Sadness, uncertainty and frustration on the steps of OAED…

When walking past tiny Manou street in Pagkrati, few passersby take a second look at an almost deserted house, once a mansion in the region, just before Ymittos street. Those who happen to look at the marble slab over the dirty entrance will read the phrase "Each house holds a little love in silence. Street of Dreams," as "Manos Hadjidakis lived in this house from 1936 to 1962." 

So if someone were to walk by a long line of people early in the morning on Damareos street, just three roads further down, they would realise they are not suburban tourists that are looking for the old residence of the great musician. Instead, they are looking for their own Street of Dreams on Akronos street, where the Pagkrati OAED offices are.

The picture is really unprecedented and shocking. Unemployed people of all ages are waiting patiently in line to be served by OAED. Starting from the offices at the second floor of the Agency, this massive "parade" winds down the stairs of the building, across the entire Akronos street and reaches Iphicrates street.

With unemployment in Greece reaching 16,5% nationally and 19% in regional areas, and unemployment of young people under 35 years of age over 60%, the picture in the Pagkrati OAED really describes "in a thousand words" the tragic situation in Greece's labor market during this unprecedented economic crisis.

The young, the middle-aged, the long-term unemployed who found themselves within the uncertainty of unemployment overnight, are advancing step by step towards the counter of the Agency to receive 461,5 euros in unemployment benefits. The gloomy picture of the Greek economy that is recording unemployment rates similar to those of 1960, is supplemented by ADEDY strikes which led to the closing down of OAED branches for days on end, leading thousands of unemployed people to stand in endless queues.

This was only the one side of the coin, since apart from the uncertainty about future employment and the stress of survival, the unemployed experienced the humiliation of their forced queueing for the meager unemployment benefits. With lowered heads, they stand patiently in line, going just a few steps forward when another person walks out of the OAED branch; one "lucky" person who has received the 461,5 euros to get through the month.