- Title: GREECE: Eighth day of subway strike brings Athens to a standstill
- Date: 28th January 2013
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JANUARY 24, 2013) (REUTERS) SYNTAGMA SQUARE IN ATHENS CENTRE WITH VIEW OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING EXTERIOR OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING ENTRANCE TO SYNTAGMA SUBWAY STATION SUBWAY STATION SIGN WITH PARLIAMENT BUILDING IN BACKGROUND STAIRS LEADING DOWN TO SHUTTERED SUBWAY STATION ENTRANCE SHUTTERED SUBWAY STATION ENTRANCE WITH SIGN CLOSE OF SIGN, READING IN ENGL
- Embargoed: 12th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Transport
- Reuters ID: LVAEUTCLHNS9WBHG4RI8MNSZCHAR
- Story Text: Striking subway employees brought the Athens metro to a standstill on Thursday (January 24) as protests continued against further wage cuts from the new public sector wage agreement.
The subway strike, which is now in its eighth day, caused endless queues of traffic and forced cash-strapped Greeks to take taxis, walk for kilometres or pile into packed buses.
On Monday (January 21), a Greek court ruled the strike is illegal, allowing the government to order the strikers back to work.
But the subway workers' union has not backed down, threatening to continue the strikes if the government does not exempt subway workers from its spending cuts.
City buses will run on Thursday morning and afternoon but will break their service for a few hours in the middle of the day in support of the subway employees.
Some angry commuters said subway workers should take into consideration their fellow citizens and realise that their ongoing strikes cause much distress.
"The people are suffering. They might have a point but they should try and work it out with the government," said commuter Theodoros Chronopoulos.
Stamatis, a pensioner whose pension was reduced due to the austerity measures, said he had already spent more than a hundred euros on taxis during the strike.
"We have to take taxis everywhere and pay in order to attend to our business. We have no idea what to do anymore, no idea whatsoever," said Stamatis.
"It is a hassle but what can we do, things like this happen. As they are right they must fight and we must support them despite our suffering," said 60 year-old commuter Nikos Tsouvalakis.
Strikes and protests against the Greek government's programme of reforms have been a constant feature of the Greek capital since September. The third round of cuts in two years has reduced wages, pensions, benefits and jobs in the public sector.
The Greek government has said these will be the last painful wage cuts and has vowed to concentrate on plans to create jobs and growth.
But Greeks, suffering from high taxes, record unemployment and austerity fatigue, are wary of the government's promises. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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