“Workers will not pay the price of the crisis” – this was the main slogan of the Greek syndicates, with which they are celebrating Labor Day today. This year, the holiday is ruined by the constant news about lay-offs, forced holidays, lowering work time, and accordingly the income. According to the president of the biggest Greek syndicate GSEE Yannis Panagopoulos, still people cannot feel the worst consequences of the global financial crisis. “The worst is about to come. The real unemployment rate for 2009 will reach 15%,” says the syndicate member for www.in.gr. According to him, at a time of crisis employers use the basic rights of workers.

In order to celebrate today’s holiday, the syndicate members organized a big concert in the center of Athens. There will be protest processions in the center, next to “Constitution” square and in the center of Pieria. A concert and a protest procession will be otganized in Thessaloniki as well.

The international Labor Day – May 1^st, in Greece is an occasion for many strikes. The electric train, which connects Pieria and Kifisia and the trams will stop working for 24 hours. The busses and trolleys will strike from the beginning of the shift until 08:00am and from 10:00pm until the end of the shift. The Athens metro will not work from the beginning of the shift until 09:00am and from 11:00am until the end of the shift. The ports in all countries are on strike from 08:00am until 12:00pm. The Pierian port will strike for 24 hours.

The Greek airports will strike from 10:00am until 13:00pm and Olympic Airline announced that it will cancel 103 local and international flights because of May 1^st.