Strike action

Stevedores across the country walked off the job until 11 a.m. on Monday in a protest against the planned privatization of Thessaloniki port.

A 24-hour strike has been called for Tuesday, when Parliament will debate the relevant legislation.

The port workers will also take part in Wednesday’s general strike.

Workers at Greece’s national railway service are planning rolling 24-hour strikes during the Easter holiday, from Good Friday to the Monday after, in demand of a new collective labor agreement between staff and management.

The workers are also taking issue with the planned privatization of railway operator Trainose.

Pharmacists in Attica will end their strike on Tuesday despite measures liberalizing their sector passing through Parliament on Sunday night.

Passenger ferries were docked at ports in Greece on Monday due to the start of a 48-hour strike called by the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO).

The sailors are protesting that the multi-bill passed through Parliament on Sunday allows ferry companies to offer employees in-house contracts, thereby bypassing collective bargaining with the union.

The national seamen’s union (PNO) was expected to embark on a series of rolling 48-hour strikes on Monday in protest at government legislation that foresees labor contracts being determined through negotiations with individual companies as opposed to the union’s collective contracts agreed with ferry company owners.

Greece's largest public sector union says it will join a nationwide general strike April 9 to protest austerity measures. The move means that the walkout will affect all private and public sector services.

The ADEDY union said Thursday it was joining the strike call issued by the GSEE union a few days ago.

School guards, cleaning staff and teachers who were placed in a labor pool and are now due to lose their jobs took over City Hall in Athens on Tuesday to protest their plight ahead of a 48-hour strike called by civil servants’ union ADEDY due to start on Wednesday.

Pharmacists launched a new 24-hour strike on Monday to protest liberalization measures they feel threaten their livelihood and profession.

Pharmacies around the country were shut, following a 48-hour strike last week, as their owners feel the government’s proposals will allow large chains to dominate the market at the expense of independent stores.

By Christina Kopsini

The legal framework dictating how labor unions operate is set to undergo a major overhaul following recommendations by Greece’s creditors, though the Labor Ministry has said that it will seek the consent of the General Confederation of Greek Labor on the larger issues.