GREECE: Striking transport workers surround Greek parliament

Record ID: 338834

  • Title: GREECE: Striking transport workers surround Greek parliament
  • Date: 16th February 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF FIREWORKS THROWN BY WORKERS EXPLODING AT FEET OF POLICE, DOG JUMPING AROUND FIREWORKS VARIOUS MORE OF WORKERS FACING POLICE VARIOUS OF WORKERS WAVING RED FLARES IN NIGHT SKY, POLICE LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF FIREWORKS EXPLODING IN THE SKY, SET OFF BY WORKERS
  • Embargoed: 3rd March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA30I7BR8AQOTEB4YX98FWG3W75
  • Story Text: Striking Greek transport workers demonstrated against a proposed transport reform bill on Tuesday (February 15). Over a thousand demonstrators on foot and on motorbikes took part in the protest. They surrounded parliament as the bill was due to be voted on.
    The demonstration follows a day of strikes where bus, subway, trolley and tram services in the capital were shut down for 24 hours.
    Parliament was set to pass a bill reforming transport services, which will cut wages, transfer staff, and put an end to some temporary work contracts and merge the transport companies, late on Tuesday.
    Transport workers have been staging walkouts and protests for several weeks over the bill, causing a burden for commuters who have been forced to take their cars to work or find other ways of travelling.
    Union officials have said they will continue industrial action even after the bill is passed.
    The bill is part of the government's economic austerity programme to bring Greece out of a debt crisis. The programme includes cutting state costs and waste in state run companies such as the transport services.
    Greece has been riddled with strikes and protests since the government began its reform programme to shrink the country's massive debt and end corruption. Despite the strike action, the government has not wavered in pushing through its programme.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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