the same time, store owners have been advised to take additional security measures in case of incidents, with some having already taken the necessary steps.
Protests Across the Country
In Athens, the strike rally is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at the Propylaea, while in Thessaloniki, the rally is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the Venizelos Statue.
At the same time, various federations and organizations have announced their own rally locations, broadening the scope of tomorrow’s protests.
Here is the detailed schedule of regional rallies:
Central Macedonia: Thessaloniki, October 22 (10:30 a.m., Venizelos Statue). Central Greece – Euboea: Livadeia, October 20 (11 a.m., central square). Thessaly: Larissa, October 20 (10:30 a.m., central square). Western Macedonia: Ptolemaida, October 22 (10:30 a.m., central square). Peloponnese: Tripoli, October 22 (11 a.m., Petrinou Square). Eastern Macedonia – Thrace: Alexandroupoli, October 23 (11 a.m., Academy Park). Crete: Heraklion, November 4 (11 a.m., Liontaria Square). Western Peloponnese: Pyrgos, November 6.
What to Expect for Public Transportation and Schools
Public transportation is expected to be affected by the protests on Wednesday, as rallies for the pan-educational strike will disrupt travel.
In Athens, while buses and trolleys are expected to run as usual, the “Panepistimio” Metro station will be closed starting at 10:00 a.m. by order of the police, in anticipation of the large rally at Syntagma, where tents have been set up since yesterday.
It is possible that the suspension of service at other stations, including “Syntagma,” may be announced, depending on how the rallies unfold.
The situation is different in Thessaloniki, where a temporary suspension of operations at five metro stations has been announced, following an order from the police.
The measure is scheduled to take effect at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21. Specifically, the following stations will remain closed:
- Demokratias
- Venizelos
- Agia Sofia
- Fountain
- Panepistimio
During the temporary suspension, trains will pass through these stations without stopping to pick up or drop off passengers.
Travelers in Thessaloniki should therefore plan alternative routes, especially if their destination is near one of these five stations. Additional announcements are expected to provide further information to the public.
However, as of yesterday, since public transportation workers are not covered by the ADEDY strike and no such participation had been announced by the GSEE, the metro, the electric railway, trams, buses, and trolleybuses had not yet made any changes to their schedules, pending further announcements.
Teachers’ participation in the strike does not automatically mean that all schools will remain closed. Whether a school remains open will depend on the number of teachers who go on strike and the staff who are on duty as usual.
Teachers who do not participate in the strike will report to work, which means that some classes may operate as usual, while others may experience changes to the schedule. For this reason, parents are advised to check with their schools to find out what the actual arrangements will be.
At the same time, students are expected to participate in the demonstrations, even if their schools are open. Their participation may result in absences, depending on the applicable rules and the decisions of the relevant educational authorities.
Teachers’ Demands
At the heart of the strike are financial and labor issues, as well as demands concerning the operation and funding of schools.
Teachers are demanding:
- A 20% pay raise.
- The reinstatement of the 13th and 14th monthly salaries.
- Financial and housing support for those who work far from their permanent place of residence.
- Free transportation to the area where they work.
- An end to persecution related to union activity and the exercise of the right to strike.
- Immediate filling of vacancies in the teaching staff.
- Conversion of substitute teachers to permanent positions.
- Increased government funding for safe and modern school buildings.
- Introduction of school meals in full-day schools.
- Protection of students participating in protests.
Source: cnn.gr
