Austerity 2.0: Greek workers told to work for free, give back past pay

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

It's being called the "negative salary": Due to austerity measures in Greece, it's being reported that up to 64,000 Greeks will go without pay this month, and some will have to pay for having a job. Numbers in austerity reports have usually reflected figures in the millions, since they reflect industry-wide cuts (i.e. a 537-million euro cut to health and pension funds). And plans of cutting minimum wage by up to 32% is all but a given in the country. Today's "negative salary" deal—which could have government employees returning funds— reveals the real human impact of the austerity measures.

As Zero Hedge and the Press Project report:

Salary cutbacks (called "unified payroll") for contract workers at the public sector set to be finalized today. Cuts to be valid retroactively since november 2011. Expected result: Up to 64.000 people will work without salary this month, or even be asked to return money. Amongst them 21.000 teachers, 13.000 municipal employees and 30.000 civil servants.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/02/some-greeks-might-have-pay-their-jobs/49023/

[The Douche]

Ahahahahahahahaha?! What?!?!

[Decolonize The Left]

Ahahahahahahahaha?! What?!?!

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. More proof that capitalism is a fucking circus.

- August

[The Douche]

This is seriously absurd. Like, the literal definition of absurd. I read it off to everybody at work and they all just stared at me like I had a dick growing out of my forehead. I can't wrap my mind around this.

[Landsharks eat metal]

This is seriously absurd. Like, the literal definition of absurd. I read it off to everybody at work and they all just stared at me like I had a dick growing out of my forehead. I can't wrap my mind around this.
I seriously almost got physically ill from reading the article, just from shock of seeing that.

[Firebrand]

OK, so the principle of wage labour is no longer that the worker gives their time and effort to the boss and in exchange the boss gives them money. It is now that the boss allows the worker to give their time and effort and in exchange the worker gives the boss money.
Surely people will take one look at that and quit their jobs. I mean seriously, whats in it for them to keep working.
New levels of absurdity

I mean thats straight out of the monty python four yorkshiremen sketch

[GoddessCleoLover]

It is super-exploitation at its very worst. As Lenina Rosenweg posted elsewhere, it is a case of requiring Greek workers to "intern" for a certain time until they can be paid workers again. Shocking and Greek workers ought to strike and occupy against this evil scheme.