Tens of thousands of students and teachers took part in a day of protests across Greece yesterday (21 October), calling for more resources for public education and measures to address the rising cost of living. The main demonstration took place in Athens—with police estimating around 10,000 participants—while other mobilisations occurred in Thessaloniki, Patras, and various other cities. The day coincided with a 24-hour strike called by the Federation of Primary Education Teachers (DOE).

In its official call to action, issued on October 14, the DOE demanded substantial wage increases, the hiring of staff to fill vacancies, safe school facilities, and sufficient resources to support students. The union denounced the practice of combining classes, the imposition of mandatory overtime, and the forced reassignment of staff to cover personnel shortages. It also called for an end to disciplinary proceedings against teachers who participated in the mobilisations and challenged government policies regarding the evaluation of schools and teaching staff.

Students brought their own demands to the protest: smaller class sizes, better maintenance of school buildings, access to educational materials, and alternatives to high rents—which make it difficult for students to pursue their studies away from their family homes. On the eve of the demonstration, university students set up tents in Syntagma Square, in front of the Parliament, to protest the cost of housing. This encampment linked the education-focused protest to an issue that is increasingly affecting working-class families and students in Greece’s major cities.

The industrial action extended beyond the primary education sector. The secondary education teachers’ federation, OLME, announced a partial work stoppage, and the public sector employees’ confederation, ADEDY, also supported the day’s actions. The demonstrations took place under a heavy police presence, yet reports from the protest in Athens indicated no serious incidents. The organisers emphasised that demands regarding wages and education are part of a broader discussion concerning purchasing power and public services.

The New Democracy government, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, advocates for investments in student housing and facility upgrades; Minister of Education Sofia Zacharaki has pointed to various construction and renovation programs. For the organising groups, however, these measures remain insufficient to address existing shortages and the daily financial burden. This disconnect is evident in schools facing staff shortages, families grappling with rising costs, and students struggling to find affordable rental housing.

The protests in Greece coincide with a wave of student and labour mobilisations across other European countries, though the specific causes and catalysts vary by nation. In Greece, the convergence of educators and students highlights how demands for better wages, access to housing, and public funding are increasingly being framed as interconnected issues rather than separate conflicts.

Machine translation from Sindicalismo.org