Facing a near-bankrupt pension system, Greece has proposed raising the retirement age and stopping early retirement. While government officials say they are doing a good thing that will benefit everyone in the end, labor unions do not agree. The ADEDY union, which represents public sector employees in Greece will have a 24-hour strike on Wednesday that will shut down schools, airports, government offices and leave hospitals with skeleton staff crews. The strike will be followed on the 24 by a private sector strike. Analysts say that the government should be careful that the strikes do not turn to violence over opposition to the pension plan.
See "Greece Proposes pension overhaul, defies unions", Angeliki Koutantou, Reuters, February 8, 2010