GREECE: Transport workers protest against salary cuts, say layoffs are unfair and will cause mayhem in transport service

Record ID: 341125

  • Title: GREECE: Transport workers protest against salary cuts, say layoffs are unfair and will cause mayhem in transport service
  • Date: 27th September 2011
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 26, 2011) (REUTERS) STRIKING TRANSPORT WORKERS DEMONSTRATING OUTSIDE FINANCE MINISTRY AGAINST WAGE CUTS AND THE "LABOUR RESERVE FORCE" PROTESTING TRANSPORT WORKERS HOLDING BANNER READING: "LABOUR RESERVE FORCE FOR THE TROIKA AND THE GOVERNMENT NOT THE WORKERS" MORE OF TRANSPORT WORKERS HOLDING BANNER OUTSIDE FINANCE MINISTRY RIOT POLICE FORMIN
  • Embargoed: 12th October 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA84UTRCSJV03EZRQ5OQRUHEKES
  • Story Text: Transport workers protested on Monday (September 26) in front of the Greek Finance Ministry, against wages reductions in their sector resulting from a government austerity package and feared job cuts.
    All state transport companies will be merged resulting in transfers and possible layoffs through the government's program.
    The protesting transport workers said the layoffs were unfair and were causing despair among the workers who after a lifetime in the job faced unemployment.
    "I have been in this job 22 years, other colleagues have been for 32, 35 years, I am 55 years old, what would I do? The situation is out of control, it's suicidal," said subway employee Ilias Protas.
    Subway transport worker Yannis Vassalos said that since 2010 some 260 workers have been laid off while another 110 have been transferred to other public service jobs, resulting in long lines at tickets booths and delays in subway train schedules.
    "If this situation continues, if the subway continues to lose workers, the buses, the tram, the trolleys continue to lose workers, buses will go only every hour, the subway only every half hour. If that's what the government wants, if that's what the people want, what can I say, have fun with it," said Vassalos.
    Civil servants are protected under the constitution which makes it difficult to fire them, so the government has come up with the "labour reserve force": public servants will be laid off and put into a reserve force for a year on 60 percent of their wage, but if after the year they haven't found another job they are laid off.
    The employees staged a 24 hour strike on Monday, following a similar strike on Friday, which caused traffic jams in the streets and burdened commuters who depend on public transport.
    This week inspectors of the European Union, and International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank, known as the troika, will be Athens to review Greece's progress on reforms after delays.
    The week is also expected to be riddled with strikes and protests after the last measures the government announced further cut wages and put jobs at risk, further enraging unions.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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