South Africa labour laws not that bad!

[IanF]

OK just read that there is a deadlock in the Greek Parliament about "abolish a 10% salary hike that Greek employees get when they marry."
Now just think if COSATU got hold of this, How would polygamous marriages work. You need an increase you get married, now what happens with the second marriage and with divorce or death. My mind just boggles.

The most recent tussles are over proposals to abolish a 10 per cent salary increase for employees when they marry

Link This is below the fold of the article.

All I can say is what did the Greeks do to get a government like that?

[IanF]

Also from the same newsletter.
"Every detail of the Greek economy is worse than officially forecast. The budget unveiled this morning estimates that public debt will reach 189pc of GDP next year (not 179%). The budget deficit will be 5.2% (not 4.2%). The economy will shrink 4.5% next year (not 3.8%) and unemployment is already 25.1% and 55.6% for youth. GDP will shrink 6.5% this year. Debt write-offs now seem inevitable."

All that detail is scary stuff.

[Blurock]

I think there is a lesson to be learnt from the Greek economy. Just look at the reasons why they are in the dwang:

1. Tax evasion - a big problem as someone else will have to take the burden for funding infrastructure, roads schools and hospitals.
2. Low productivity - wanting something for nothing. Being lazy. Unless you are prepared to work and do your share, you should not demand anything!
3. Fraud and corruption - well,we know how much that costs the state, don't we?
4. Forex deals - by selling your own currency and investing in other countries you are undermining your own currency and digging a hole for yourself.
5. Illegal and unnecessary or avoidable imports - undermines your own economy and destroys jobs.

I can go on and on, but I am sure that Forum members will also add a few.

[AndyD]

With those unemployment figures I'm surprised there isn't anarchy. I'm damn sure everybody who's anybody has an escape route lined up ready cause the sh1t's gonna hit the fan there soon.

[IanF]

The Greek situation is an eye opener for me. But if the law to have an increase when you get married is true and indicative of other laws you can see where the rot is.
How this will play out is interesting?

[Blurock]

With those unemployment figures I'm surprised there isn't anarchy. I'm damn sure everybody who's anybody has an escape route lined up ready cause the sh1t's gonna hit the fan there soon.

There is anarchy already, just watch the news. A number of right wing parties and organisations have sprung up to protect their Greek identity and what they see as theirs. They have started to act against immigrants and foreigners in which can only be described as xenophobia, a word invented by the Greeks.

[AndyD]

What little I've seen in the news I still classed it as unrest but maybe I'll have to downgrade them to anarchy

[Dave A]

Time and time again of late, when I do comparative studies on issues I'm finding that Greece is a great lesson on how to do it wrong, Germany is a great lesson on how to do it right.

I haven't looked at labour legislation though - could be interesting.