Solidarity meal- Thessaloniki, Greece

Solidarity meal- Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Greek trade unionists picket Fokas department store - Thessaloniki

Greek trade unionists picket Fokas department store - Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek trade unionists organised a three hour blockade of Fokas department stores across the country in protest against job losses and pay cuts.

According to the the PAME trade union the Fokas chain is using the crisis in Greek retailing to push down wages and fire employees despite a a tripling of profits since 2005.

However, with the economy in free fall the Greek Chamber of Commerce is predicting the closure of 175,000 shops and other small businesses in the near future with the loss of 300,000 jobs.

Two sudden hikes in VAT along with spiralling unemployment and wage cuts across the board have made Greek consumers wary of making purchases at a time when many have no idea if they will still have a job come winter.

As austerity package is announced Greek workers plan industrial action

Wherever you turn you can't miss the growing tide of anger about the economic situation here in Greece. On TV, radio talk shows, bus queues etc people are besides themselves with indignation about how the economic situation has come to such a pass. Today's news that there are going to be widespread cuts in public services has just added to the shock while others are worried about being paid wages owed or getting their pensions.

Already there have been protests and strike, some in the most unlikely of places. Yesterday Greek airforce pilots announced that they are working to rule a "white strike" as it is termed in Greek over plans to tax flight pay. In addition members of the PAME tade union blocked Pireaus port denying entrance to the 950 passengers of the Zenith cruise ship, forcing the tourists to stay overnight in Athens.

Strike actions have also been announced by many other unions and the number of industrial actions are set to rise exponentially as the details of the spending cuts become known. Tonight there are protest marches palnned for Athens (6.30pm Syntagma Square) and Thessaloniki 7pm (Statute of Venizelou, Aristotelous Square).

The one exception to all this doom and gloom are the state run TV channels which seem to be have transformed themselves in the official media wing of the ruling PASOK party with enough spin on the week's events to make the casual observer dizzy. Reports from journalist covering the unfolding crisis are virtually indistinguishable from official government accounts, complete with appropriate upbeat annotations and flourishes.

PAME trade unionists picket Fokas department store - Thessaloniki, Greece

PAME trade unionists picket Fokas department store - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Members of the PAME (ΠΑΜΕ) trade union joined with employees of the Fokas and Hondas Centre department stores in a day long strike in the centre of Thessaloniki, Greece today over deteriorating pay and conditions for shop workers. The action was taken as part of a general wave of strikes planned for the next two days.

PAME trade unionists demonstrate in Thessaloniki, Greece

PAME trade unionists demonstrate in Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

About 1000 members of the PAME trade union demonstrated in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, part of a nationwide wave of protests in Greece against the government's austerity measures.