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| Europe | |
| Drum Roll, Please... Greeks Threaten To Strike Olympic Games | |
| 2004-07-30 | |
| Howls of my 'ignorance' / trollfoolery in 5, 4, 3... Doctors do it. Journalists, too. Lawyers, cab drivers and even priests take part. Why,it's a national pastime! Strikes and labor protests in Greece come in just about every fashion. But a new one could be brewing: walkouts during the Summer Games that begin in two weeks. Just what the doctor ordered... Ambulance drivers, paramedics and hotel workers all announced "warning" work stoppages to demand Olympic bonuses and other pay hikes. The 11th-hour threats to the government and private employers are clear: Cough up the cash or risk embarrassing strikes during Athens' big moment. Like Henry Hill in Goodfellas, 'Fuck you, pay me!' The government is in an awkward spot. Over a barrel is more accurate. It says it just can't afford any more bills with a runaway Olympic budget that could approach $12 billion. But it also doesn't want to issue emergency decrees that could trample on Greek workers' cherished right to protest. "The strikes are justified," salesman Skefos Tsoukalis said. "But it's an entirely inappropriate time when we are the center of the world's attention."
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| Posted by:Raj |
| #1 Guess we'll have to move the Games to a place with a more stable labor force. "Okay, everybody on the bus! We're going to France!" |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-07-30 11:01:26 PM |