Yorgos Galanis, 40, civil servant Galanis has been active in the protest movement since he lost his job at the culture ministry, where he managed funds for archaeological projects, last March. He said: My life changed for the worse overnight, and I now face the prospect of long-term unemployment. I have some savings and occasional work at an accounting office, but it s not enough to get by. We have no choice but to protest. For seven years he held short-term, renewable contracts, part of a special class of civil servants he says two-thirds of culture ministry employees are on short-term contracts. The worst part is that our jobs were not eliminated, but rather others filled them. These layoffs are not designed to save money on salaries. They are party-based persecution, he says, noting he was hired in 2004, under conservative rule. Though they cover permanent needs in a variety of ministries and state agencies by law they are supposed to be granted permanent jobs after some years successive governments, both socialist and conservative, have dangled the prospect of tenure, only to fire the workers and replace them with party faithful after coming to power. In 2010 the government stopped renewing contracts, and half of the 60,000 or so in such a position will be laid off by the year s end. Their protests have been regular. at the same time, they are waging a protracted legal battle, which in april culminated in a Supreme Court victory for contract workers at the state betting company. Galanis believes it will be a potent precedent for the rest. Katerina Notopoulou, 23, unemployed Katerina lost her job at the OTE phone company. Greece s young people are among the hardest hit by the deepening crisis, and have the highest unemployment rate. She said: The outlook for Greece is the worst possible. Conditions are unprecedented. People are fired every day and they have a real struggle for survival. Katerina has been active in the protest movement in the northern port city of Thessaloniki since finishing her psychology degree there. If there is not a massive reaction immediately, things will become insufferable, she says.