Judges told their protest is illegal
Greece?s top judge, Supreme Court president Rena Asimakopoulou, warned lower-ranking justices on Tuesday that they are breaching their disciplinary code and disregarding the Greek Constitution by staging daily work stoppages.
Since last week, judges have been walking off the job at noon, three hours before their working day ends. They have been protesting the government?s austerity measures, cuts to their wages, what they see as intervention by Greece?s lenders in the country?s judicial system and recent comments by Prime Minister George Papandreou questioning their application and impartiality.
Asimakopoulou asked the Supreme Court?s judicial inspectors to compile a list of judges taking part in the protest so they can face disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, the Secondary School Teachers? Federation (OLME) has distributed a statement to students, parents and its members calling on them to use the October 28 parades as an opportunity to declare their opposition to the government?s austerity measures. Greece marks its entry into World War II on October 28, which is also known as ?Ohi? Day because Athens said ?no? to Italy?s request for Greek armed forces to stand aside.
In a statement titled ?Let?s say ?No? again,? OLME called on all teachers that will march with pupils during parades to wear black armbands. Some local educators? groups plan to fly black flags over schools.
?Once again, we are turning to the past to derive the courage and strength to confront a very difficult situation,? the federation said. ?Workers are under a severe attack that challenges our rights, sovereignty and ability to shape our futures.?
OLME and the primary school teachers? federation, DOE, have called a 24-hour strike for Wednesday.
Education is one of the areas that has been hit worst by spending cuts.
New Democracy?s education spokesman, Aris Spiliotopoulos, claimed yesterday that junior high schools have only received 25 percent of their textbooks, while only 40 percent are said to have reached senior high schools.
