University students, school pupils, teachers and parents across Greece are taking part in two days of coordinated protests on Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October, demanding more funding for public education, free student housing and meals, and action on the rising cost of living.
The mobilisation begins with a protest encampment and concert in Athens’ Syntagma Square on Tuesday evening and is expected to peak on Wednesday with a nationwide education rally at the Propylaia, the historic entrance to the University of Athens, alongside a teachers’ strike.
Tents return to Syntagma Square
Students will gather at Syntagma from 6pm Athens time on Tuesday, Kathimerini and CNN Greece reported. Students from dozens of Athens university departments are expected to set up a symbolic encampment for the second time this academic year, according to in.gr.
The action aims to highlight extremely high rents, insufficient student housing, rising prices for basic necessities and shortages in university infrastructure. A solidarity concert planned for the encampment had been postponed during the previous action because of bad weather, in.gr reported. CNN Greece likened the tents to housing protests in Portugal and Spain.
Wednesday: strike and rallies in three cities
A 24-hour nationwide education strike has been called for Wednesday, in which secondary teachers of the OLME federation are taking part, Kathimerini reported, along with a three-hour work stoppage from 11am to 2pm. Rallies are scheduled in three cities:
- Athens: 12 noon at the Propylaia
- Thessaloniki: 11.30am at the Venizelos statue
- Patras: 10.30am at Georgiou Square
For readers in Sydney and Melbourne, the Athens rally starts at 8pm AEDT on Wednesday.
At least 15 student associations from major Attica universities have voted to take part, including associations from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), the University of West Attica and the Athens University of Economics and Business, as well as the residents’ association of NTUA’s newer student dormitories, according to in.gr and To Vima.
Both OLME and the Greek Primary Teachers’ Federation (DOE) have called on members to join, announcing strike action and work stoppages. Parents are advised to check with their schools, as arrangements will depend on conditions on the day.
What students and teachers are demanding
According to in.gr and To Vima, the core demands are:
- More state funding: an immediate budget increase for universities and schools to cover infrastructure, laboratory equipment and supplies.
- Free housing and meals: new student dormitories, rent coverage for students studying away from home, and better-quality free student meals.
- Staff recruitment: large-scale hiring of permanent teaching, administrative and technical staff to fill vacancies.
- Safe buildings: maintenance and modernisation of university and school buildings, and safe conditions for study and teaching.
Teachers are also seeking pay rises and the filling of staff gaps, Kathimerini reported. CNN Greece said teachers’ bodies point to shortages of music, drama and visual arts teachers, a need for more teachers, school nurses and psychologists in all-day schools, and opposition to classes of 25 or more pupils. They are also calling for urgent pre-earthquake safety inspections of school buildings.
Wider strike action on the same day
Several other unions will strike on Wednesday. Hospital doctors and National Health System staff, under the slogan “Give money for the people’s health – not for war and their profits”, will rally at noon outside the Finance Ministry, according to To Vima. Pensioners’ groups will gather at 10am in Kotzia Square, while Culture Ministry employees, higher education administrative staff and Attica special education staff are also taking action.
Police on alert
The Hellenic Police are on heightened alert, Kathimerini reported, against the backdrop of violent protests in France and Albania. Speaking to SKAI on Tuesday morning, Ms Dimoglidou described extensive operational planning, including preventive checks before people reach rally sites and a police presence at buildings and streets where damage is considered possible.
Organisers say the two days are not the end of their campaign, with student associations and unions already looking towards major nationwide strike action planned for November.
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