Members of EI affiliate the Didaskalikeh Omospondia Elladas (DOE) - the Greek Primary Teachers' Federation initiated a strike action on 18 September this year after several demonstrations in the capital Athens. Pre-primary and primary school teachers in the country are demanding an increase of their minimum wage from 950 to 1400 euros as well as an increase in the education spending for public education.
Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis has so far refused to increase their minimum wage by more than 105 euros over 3 years.
Another EI affiliate, the Omospondÿa Leitourgÿn Mÿsehÿ Ekpaÿdeysehÿ (OLME) - the Federation of Secondary School Teachers of Greece, will be showing their solidarity with the primary school teachers by going on a three-day strike from 17-19 October.
According to both DOE and OLME, a big demonstration will be held in the centre of Athens on 18 October.
Governments need to accept that the teaching profession is not a voluntary entreprise and teachers need a living wage to exercise their profession, says EI. A message of solidarity was sent to the Greek colleagues by EI on 4 October on behalf of 30 million other education workers.