GREECE: Striking public transport workers bring Athens to a halt

Record ID: 338622

  • Title: GREECE: Striking public transport workers bring Athens to a halt
  • Date: 14th January 2011
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JANUARY 13, 2011) (REUTERS) TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON THE STREETS VARIOUS OF CARS PILED UP ON THE STREET VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF SUBWAY STATION GATES OF SUBWAY STATION CLOSED VARIOUS OF SIGN ON GATE ANNOUNCING STRIKE TRAM STATION TRACKS WITHOUT TRAMS RUNNING ELECTRONIC BOARD AT TRAM STATION ANNOUNCING STRIKE VARIOUS OF EMPTY BENCHES AT TRAM STOP (SOUND
  • Embargoed: 29th January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVAAJKFGJ27Y8SCJSABESQ5ZT6U2
  • Story Text: Traffic comes to a standstill in Athens as public transport workers hold a new 24-hour strike to protest a bill aimed at streamlining mass transit services.
    Tens of thousands of commuters in the Greek capital resorted to driving their own cars or taking a taxi to move about the gridlocked Greek capital on Thursday (January 13) as an Athens public transport employee strike halted train, bus and tram services.
    Mass transit employees decided to go ahead with the strike despite the fact that a Greek court on Wednesday (January 12) declared the planned action illegal. Public transport worker unions have held a number of 24-hour strikes and rolling work stoppages in recent months to demonstrate their opposition to government plans to streamline the public transport system.
    "There's a lot of traffic. It's a real hassle for everyone," said driver Dimitris.
    "I can understand the workers. The measures are definitely harsh for everyone. On the other hand, as a citizen, I need to be able to get around. A solution has to be found which works for the employees but also for the rest of the people," said commuter Sevasti Loupi.
    Transport Minister Dimitris Reppas presented a bill during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, outlining plans to merge transport service organizations, transfer about 1,500 staff of a total of more than 11,000 to other civil servant posts and cancel collective wage agreements. Public transport companies are state owned and face wage cuts under the government reform program of state enterprises.
    The government hopes the reforms will reduce the operating costs of the indebted public transport system and make it more efficient. Minister Reppas said that employee salaries account for 78 percent of operational expenditure, while the corresponding European Union average is 65 percent.
    Reforms that have been implemented since the beginning of the year have sparked continuous protests by various unions.
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