- Title: GREECE: STRANDED TOURISTS COMMENT ON ORDEAL DURING SEAMEN STRIKE
- Date: 2nd July 1995
- Summary: PIRAEUS, GREECE (JULY 2, 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/SV DOCKSIDE, CRUISE SHIP "AEGEAN DOLPHIN" IN DOCK (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. SLV DEPARTURE GATE, PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH 0.13 3. MCU AMERICAN TOURIST BARBARA WARINGER WHO IS TRAPPED ON THE CRUISE SHIP AND HAD TO RESCHEDULE ANOTHER CRUISE AFTER THE STRIKE ENDS SAYING, "YOU COULDN'T REALLY RELAX AND ENJOY IT. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET A FOUR DAY CRUISE AND WE CAN ENJOY THAT." (ENGLISH) 0.23 4. ITALIAN TOURIST DIANA BENEDETTO WHO IS TAKING A PASSENGER LINE TO ISRAEL FROM GREECE WITH HER FAMILY IN A CAR, SAYING IT IS LIKE A PRISON ON THE BOAT, THEY CANNOT LEAVE, THERE IS NOTHING TO EAT, THEY CANNOT TAKE THEIR CAR OUT TO TAKE A PLANE, AND THERE ARE SMALL CHILDREN CRYING. (ITALIAN) 0.39 5. GV/ VARIOUS OF BACKPACKERS AND TOURISTS ON DOCKSIDE/ BRUSHING TEETH OUTSIDE; SITTING AND LYING ON DOCKSIDE WITH RUCKSACKS (4 SHOTS) 1.03 6. MCU GERMAN TOURIST MIRIAM KASE SAYING THEY ARRIVED IN THE MORNING AND HAD TO SPEND THE DAY IN PIREAUS WHICH DID NOT MAKE THEM HAPPY. THEY WERE VERY BORED AND ALTHOUGH THEY MET OTHER TOURISTS THEY HOPE TO BE LEAVING SOON.(GERMAN) 1.25 7. GV/SV PEOPLE SITTING AT STREET CAFE, PLAYING GUITAR, SINGING (2 SHOTS) 1.38 8. SV VARIOUS OF TOURISTS STRANDED AT DOCKSIDE/PEOPLE PLAY CARDS (3 SHOTS) 1.52 9. CU FRENCH TOURIST STEPHANIE ROYE SAYING SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE MARRIED A WEEK AGO AND THEY ARE ON THEIR HONEYMOON TRIP AND DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE. (FRENCH) 2.00 10. SV MOTHER WITH CHILDREN 2.03 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 17th July 1995 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PIRAEUS, GREECE
- City:
- Country: Greece
- Reuters ID: LVABLU5IUEWTE8N1YSLHICB4UVSC
- Story Text: Striking Greek seamen said on Sunday (July 2) they would end a walkout that has halted ferry traffic to the Aegean islands, stranding thousands of tourists.
"We will end this strike on Monday (July 3)," said John Halas, secretary general of the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation. "We will then consider renewing action if there is no progress in our talks with the government." The strike to press their demands for higher pensions and lower taxes has stranded at least 10,000 tourists in ports around the country and virtually halted seaborne traffic between the mainland and the islands.
Piraeus, Greece's biggest commercial and passenger port, looked like a refugee camp with foreign tourists sleeping on the docks.
Others slept in the grounds of Athens international airport waiting for a place on a charter flight.
The strike has also affected cruise and passenger lines.
Tourists travelling on week and month long cruises have been spending the last four days trapped inside the ships. Many have had to cash in their two thousand dollar trips or accept rescheduled cruises, which they say does not fit with their schedule.
Cruise operators have been trying to keep the tourists occupied by taking them on one day trips to local beaches, but many are angry they have to cancel or extend their holidays.
Union leaders said that although the strike had been nearly 100 percent successful, the government was not willing to satisfy their demands.
"Participation so far in the strike is total. No passenger ships have left port," Halas said.
The Socialist government has repeated a pledge made in March that it would raise minimum pensions in 1996. It also said it would try to deal with pension fund problems in the budget for that year.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
