Greek workers stage walk out against reform on strike action
Reuters
Published Sep 24, 2019 06:13AM ET
Greek workers stage walk out against reform on strike action
By George Georgiopoulos
ATHENS (Reuters) - Ships stayed in port and public buses and trains ran on reduced services in Greece on Tuesday as workers staged their first mass walkout since a new conservative government took office in July.
The government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis came to power on pledges to speed up investment and spur growth in a country where economic output shrank by a quarter during a multi-year financial crisis.
Tuesday's action was triggered by government labor reforms, including moves to change some rules governing the calling of strikes, allowing changes to collective working agreements under certain conditions and setting up a registry for labor unions, which have called the move an attempt to control them.
Holding banners reading "Hands off Unions", several thousand Greeks marched peacefully through central Athens under light rain on Tuesday.
"The draft law wants to impose asphyxiating state control, turn unions into tools for employers, depriving us of the ability to strike," said Maria Voli, 68, a retired teacher.
Unions representing workers in fields as diverse as banking to nursery schools and journalism urged members to go on strike.
Labor union ADEDY, which represents about half a million civil servants, says the changes the administration is trying to usher through parliament would hobble the right to strike.
"This draft bill is a monstrosity, they are messing with our right to strike, they want to control it. We can't sit idle and not protest," said unemployed construction worker Michalis Mylonas, marching near Athens's central Syntagma Square (NYSE:SQ).
"It is in the interest of the working class not to bow to employers."
The government plan also introduces a National Program for Simplification of Procedure - a fast-track licensing process for major investments - and disciplinary action for civil servants who delay permissioning.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.