Civil servants and other unions declare strikes on Thursday - Commuters in for problems
In an announcement, ADEDY demanded that the legislation be withdrawn and called on members to participate in rallies on the same day throughout the country.
The trade union federation also intends to organise a protest rally on Klafthmonos Square in Athens, on Thursday at 10:30.
Deckhands and other seamen to join Thursday's strike action
The Panhellenic Union of Deckhands of the Merchant Marine (PENEN) on Tuesday announced a 24-strike on Thursday, September 21, against the government's proposed new labor law.
PENEN said the new legislation imposes a 13-hour day and 78-hour week, abolishes breaks in the workplace and slashes a series of benefits while promoting flexible forms of labour and even further undermining the 8-hour day, 5-day week and Sunday holidays in major sectors.
It also criticises the introduction of zero-hours contracts and gig working.
PENEN is organising a rally at 10:00 on Thursday at the Piraeus Labor Center in Karaiskaki Square, followed by a protest march.
Other seamen's unions (engineers, cooks etc) will also be joining the strike action.
Air traffic controllers and Athens buses announce strike
The air traffic controllers' union announced its decision to join a 24-hour strike called by the civil servants' union federation ADEDY next Thursday, in opposition to the new labour law introduced by the government.
The Athens Public Transport Organisation (OASA) staff union announced that it will participate in strike action called by the Athens Labor Center on Thursday, in protest against planned changes to labour law.
Public transport buses in the Greek capital will run between 9:00 and 21:00 on Thursday, due to work stoppages at the start and end of the shifts. Buses routes operated by KTEL intercity buses will run as normal.
The public transport workers are demanding that the draft legislation be withdrawn, as well as safety for staff and passengers, renewal of bus fleets and other demands.
Moreover, trolley bus workers in the Greek capital are joining Thursday’s strike in a decision that will compound commuters’ woes, which are already going to be considerable as a result of protest marches being planned in downtown Athens.
According to an announcement from their union on Wednesday, trolley buses will only run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, similar to regular buses, whose drivers are also walking off the job for the early morning and nighttime parts of their shifts.
Workers on the Athens metro, the tram and the Proastiakos suburban railway had not issued any announcements on Wednesday morning, though given the high level of participation in Thursday’s nationwide strike against the government’s planned labor law reforms, they too are expected to take some form of action.
Public transport in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, will also face upheavals as bus drivers will start their routes at 8 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. and then stop again at 9 p.m.
