- Title: GREECE: Greek dockers protest during Hu Jintao visit
- Date: 25th November 2008
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (NOVEMBER 25, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PORT WORKERS GATHERING IN CENTRAL ATHENS SQUARE WITH BANNERS AND BLACK FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) GEORGE GEORGOKOPOULOS, PRESIDENT OF THE GREEK PORT WORKERS ASSOCIATION SAYING: "We are not just fighting for the rights of the workers, but because they (the government) are selling off our national port." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND SHOUTING, HOLDING BANNERS IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) NIKOS MOURKOYIANNIS, DOCKWORKER SAYING: "The future is uncertain, we don't know what will happen. I have been working for 22 years and now at the age of 45 I will have to look for another job." VARIOUS OF PORT WORKERS MARCHING THROUGH STREETS TOWARDS PRIME MINISTERS' OFFICE SHOUTING: "THEY ARE SELLING THE COUNTRY FOR PEANUTS" AND "NEXT THEY WILL SELL THE PARTHENON" PROTESTERS WITH BANNER READING: "COSCO GO HOME" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS / PROTESTER HOLDING FLARE VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN WITH SHIELDS WATCHING DEMONSTRATION VARIOUS OF PORT WORKERS STANDING BY POLICE CORDON JUST IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT WHERE PRESIDENT HU JINTAO IS VISITING PROTESTERS SHOUTING: "WE DON'T WANT CHINESE MANAGEMENT" GUARDS AT PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
- Embargoed: 10th December 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA9UU2RFH5HNZWK0G2UEF7RK8UC
- Story Text: Dockworkers strike in Athens against an agreement between Greece and China which hands control of port facilities to a Chinese company, as Chinese President Hu Jintao lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Greek capital.
Greek port workers went on strike on Tuesday (November 25) to protest against an agreement between China and Greece that will see a Chinese company take control of cargo facilities at Piraeus, Greece's largest commercial port.
The port workers marched towards the prime minister's office as Greece and China were set to sign the 3.4 billion euro ($4.4 billion) port deal on Tuesday.
The port workers were cut off by police before their march reached the parliament buildings near the prime minister's office, where Chinese President Hu Jintao was attending a wreath laying ceremony.
President Hu Jintao arrived in Greece on Monday, and on Tuesday was set to attend a signing ceremony with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis between container terminal operators COSCO Pacific and the Pireaus Port Authority (OLP) that will see Cosco operate the port's cargo facilities for up to 35 years.
The deal is part of the government's privatisation plans to boost competitiveness and revenues by modernizing facilities at the port.
But the more than one thousand port workers are concerned over job losses saying the move will not come without a cut to working staff.
"The future is uncertain," said dockworker Nikos Mourkoyiannis, "I have been working for 22 years and at the age of 45 I will have to look for another job."
Port workers unions have been against the sale, holding rolling strikes by refusing to work overtime or weekends, for several months, causing containers to pile up at the port and forcing ships to unload at other ports.
Jintao is on a three day visit to Greece, meeting with Greek officials and touring cultural sites.
Before his visit with Karamanlis Jintao laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a memorial dedicated to soldiers who have fallen in conflict.
Ties between Athens and Beijing have been strengthened since Greece, which hosted the Olympics in 2004, advised China on the organisation of the 2008 Beijing Games. The two also hosted several cross cultural events, and trade between the two topped $3 billion in 2007. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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