GREECE: Traffic chaos and disruptions as Greek transport workers stage new strike

Record ID: 340346

  • Title: GREECE: Traffic chaos and disruptions as Greek transport workers stage new strike
  • Date: 23rd December 2010
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (DECEMBER 22, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ATHENS CENTRAL TRAIN STATION VARIOUS OF EMPTY RAILWAY TRACKS IN ATHENS CENTRAL TRAIN STATION AFTER TRAINS ARE HALTED DUE TO TRANSPORT STRIKE TRAIN STATION PLATFORM EMPTY OF PASSENGERS MORE OF EMPTY RAILWAY TRACKS DUE TO THE 24 HOUR TRANSPORT STRIKE ENTRANCE TO ATHENS SUBWAY STATION SIGN OF SUBWAY STATION GATES
  • Embargoed: 7th January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEJ7CDLKB5MQDIX8TBN8O9QEMP
  • Story Text: Athens' public transport employees unions staged the latest in a series of rolling strikes on Wednesday (December 22) causing traffic chaos and disrupting services ahead of the Christmas holiday.
    The 24-hour strike, the fifth in the last ten days, frustrated thousands of commuters and shop owners eager to make a sale during Christmas.
    "The situation is unbearable. All the streets are heavily jammed," said taxi cab driver Constantinos Kokolis.
    "Terrible, nowadays traffic is always (like this), terrible. It is chaotic," said another driver, Thodoras, who spent nearly an hour in his car for a route that usually takes him 20 minutes.
    The strike came as the government was set to pass the 2011 budget in parliament which foresees further cuts in state spending.
    Transport companies are state owned firms, which as part of the 2011 budget, the government plans to restructure or privatise to cut state costs, affecting jobs. It is also planning to cut wages in public sector companies.
    The strike affected buses, trams, the subway, plus local and cross country trains, paralysing commuters whose only option was the use of cars.
    The two main private (GSEE) and public sector (ADEDY) trade unions were also planning to walk off the job for three hours against the passing of the budget and protest outside parliament.
    Opposition parties have been against the 2011 budget, but the governing party holds enough of a majority in parliament to pass it.
    Trade unions staged a 24-hour walkout last week, and more protests or strike actions are scheduled in the capital against the tough reforms.
    The government has been pushing through the reform program in just ten months despite the continuous strikes and demonstrations, which has already included public service hiring freezes and to wage and pension supplements, tax increases, and the abolition of temporary work contracts.
    Until now most of the cuts have affected primarily the public sector, but a labour law passed last week also foresees the relaxing of collective labour agreements in the private sector which trade unions say will make it easier for employers to fire workers and reduce their pay.
    Protesters are generally angry that many of the measures hit the working public's jobs and incomes but no one has been punished for the corruption and graft that has been ongoing in political circles for years and contributed to the country's debt.
    The strikes, centred in the capital, have caused inconvenience for residents and commuters, and shop owners said they are hurting business. Unions said they would continue their actions after the new year.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register