Xinhua — The Pan-Hellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) announced the extension of the seafarers’ week-long strike by another two days to Sunday. Other trade unions were examining similar steps.
Ferries have remained docked at ports across Greece since Dec. 2, cutting off islands from the mainland, as seamen protest against the planned labor reform and the abolishment of their special tax breaks.
“From tomorrow we are escalating our actions. We will not allow them to pass these measures which are against workers,” Grigoris Kalomiris, member of the directors board of ADEDY, said.
According to official statistics, a quarter of Greece’s working force suffers from chronic unemployment, a quarter of Greek households is struggling at the threshold of poverty, and the average Greek taxpayer has lost about 40 percent of his income from the start of the debt crisis.
Ahead of the vote on the 2017 budget draft scheduled for Saturday, cabinet ministers reassured that the ailing economy is returning to growth and the most vulnerable groups of society will be supported.
