GREECE: Striking bus drivers attempt to disrupt buses leaving Athens' main terminal as part of a protest over job and wage cuts as passengers leave for the Easter weekend

Record ID: 340735

  • Title: GREECE: Striking bus drivers attempt to disrupt buses leaving Athens' main terminal as part of a protest over job and wage cuts as passengers leave for the Easter weekend
  • Date: 13th April 2012
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (APRIL 12, 2012) (REUTERS) ATHENS MAIN BUS TERMINAL BUSES IN TERMINAL VARIOUS DRIVERS GATHERED TOGETHER IN TERMINAL IN PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) VASSILIS DIMITROPOULOS, PRESIDENT OF THE BUS DRIVERS UNION, SAYING: "We have not had a raise since 2009 while the owners had a raise of 11 percent in 2011. We never complained about our collective wage agreem
  • Embargoed: 28th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Economic News,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4KF6J8RUYOXFLQHI8A3XRHN37
  • Story Text: A group of striking long distance bus drivers tried to block buses from leaving Athens' main terminal on Thursday (April 12), angry over recent layoffs and wage freezes as holiday travellers were heading off for the Orthodox Easter weekend.
    The some 200 bus drivers, employees at at the country's primary cross country private bus service KTEL, which conducts long distance routes, are on a 24-hour strike over recent layoffs and changes to collective wage agreements.
    But with 90 percent of drivers also being the owners of the buses, most drivers opposed the strike and it did not seriously impact bus schedules and routes.
    The strike pitted the drivers who did not own their own bus against the owners, their employers. At one point during the protest, owners and drivers engaged in a heated argument as owners called on the minority of drivers to stop their action.
    The drivers blocked the exit of the bus terminal and buses leaving their loading gates, but buses left the terminal using the entrance. The action did however cause delays.
    The strike announcement also prompted many to cancel their bus ticket reservations for the Easter holidays.
    "We have not had a raise since 2009, while the owners had a raise of 11 percent in 2011. We never complained about our collective wage agreements. They did and they are asking for a further 30 percent reduction in our wages. Secondly and most importantly, there has been a barrage of layoffs across Greece," said Vassilis Dimitropoulos, president of the bus drivers union.
    Various labour groups have been staging strikes and protests in the last two years as the economy slumped due to Greece's debt crisis, causing layoffs and wage freezes in the private sector. The government also passed legislation to make collective wage agreements more flexible, giving employers the right to reduce wages. The measures are part of Greece's reforms to make the economy more competitive.
    This week, shipworkers also striked for two days, causing the cancellation of ferries to the islands, where many travel for Easter. Their strike was heavily criticised by business and tourism organizations as well as politicians.
    The Greek government announced the country will go to elections on May 6 and recent opinion polls show the two main parties in the current coalition government which passed austerity measures have low ratings.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register