Greek union vows law suits against privatization

ATHENS, Greece

Greece's powerful main civil servants union on Thursday vowed to file law suits against the Socialist government over a euro50 billion privatization program, describing it as an act of "national treason,"

Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary, of the ADEDY union told the Associated Press on Thursday that a final decision was expected at a union meeting on Sept. 22.

The once pro-Socialist union has already announced plans to stage a campaign of disruptive strikes against austerity measures in the fall -- threatening already-fragile revenue collection.

"For us this is an act of national treason, and those who attempt it will face the consequences accordingly," Iliopoulos said.

"We will use all means at our disposal to, of course, hopefully overturn the government, but mainly to file law suits against those who sign these (privatization) agreements."

The government has faced down months of violent protests as it pushed through successive waves of cost-cutting measures that has seen unemployment rise to record levels.

Greece's Statistical Authority on Thursday reported the unemployment rate at 16.6 percent in May -- a new high -- from 15.8 percent a month earlier.

The agency said Greece had 220,534 more unemployed people in May this year compared to May 2010, an increase of 36.6 percent. The number of jobless stands at 822,719 in the country of about 11 million people.

European leaders agreed last month on a second bailout worth euro109 billion ($155 billion) for Greece, which was granted its first, equivalent rescue from international creditors last year.

In return, the government has imposed the strict austerity measures, increasing taxes and cutting public sector pay and pensions.