Life in Greece has been brought to a sudden standstill as workers stage a 24-hour nationwide strike demanding higher wages in the face of soaring inflation, throwing ground transport, flights and ferry services into disarray.
The walk outs began on Wednesday morning to the tune of mass strike action across Europe this month as households all over the continent contend with the cost of living squeeze, exacerbated by soaring energy and food prices.
The nationwide strike is the second this year, and was called by private and public sector unions representing over 2.5 million workers. The protests are expected to culminate in rallies outside parliament later on Wednesday.
Ferries were docked at ports and work stoppages by bus, train and metro staff were expected to cause travel chaos in the capital. Some flights were grounded as air traffic controllers planned to joined the walk out from 8am to 12pm.
While the Greek economy is growing at nearly twice the euro zone rate this year thanks to a rebound in tourism, inflation is near a three-decade peak at 12 per cent, among the highest in the 19 countries sharing the euro.
“Workers ... are battling against the inflation suffocating Greek households, the jungle-like conditions in the labour market, against the burdens they have been carrying on their backs for years,” said GSEE, the main private sector union.
GSEE said it was “imperative” for the government to take measures to tackle inflation as the high cost of energy and basic goods was eating into people’s disposable income.
Together with public sector umbrella union ADEDY, it is demanding an increase in the minimum wage, which currently stands at around €713 per month, and the restoration of collective labour law.
The conservative government has spent over €9bn since September 2021 on power subsidies and other measures to alleviate the burden of rising energy and fuel costs for farmers, households and businesses.
It has promised to increase pensions next year for the first time since the country’s financial crisis and boost the minimum wage further.
With agencies
